Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Michigan does not publish one master "list of adult foster care homes" with names and addresses. LARA (Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) licenses and inspects AFC homes county by county, and inspection records are searchable through LARA's online systems, not a single downloadable roster. This guide shows where to actually search, and what to know if you want to open one yourself.
Is there an official list of adult foster care homes in Michigan?
Not in the form most people expect. Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) licenses Adult Foster Care (AFC) facilities under the Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act, Public Act 218 of 1979, codified at MCL 400.701 et seq. [1]. LARA does not maintain a single public spreadsheet titled "all AFC homes in Michigan." Instead, licensing and inspection data lives inside LARA's Bureau of Community and Health Systems (BCHS) records, which you search facility by facility or county by county through LARA's online licensing lookup tools. If you're trying to find a home for a family member, the more useful starting points are LARA's facility search function and Michigan's local Area Agencies on Aging, which keep referral lists for their service regions. If you're trying to research the market before opening a home yourself, you'll want to pull inspection and complaint history for specific facilities rather than expect one clean master list. This distinction matters. A lot of directory sites online scrape old data and call it "the list," but licensing status changes constantly (new licenses issued, homes closed, capacity changed), so anything not pulled directly from LARA's live system should be treated as a starting point, not gospel. For operators, this is also the reason we built our licensing kit: the paperwork trail for opening an AFC home is spread across several LARA forms and county-level zoning offices, and there's no single portal that walks you through it end to end.
What is adult foster care, exactly?
Adult foster care (AFC) in Michigan is a licensed residential setting that provides supervision, personal care, and protection to adults who can't live independently because of age, physical limitations, or developmental or mental health conditions, but who don't need continuous nursing care [1]. AFC homes range from small family homes with a handful of residents to larger congregate facilities. Michigan's AFC license categories include the AFC Family Home (1 to 6 residents, in the licensee's own home), the AFC Small Group Home (1 to 12 residents), and the AFC Large Group Home (13 to 20 residents), among other configurations defined in the licensing rules under PA 218 [1]. Each category has its own staffing ratios, physical plant requirements, and inspection cadence. AFC is distinct from a nursing home. It is also distinct from Michigan's separate "Homes for the Aged" license category, which covers larger congregate care settings for people 55 and older that provide more organized personal care services. If you're comparing options, our guide to assisted living facilities breaks down how assisted living licensure differs state to state, since "assisted living" is not itself a protected legal term in every state the way AFC is in Michigan.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is a broad term for residential care that helps people with daily activities (bathing, dressing, medication reminders, meals) while allowing more independence than a nursing home. It is not one uniform, federally defined category. Each state sets its own licensing rules, and the same building type might be called "assisted living," "residential care," "personal care home," or, as in Michigan, "adult foster care" or "home for the aged," depending on state law [1][2]. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) does not license or regulate assisted living directly; states do [2]. That's why the experience of shopping for "assisted living" varies so much depending on which state you're in. In Michigan specifically, most of what people colloquially call assisted living is licensed as either AFC or as a Home for the Aged, each with its own resident capacity limits and staffing rules under LARA.
What is a group home?
A group home is a licensed residential facility, usually a house in a regular neighborhood, that provides housing, supervision, and support services to a small number of unrelated residents who need help with daily living. Group homes serve different populations depending on the state and license type: seniors, adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), people in mental health recovery, or people in substance use recovery. In Michigan, an AFC Small Group Home license covers homes with 1 to 12 residents, and an AFC Large Group Home covers 13 to 20 [1]. Zoning matters here too. Michigan's Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act includes provisions treating state-licensed residential facilities serving 6 or fewer residents as a permitted residential use, meaning cities generally can't zone them out of single-family neighborhoods the way they might a larger commercial use [1]. If you're planning a location, read our zoning and property considerations before you sign a lease, because local zoning boards still sometimes push back even when state law is on your side.
What is an assisted living facility (and how is Michigan different)?
