Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care is a congregate specialty care assisted living facility (SCALF), Alabama's license for memory care at 3605 Ratliff Road in Birmingham, Jefferson County, licensed by the Alabama Department of Public Health under ID P3713 for 34 beds. Its license status on ADPH's directory export of October 30, 2026 is regular.
How is Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care licensed in Alabama?
At a full census of 34, Table A of r. 420-5-20-.04 requires Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care to have at least 5 staff on duty from 7 AM to 3 PM, 3 from 3 to 11 PM and 3 overnight, and as a SCALF it must employ an RN and a physician medical director.
| License detail | ADPH record |
|---|---|
| ADPH license ID | P3713 |
| License class (ADPH) | Congregate Specialty Care Assisted Living Facility |
| Licensed beds | 34 |
| License status | Regular |
| Licensee type | Nonprofit Corporation |
| Administrator on file | Jeff Burchfield |
| Phone on file | (205) 956-2184 |
| Same address | Kirkwood by the River (Congregate ALF, 46 beds); Kirkwood by the River (Skilled nursing facility, 61 beds) |
How did Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care do on its newest ADPH survey?
ADPH's newest posted statement of deficiencies for Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care covers a licensure and complaint survey completed April 8, 2026 and cites 3 deficiency tags. Surveyors recorded a census of 32 in 34 beds, about 94% full.
The surveyors' notes say 2 complaints were investigated during that visit.
| Tag | Rule cited |
|---|---|
| A1201 | 420-5-20-.12 (1) Physical Environment |
| A1203 | 420-5-20-.12 (5) Physical Environment |
| A504 | 420-5-20-.05 (3) (d) Records and Reports |
The citations cluster in physical environment (2), records and reports (1). That is no more than the 5-tag median for the newest reports in the seven counties. Read the findings and plan of correction in the original ADPH report.
How many ADPH survey reports exist for Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care?
ADPH lists 5 posted survey reports for Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care, from 2009 to 2026; the newest is dated April 8, 2026, about 0.6 years ago, against a 2.4-year median for the area's licensed assisted living.
| Survey date | Category | Survey type |
|---|---|---|
| 4/8/2026 | HPS Clinical Deficiencies | Licensure/Complaint |
| 2/12/2020 | HPS Clinical Deficiencies | Not labeled |
| 3/7/2018 | HPS Clinical Deficiencies | Not labeled |
| 9/9/2014 | HPS Clinical Deficiencies | Not labeled |
| 11/18/2009 | HPS Clinical Deficiencies | Not labeled |
Earlier reports we read: February 12, 2020, 0 tags, census 18; March 7, 2018, 5 tags, census 18.
Survey types on file: not labeled (4), licensure/complaint (1).
How does Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care compare with places nearby?
Apart from its own campus, the nearest license on ADPH's roster is Fair Haven - Assisted Living in Birmingham, a Congregate ALF with 76 beds in the same ZIP code.
| Facility | License class | Miles away | Licensed beds | Newest posted ADPH survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Haven - Assisted Living | Congregate ALF | same ZIP | 76 | March 5, 2025 |
| St. Martins in the Pines Assisted Living Facility | Congregate ALF | same ZIP | 71 | None posted |
| Fair Haven - Specialty Care | Congregate SCALF | same ZIP | 64 | March 5, 2025 |
| St. Martin's-In-The-Pines Specialty Care Assisted Living Facility | Congregate SCALF | same ZIP | 51 | January 31, 2025 |
Which hospitals are near Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care?
Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care is in Birmingham, ZIP 35210, in Jefferson County; the closest general hospital on ADPH's roster is UAB St. Vincent's East, about 5.3 miles away.
Next is Birmingham VA Medical Center at roughly 8.0 miles. Distances run between ZIP-code centers, so drive times will differ.
Free help for Jefferson County families comes from United Way Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County (UWAAA) ((205) 458-3330), which also runs the long-term care ombudsman who can visit residents here.
What does Kirkwood by the River Specialty Care's record suggest asking?
Start with the record: ask what changed in physical environment after the April 8, 2026 survey, and to see the plan of correction.
- Ask how the RN's monthly assessments are shared with families and what PSMS score would trigger a move.
- Ask how staff respond to exit-seeking in the late afternoon.
- Ask whether a move to the Congregate ALF at the same address is handled as an internal transfer.
- Get the 30-day notice terms for rate increases in writing; Alabama's resident rights require them.
