Facility-based Care
Assisted Living/Residential-Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) – Assisted living facilities provide personal care and safe housing for people who may need supervision for medication and assistance with daily living but who do not require 24-hour nursing care.
Regulation – Licensed by Dept. of Social Services (DSS), Community Care Licensing Division.
Payment – Funded primarily though private payments. Nearly 30% of RCFE residents rely on SSI/SSP non-medical out-of-home grants.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) – Includes three levels of care: independent, assisted living and skilled nursing care. CCRCs require an entrance fee paid by the applicant upon admission and includes services for more than one year and up to the lifetime of the resident.
Regulation – Licensed by Dept. of Social Services, Continuing Care Contracts Branch. Skilled nursing level licensed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
Payment – Private Payment
Intermediate-Care Facilities (ICFs)– These facilities provide room and board along with regular medical, nursing, social and rehabilitative services for people not capable of full independent living.
Regulation – Licensed and Medi-Cal and/or Medicare certified by CDPH.
Payment – Funded primarily by Medi-Cal. Some funding through Medicare and private payment.
Intermediate-Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICFs/DD) – Known at the federal level as ICFs/MR (mental retardation), these facilities provide services for people of all ages with mental retardation and/or developmental disabilities. ICF/DDs have 16 or more beds; ICF/DD-H (habilitative) and -Ns (nursing) have 15 or fewer beds and average six beds in a home setting. ICF/DD-CN (Continuous Nursing) is a 10 facility waiver pilot program providing licensed vocational or registered nursing on a 24-hour basis for 4-15 clients in a home-like community based setting.
Regulation – Licensed and Medi-Cal certified by CDPH. The Department of Developmental Services and Regional Centers are responsible for placement and quality assurance.
Payment – Nearly 100% Medi-Cal.
Institutes for Mental Health (SNFs/STP) – Designated in California as “special treatment programs,” these facilities provide extended treatment periods for people of all ages with chronic mental-health problems; many of the clients are younger than 65. Specialized staff serve clients in a secured environment.
Regulation – Licensed and Medi-Cal certified by CDPH. Local mental health departments are responsible for placement and program content.
Payment – A combination of state and county funding.
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) – Also called nursing homes, convalescent hospitals, and skilled nursing and rehab centers, these facilities provide comprehensive nursing care for chronically ill or short-term residents of all ages, along with rehabilitation and specialized medical programs.
Regulation – Licensed and Medi-Cal and/or Medicare certified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
Payment – Funded primarily by Medi-Cal. Some funding provided through Medicare, managed care and private payment.
Subacute-care Facilities – Specialized units often in a distinct part of a nursing facility, subacute-care facilities focus on intensive rehabilitation, complex wound care and post-surgical recovery for residents of all ages who no longer need the level of care found in a hospital.
Regulation – Licensed and Medi-Cal and/or Medicare certified by CDPH.
Payment – Funded primarily by Medi-Cal. Some funding through Medicare, managed care and private payment.