Nursing homes and assisted living in Arkansas

In Arkansas, assisted living has two levels, and one of them can get help from Medicaid. Understanding that difference will help you choose with more confidence.

What care settings are called here

The Office of Long Term Care (OLTC), part of the Division of Provider Services & Quality Assurance at the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS), licenses these places:

• Assisted Living Facility Level I: assisted living in apartments, in a homelike setting. It is for people who need help, but not a nursing home level of care.
• Assisted Living Facility Level II: assisted living that can also take in people who do need a nursing home level of care. This is the level that works with the Medicaid assisted living program.
• Residential Care Facility: another kind of residence licensed by the state.
• Adult Day Care and Adult Day Health Care: adult day centers.
• Nursing Home: a traditional nursing home.

In the long-term care facility search, you can search by county. Each facility must keep its most recent inspection where people can see it. You can also ask the OLTC for the reports. Reviewing them is a normal way to get to know each place well.

How Medicaid helps in Arkansas

Arkansas Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people who qualify. It also has two important programs:

• Living Choices Assisted Living Waiver: pays for services inside an Assisted Living Facility Level II. It is for people 65 or older, or 21 to 64 with a physical disability, who need a nursing home level of care. The waiver does not cover room and board.
• ARChoices in Homecare: services at home and in the community. It includes a personal attendant, meals, an emergency alert button, adult day care, respite care, and Adult Family Homes.

How to apply:

• Choices in Living Resource Center: 1-866-801-3435, Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 4:00.
• Access Arkansas, for questions about eligibility: 855-372-1084 or access.arkansas.gov.

How much care costs in Arkansas

These are the statewide medians from CareScout's Cost of Care Survey 2025 (data from July to November 2025):

• Assisted living (private one-bedroom unit): $4,637 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $245 a day (about $7,452 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $265 a day.
• In-home caregiver (non-medical): $25 an hour.
• Adult day center (adult day health care): $76 a day.

Arkansas has some of the lowest nursing home costs in the country.

Who to call

• Arkansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: a free advocate for residents. It has regional ombudsmen across the state. Find the one for your area at arombudsman.dhs.arkansas.gov.
• Choices in Living Resource Center: the resource center for older adults and people with disabilities (ADRC). Call 1-866-801-3435.
• OLTC line to report concerns about a facility: (800) 582-4887.
• Eldercare Locator (national helpline): 1-800-677-1116.

Tips for your family

• Ask if it is Level I or Level II. If your loved one might need more care or Medicaid in the future, a Level II residence gives you more options.
• Use free counseling. In Arkansas, anyone looking to move into a long-term care facility can get Options Counseling, no matter how they plan to pay.
• Take a break. The Arkansas Lifespan Respite program has a search tool to find respite care providers for people who care for a family member.
• Check with your local agency. The state's Area Agencies on Aging know the services in your county.

This is general information and does not replace medical or legal advice.