Health Standards Section

The Health Standards Section (HSS) of the Louisiana Department of Health has responsibility for the licensing of all healthcare facilities in the State of Louisiana that are subject to licensing statutes. HSS also has a federal contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to conduct certification surveys and complaint surveys in programs certified for Medicare and/or Medicaid. Since 1985, through an agreement between LDH and the federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), HSS has been the designated state survey agency, which operates under Section 1864 of the Social Security Act. This section licenses and certifies providers for participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The mission of HSS is to enforce regulatory compliance of healthcare facilities and provider types within the State of Louisiana. This is accomplished through periodic surveys and inspections of providers licensed and/or certified to operate in Louisiana. HSS also investigates complaints received regarding allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and extortion, and noncompliance with federal and/or state regulations that fall under the purview of the state survey agency.

HSS also has responsibility for administering the Facility Need Review process, informal dispute resolutions, the Certified Nurse Aide Registry, the Direct Service Worker Registry, oversight of collected civil money penalty funds, and the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program.