An assisted living facility, in most states, is a licensed building where staff provide help with daily activities, medication management, meals, and social activities for residents who need support but not skilled nursing care. Most states use the term "assisted living" as an actual license category with its own statute. Michigan does not have a license called "assisted living facility." Instead, the settings that function like assisted living fall under AFC licensure (Public Act 218 of 1979) or under the Homes for the Aged license (Public Act 368 of 1978, Article 17), codified at MCL 333.20101 et seq. [1][3]. Homes for the Aged generally serve a more institutional, larger-capacity population and require more structured health-related services than a typical AFC family home. If a facility in Michigan markets itself as "assisted living," it is almost certainly operating under one of these two license types, and you can verify which one, and its inspection history, through LARA's licensing search.
What is assisted living vs nursing home, and how does Michigan draw that line?
| Licensing authority | LARA, under PA 218 (AFC) or PA 368 Art. 17 (Homes for the Aged) [1][3] | State health department, federally certified under 42 CFR Part 483 [4] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level of care | Supervision, personal care, protection | 24-hour skilled nursing, rehab, medical monitoring | |
| Typical resident | Needs help with daily activities, stable medically | Needs ongoing nursing or post-acute care | |
| Medicare coverage | Not covered as room and board | Short-term skilled stays can be covered under specific conditions [5] | |
| Michigan capacity range (AFC) | 1 to 20 residents depending on license type [1] | Varies widely, often larger facilities | If a resident's needs progress past what personal care and supervision can safely handle, the appropriate move is usually to a licensed nursing facility, not staying in an AFC home hoping staff can manage it. |
The short version: assisted living (or AFC, in Michigan) is for people who need help with daily activities but not around-the-clock skilled medical care. A nursing home (called a "skilled nursing facility" in federal law) is for people who need daily nursing care, rehabilitation, or medical monitoring that a residential setting isn't equipped to provide. Nursing homes are certified under federal Medicare and Medicaid rules at 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, which sets requirements for participation for long-term care facilities [4]. AFC homes are not nursing facilities and are not held to that federal certification standard; they're licensed and inspected under Michigan's own AFC rules by LARA [1]. Here's a quick side-by-side: | Feature | Michigan AFC / Home for the Aged | Nursing home (skilled nursing facility) |
What does assisted living provide, day to day?
In a typical assisted living or AFC setting, residents get a private or shared room, three meals a day, help with bathing and dressing, medication reminders or administration (depending on staff certification), housekeeping, laundry, transportation to appointments, and organized social activities. Staff supervise the building around the clock, though the level of hands-on nursing support is limited compared to a nursing home. Michigan's AFC rules under PA 218 specifically define required services around supervision, personal care, and "protection" for residents who need it because of age or disability, but do not authorize the facility to provide ongoing skilled nursing care [1]. Some AFC homes contract with outside home health or hospice agencies to bring in additional medical services as residents' needs increase, which lets residents age in place longer without transferring to a nursing facility. For families comparing specific facilities, it's worth asking directly what level of medication administration staff are certified to provide. Michigan differentiates between staff who can only remind a resident to take medication and staff certified to actually administer it.
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. Medicare does not cover room and board at assisted living facilities, AFC homes, or Homes for the Aged in Michigan or anywhere else. CMS is explicit about this: Medicare covers medically necessary services like doctor visits, some home health care, and short-term skilled nursing facility stays following a qualifying hospital stay, but it does not pay for the custodial, non-medical care that assisted living and AFC provide [5]. As CMS puts it, Medicare's skilled nursing facility benefit covers care "for a limited time (on a short-term basis)" following a qualifying hospital stay, not ongoing custodial or residential care [5]. Medicaid is a different story. Michigan's Medicaid program, through home and community-based services (HCBS) waivers such as the MI Choice waiver, can help cover some services and supports for eligible low-income residents in certain AFC settings, though it generally does not cover the full cost of room and board either. Coverage details, waiver slots, and eligibility change, so anyone relying on Medicaid to help fund AFC care should confirm current rules directly with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), which administers Medicaid waiver programs in the state. For a broader breakdown of how Medicaid waivers interact with residential care licensing across states, see our funding and Medicaid coverage.
What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home costs and expectations?
