Admission Guidelines

The Ronald McDonald House serves families who meet the following criteria for admission to the house.

• The Ronald McDonald House serves families with critically ill children 18 years or younger.
• Families must live at least 40 miles outside of Fort Worth
• Both new and returning families must be referred by a hospital social worker.
• Check-in/Check-out times are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. unless prior arrangements have been made with the Director of House Operations or the Resident Manager.
• Every family registering at the Ronald McDonald House must have a permanent address.
• Each adult staying at the Ronald McDonald House must present a photo ID upon check in.
• After 45 days of stay (90 for bone marrow patients), a family must leave the House for a period of two weeks before re-application can be made for another stay.
• Rooms can only be occupied by immediate family members and those extended family members who are directly involved in the care of the patient. No more than 4 persons per room.
• A donation of $15/night ($25 for a one-night stay) is requested from the family. If that is not possible, alternate arrangements may be made with the Director of House Operations.
• A family can be asked to leave at the discretion of House staff.
• If any family member has been diagnosed with a communicable disease while staying at the House, or if any visitor is believed to have exposed residents at the House to such a disease, it is most important to notify one of the staff members immediately. At the discretion of our Physician’s Advisory Board and/or House staff, it may become necessary for the family to leave the Ronald McDonald House.
• All patients under the age of 18 who stay at the Ronald McDonald House must be accompanied by an adult or guardian.
• If both parents are under 18 and unmarried, only one parent may stay and must be accompanied by his or her parent/guardian.
• If either or both parent is under 18 and married, proof of marriage is required to stay.