How to read a Georgia state inspection report
Every licensed personal care home, adult day center and home care agency in Georgia is inspected, and the reports are public. They are written for regulators, not families. Here is how to read one without either panicking or dismissing it.
Written by [author name]. Reviewed by [reviewer name], [role], October 12, 2026.
Where to find it
Every listing on CareBegins links to the provider's record on the Georgia Department of Community Health facility search. The record shows license status and the inspection reports, usually posted 30 to 60 days after the visit. We show the date of the last inspection on the listing.
What a citation is, and is not
A citation means an inspector found something that did not meet a rule on that day: a missing signature on a medication record, a fire drill not logged, a staff file without a training certificate, or something serious like a resident injured without a report. The report says which rule, and what was found. It does not say how serious the inspector thought it was unless it is marked as such, and it does not say whether it was fixed, unless a follow-up visit is attached.
Three things to look for
- Repeats. The same citation on two inspections in a row matters more than three different ones once.
- The subject. Medications, supervision, abuse or neglect, and staffing citations touch the person directly. Paperwork citations usually do not, though a pattern of them says something about how the place is run.
- The response. A plan of correction with dates, and a follow-up that found it fixed, is a good sign. Ask the provider to walk you through it; a good one will.
Why we do not summarize findings
A finding without its context and its resolution can mislead, and the people in these homes are vulnerable. We link to the record and show the date, and we are working on a way to show findings with their meaning, status and the provider's reply. Our policy.
What to ask
"May I read your last inspection report, and what did you change after it?" is a fair question in every first call. It is one of the twelve.