Colorado Springs Senior AdvisorWhat does ALR mean on a Colorado license?
ALR stands for assisted living residence, the license CDPHE issues under 6 CCR 1011-1 Chapter 7 for a residence that provides room, board, personal services, protective oversight and 24-hour supervision to three or more unrelated adults.
Colorado does not use the terms personal care home or residential care facility for senior assisted living.
What is an ACF in Colorado?
An Alternative Care Facility is an assisted living residence that the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has certified to serve Health First Colorado members on the EBD waiver; CDPHE's records code it ALR/ACF.
Waiver residents in an ACF pay $810.00 a month for room and board in 2026.
Does Colorado license memory care separately?
No. An ALR that limits residents' free exit must meet Part 25 (Secure Environment) of Chapter 7, but there is no separate memory care license, and CDPHE's public data does not flag secure environments.
Ask each residence for its Part 25.4 disclosure.
Is a small group home in a Colorado Springs neighborhood licensed?
It must be if it provides room, board and personal services to three or more unrelated adults; check its CDPHE facility ID in Find and Compare or our directory, and report a suspected unlicensed home to CDPHE.
Residents of unlicensed homes have no inspections and none of the regulation's protections.
Does independent living need a license in Colorado?
Not if it provides only housing, meals and amenities; once personal services and protective oversight are provided, an ALR license is required.
Many Colorado Springs campuses pair unlicensed independent living with a licensed ALR and sometimes a nursing home.
Does Colorado license home care agencies?
Yes. CDPHE licenses home care agencies (personal care and homemaker services) and home health agencies (skilled care); our directory lists both for El Paso and Teller counties.
Private caregivers hired directly by a family are not licensed.
How long does an ALR license last in Colorado, and can I see when it expires?
CDPHE's public Find and Compare data does not show license expiration dates, so the practical check is that the residence appears as active on CDPHE's list with the facility ID shown on our page.
If a residence has recently changed owners, ask whether the license was transferred or newly issued; a new owner usually means a new license and an initial licensure survey, which shows up in the inspection list as Initial Licensure.
Does a Colorado assisted living residence need a nurse to give insulin?
Generally yes when the resident cannot self-administer: insulin injections and other skilled tasks need a licensed nurse or an outside home health agency, while qualified medication administration persons (QMAPs) handle routine oral medications.
Ask each residence how it handles insulin, blood thinners and as-needed medications at night, and whether a nurse is on call.
