Housing settings that include services where seniors or people with disabilities live in the same building are sometimes called group homes. This term does not refer to a specific state license or registered setting.

The following types of regulated housing settings are sometimes called group homes:

• Adult Foster Care (AFC): Housing for one to five individuals with disabilities and seniors who each live in their own bedroom and get some services from an on-site caregiver. AFC is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Learn more about Adult Foster Care.
• Board and Lodge facilities: Housing for five or more people who may have individual or shared bedrooms, depending on the facility. Other spaces, such as living rooms, dining rooms, or cafeterias, are shared. Board and Lodge is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Learn more about Board and Lodge.
• Assisted living: Housing for five or more people that provides services on site. Assisted living can look like individual apartments, or it can look like a house. Any place that calls itself assisted living must be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Some assisted living specializes in services for people living with memory loss such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. These facilities have a special assisted living with dementia care license. Learn more about assisted living.
• Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (ICF/DDs): Residential long-term care facilities that provide services to people with developmental disabilities or related conditions. Long-term care facilities are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and most are certified to accept Medical Assistance (MA) as payment. Learn more about ICF/DDs.