Food and Facilities Licensing

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, through Licensure and Regulatory Services, licenses and inspects, under both county and state regulations, facilities such as assisted living facilities; group homes; food service facilities (including restaurants, grocery stores, bars, mobile food trucks, and bed and breakfasts); facilitiates offering bingo, raffles and amusements; massage establishments; swimming pools; tanning facilities; transient lodging; and video game facilities.  Licensure and Regulatory Services is made up of three units:

Environmental Health:  

This unit enforces the regulations associated with the operation of all licensed food service facilities.  This include routine and complaint investigations, food-borne disease outbreak investigations (withe the Disease Control Office), plan review for public pools and food service facilities, and emergency response at licensed facilities.  Staff conduct educational seminars for licensees and issue  periodic newsletters.  This unit also enforces Montgomery County's smoking, trans fat and menu labeling laws, as well as regulations related to the control of rats

This unit consists of Environmental Health Specialists who perform complex inspections and investigations of public facilities to enforce the regulatory standards associated with the operation of all licensed facilities. The investigators work in assigned areas of the county and schedule and conduct on-site inspections and investigations of construction and operating standards in facilities and institutions, such as restaurants: markets: bakeries; nursing homes; group residential homes; public and private schools; tanning salons; and public swimming pools, for the purpose of identifying public health and safety hazards.

The investigator's duties include:

  • Conduct on-site hazard analysis for food preparation and handling.
  • Evaluate layout, cleanliness, and condition of facility.
  • Conduct temperature monitoring of food and equipment, inspect and test equipment.
  • Sample foods, beverage and potable water when required.
  • Conduct inspections of seasonal itinerant food vendors and special food service events for compliance and issue licenses.
  • Review and approve architectural drawings and equipment specifications for remodeling and initial construction of food service facilities and public swimming pools.
  • Evaluate adulterated food and damaged equipment due to fire, electrical or water shut offs, sewage backups or other emergencies.
  • Investigate alleged food borne illnesses by interviewing victims, witnesses, employees, managers, take samples of foods, beverage, identifies environmental and operating factors contributing to outbreak.
  • Investigate complaints and enforce regulation concerning smoking, entertainment and video games, tanning, massage personnel.
  • Participate in bioterrorism preparedness planning and operations.
  • Receive and review complaints concerning insect and rodent infestation.
  • Ensure that rodenticides/pesticides are properly applied and that chemicals do not adversely affect the public, animals, or the environment.
  • Coordinate and administer the County mosquito control program and assist in West Nile Virus control response.

Health Care:

This unit ensures the protection of the public health and quality of care through a program of inspection and investigation of licensed health care facilities, ie., nursing homes and large and small assisted living facilities.  A team of nurses is responsible for enforcing local, state and federal regulations relating to resident (s) rights, quality of care and quality of life in nursing homes and large and small assisted living facilities. Nurse surveyors determine if nursing homes are in compliance with Federal, State and County laws and regulations in order to be licensed to receive Medicare/Medicaid funds.  In addition, nurse surveyors inspect Domiciliary/Assisted Living facilities to determine compliance with State and County laws and regulations.

Health Care Facility inspections are unannounced and are conducted on site.
In addition, this program licenses small group home facilities for three or more unrelated individuals.

Surveyor duties include but are not limited to:

  • Off site review of the nursing home and domiciliary facilities surveys and complaints.
  • Tour of the facility to get an overview of the facility, staff, residents and environment.
  • Resident Record Review
  • Evaluation/observation:  Medication administration, pressure sore treatments, food/dining service, environment, rehab services, physician services, nursing services, social work services, activities, care plans and MDS reviews-an assessment tool used to gather information regarding a residents condition to provide staff with ongoing assessment information necessary to develop a care plan and to provide appropriate care and services for each resident.
  • Resident, family and resident council interviews.
  • Conduct complaint investigations.
  • Investigate alleged abuse and neglect.
  • Participate in bioterrorism preparedness planning and operations

Licensing Services:

This unit processes and issues facility and personal licenses; receives complaints regarding licensed facilities; smoking , trans fat and menu labeling violations; and rats.  The unit also distributes general information to the public.