Ohio

OH · State guide

Ohio's small board-and-care homes are licensed as Class 2 residential facilities. These provide accommodations, supervision and personal care to 1-2 unrelated people with mental illness, 1-2 unrelated adults receiving Residential State Supplement (RSS) payments, or 3-16 unrelated adults. Class 2 homes may not provide onsite mental health treatment. Larger assisted living settings are ODH-licensed residential care facilities (17+ residents with personal care for 3+, or 3+ residents when skilled nursing is provided). OhioMHAS became the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health on Oct. 1, 2025 (HB 96).

License categories

Residential facility Class 2 (formerly adult care facilities: adult family homes / adult group homes)
Residential care facilities (assisted living)

Key laws

Ohio Rev. Code 5119.34

Residential facilities (Class 1, 2, 3) licensure
Official text →

Ohio Adm. Code ch. 5122-30

Residential facilities (licensing rules)
Official text →

Ohio Adm. Code ch. 3701-16

Residential care facilities (eff. July 12, 2024)
Official text →

Ohio Rev. Code ch. 3721

Nursing homes and residential care facilities

Key requirements

Class 2 capacity is capped at 16 adults; license categories are 1-2 persons with mental illness, 1-2 RSS recipients, or 3-16 adults (ORC 5119.34; OAC 5122-30-03).
Class 2 staff and managers need CPR/First Aid and an orientation on caring for people with mental illness. Employees need BCI criminal records checks (DBH RF2 toolkit; OAC 5122-30-20).
Class 2 facilities are inspected under OAC 5122-30-11 and must meet the safety rules in OAC 5122-30-12.
RCF administrators need an NHA license or specified experience/education, plus 9 hours of continuing education a year. At least one qualified staff member must be on duty at all times (OAC 3701-16-05, -06).
ODH makes at least one unannounced RCF inspection every 9-15 months (ODH).