El Paso Senior AdvisorWho licenses senior care facilities in El Paso?
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission licenses assisted living, nursing facilities, home health, hospice and personal assistance agencies, and adult day centers.
The city and county enforce building and fire codes but do not license care. See Texas rules.
What is the difference between Type A and Type B assisted living?
Type A residents can evacuate alone, follow emergency directions and need no routine night care; Type B residents may need help evacuating, care at night and supervision for confusion.
In El Paso, 22 of the 31 licensed assisted living facilities are Type B, 6 are Type A and 3 are legacy Type C foster homes. See Type A or Type B.
Does Texas have a memory care license?
No; a Type B facility needs an Alzheimer's certification from HHSC to advertise or market specialized dementia care.
8 El Paso assisted living facilities hold an Alzheimer's certificate, covering 196 residents, from 16 places at the smallest to 38 at the largest.
How often are El Paso assisted living facilities inspected?
At least every two years under Health and Safety Code 247.027, plus unannounced complaint investigations whenever needed.
Across the 31 licensed assisted living facilities in the metro, the median latest HHSC visit on TULIP was 11 months old when this site was built. Nursing facilities are surveyed roughly yearly under federal rules.
Does Texas require a staff ratio in assisted living?
No; it requires enough staff to meet every resident's needs and to evacuate everyone safely, and HHSC has penalized El Paso facilities for falling short of both.
Ask how many staff are awake at night and how the last night fire drill went.
Where do we report a problem?
HHSC intake at 1-800-458-9858 for licensed facilities and agencies; Adult Protective Services at 1-800-252-5400 for abuse at home; the ombudsman at (915) 533-0998 for residents' problems.
Call 911 in an emergency. See complaints and abuse.
Can a Texas assisted living facility keep a resident who is bedfast?
Not permanently. Neither a Type A nor a Type B facility may keep a resident who is permanently bedfast, though a temporary illness or hospice care can be managed under the facility's policies and the resident's service plan.
When a resident's needs reach that point, the usual next step is a nursing facility. Ask the facility at admission how it handles a decline at the end of life and whether hospice residents can remain. See who assisted living can serve.
Side by side
| These answers are | These answers are not | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Texas rules and published data, cited on our guide pages | Legal, tax or medical advice |
| Scope | General answers for El Paso and Hudspeth counties | A decision about your parent's case |
| Freshness | Checked November 2026 | Guaranteed after rules or rates change |