Beyond the level of care, the day-to-day experience differs. Assisted living and AFC settings emphasize independence: residents often have their own room, can come and go with notice, and participate in choosing meals or activities. Nursing homes are structured around medical need first, with staff scheduling shaped by clinical protocols, medication administration on a strict timetable, and less flexibility around daily routines. Cost structures also differ, though exact figures vary constantly by region and facility, so treat any number here as a range to confirm locally rather than a fixed price. Long-term care cost surveys have historically shown assisted living running lower monthly than a private nursing home room nationally, though Michigan-specific current figures should be confirmed with individual facilities or MDHHS resources, since this guide won't invent current pricing. The practical takeaway for families: if a loved one is stable but needs daily help, AFC or assisted living is usually the appropriate and less restrictive setting. If they need ongoing nursing care, wound care, IV therapy, or close medical monitoring, a licensed nursing facility is the safer choice, and Medicare may actually help cover a portion of that stay under specific conditions [5].
How do I start a group home / adult foster care home in Michigan?
Opening an AFC home in Michigan starts with picking your license category (Family Home, Small Group Home, or Large Group Home) based on how many residents you want to serve, since capacity limits determine which licensing rules and staffing ratios apply [1]. From there, the general path looks like this: 1. Confirm zoning and location. Even though PA 218 protects small licensed facilities (6 or fewer residents) as a permitted residential use in most zoning districts, you still need to confirm local requirements, fire code compliance, and any additional permits with your city or township [1]. 2. Complete required training. Michigan requires AFC licensees and staff to complete specific pre-service and ongoing training hours; confirm current requirements with LARA's Bureau of Community and Health Systems, since training rules are updated periodically. 3. Submit your license application to LARA, including facility floor plans, staffing plan, policies and procedures manual, and background check clearances for anyone with resident contact. 4. Pass a pre-licensing inspection. LARA inspects the physical building for fire safety, sanitation, and space requirements before issuing a license, and continues periodic inspections after licensure. 5. Build your policy and procedure manual covering resident rights, medication management, emergency procedures, staffing plans, and admission/discharge criteria, since LARA reviews these as part of licensing and during inspections. This is the exact stack of paperwork our $299 State Group Home Licensing Kit is built to organize: state-specific application checklists, policy manual templates, and staffing plan templates so you're not reverse-engineering LARA's requirements from scratch. It doesn't replace talking to your licensing consultant or LARA directly, but it saves you from missing a form on your first submission.
What does the Michigan AFC license application actually require?
At minimum, expect LARA to require: a completed license application form, proof of ownership or lease for the facility, a facility floor plan showing resident room square footage and exits, a staffing plan showing coverage ratios by shift, a policy and procedure manual, criminal history and central registry clearance for the licensee and staff, and proof of required training completion [1]. Fire safety inspection sign-off from the local fire authority or the state fire marshal's office is also typically required before LARA will issue a license. Exact current fee amounts, specific form numbers, and processing timelines change periodically, so confirm the current fee schedule and required forms directly with LARA's Bureau of Community and Health Systems before you budget or submit anything. Don't rely on a fee number from an old blog post; LARA's own current licensing page is the only reliable source for what you'll actually be charged and what's currently required.
How long does it take to get a Michigan AFC license approved?
There's no universal, guaranteed timeline, and anyone who promises you a fixed number of weeks is guessing or selling something. Timelines depend on how complete your initial application is, how quickly your local fire and zoning approvals come through, and current staffing at your regional LARA licensing office. What you can control: submit a complete application the first time. Incomplete staffing plans, missing background check paperwork, and floor plans that don't clearly show required square footage per resident are the most common reasons applications bounce back for revision, adding weeks or months to the process. Building your policy manual and staffing plan before you submit, rather than scrambling after LARA flags gaps, is the single biggest lever you control over how fast this moves.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a list of licensed adult foster care homes in Michigan?
There is no single downloadable master list. Search LARA's (Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) online facility licensing and inspection lookup system, or contact your regional Area Agency on Aging for a referral list covering your county. Both sources reflect current licensing status better than third-party directory sites.
What is assisted living?
Assisted living is residential care that helps people with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and medication while allowing more independence than a nursing home. It's regulated entirely at the state level; there's no single federal definition. In Michigan, the equivalent settings are licensed as Adult Foster Care or Homes for the Aged.
What is a group home?
A group home is a licensed residential facility, usually an ordinary house, providing housing and support to a small number of unrelated residents who need supervision or care. Michigan's AFC Small Group Home license covers 1 to 12 residents and its Large Group Home license covers 13 to 20, under Public Act 218 of 1979.
What is an assisted living facility?
An assisted living facility is a licensed building providing help with daily living, meals, and medication management for residents who don't need full-time skilled nursing care. Michigan doesn't use that exact license name; comparable facilities are licensed as Adult Foster Care homes or Homes for the Aged under state law.
What is assisted living vs nursing home?
Assisted living (or AFC in Michigan) supports people who need help with daily activities but are medically stable. A nursing home provides 24-hour skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, and medical monitoring for people with more intensive medical needs, and is federally certified under 42 CFR Part 483 in addition to state licensing.
What does assisted living provide?
Typically a room, meals, housekeeping, laundry, help with bathing and dressing, medication reminders or administration, transportation, and organized activities, plus staff supervision around the clock. It does not include ongoing skilled nursing care; residents needing that level of medical support usually need a licensed nursing facility instead.
Does Medicare cover assisted living facilities?
No. Medicare does not pay for room and board at assisted living, AFC, or Homes for the Aged facilities. It covers medically necessary services and, under specific conditions, short-term stays in a skilled nursing facility following a qualifying hospital stay, per CMS coverage rules.
Does Medicaid cover adult foster care in Michigan?
Michigan Medicaid, through home and community-based waiver programs like MI Choice, can help cover certain services for eligible low-income residents in some AFC settings, but generally not full room and board. Eligibility and covered services change, so confirm current details directly with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
How do I start a group home in Michigan?
Pick your AFC license category based on resident capacity, confirm zoning and fire code compliance for your location, complete required staff training, submit your license application with a floor plan, staffing plan, and policy manual to LARA, and pass a pre-licensing inspection before you can accept residents.
What is the difference between assisted living and nursing home care?
Assisted living and AFC focus on supervision and help with daily activities for medically stable residents, with more independence and flexibility. Nursing homes provide structured, around-the-clock skilled nursing and medical care for residents with higher medical needs, and are subject to federal certification standards under 42 CFR Part 483 on top of state licensing.
How many residents can a Michigan AFC home have?
It depends on license type. An AFC Family Home is licensed for 1 to 6 residents in the licensee's own home. An AFC Small Group Home covers 1 to 12 residents. An AFC Large Group Home covers 13 to 20 residents, per Michigan's Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act.
Can a city block an adult foster care home through zoning in Michigan?
Generally not for smaller homes. Michigan's Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act treats state-licensed facilities serving 6 or fewer residents as a permitted residential use in most zoning districts, limiting a city's ability to exclude them from single-family neighborhoods. Larger group homes may face more zoning scrutiny, so confirm locally.
What agency licenses adult foster care homes in Michigan?
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), specifically its Bureau of Community and Health Systems, licenses and inspects Adult Foster Care homes under Public Act 218 of 1979. Homes for the Aged are licensed under a separate section of Public Act 368 of 1978.
Sources
- Michigan Legislature, Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act, MCL 400.701 et seq.: Michigan AFC license categories, capacity limits, required services, and zoning protection for small facilities under Public Act 218 of 1979
- Medicare.gov, Nursing Home Care and Assisted Living overview: States, not the federal government, license and define assisted living and residential care settings
- Michigan Legislature, Public Health Code, MCL 333.20101 et seq. (Act 368 of 1978, Article 17): Homes for the Aged are licensed under Article 17 of Michigan's Public Health Code, separate from Adult Foster Care licensure
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 42 CFR Part 483, Subpart B, Requirements for Long Term Care Facilities: Nursing homes are certified under federal requirements for participation for long-term care facilities
- Medicare.gov, Skilled Nursing Facility Care coverage: Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing facility stays under specific qualifying conditions, and does not cover room and board at assisted living or custodial care facilities
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, MI Choice Medicaid Waiver Program overview: Michigan's MI Choice Medicaid waiver can help cover certain home and community-based services for eligible residents