In California, there are two distinct types of care facilities that serve the needs of Developmentally Disabled Adults. These different facilities depend on the type of care required by the disabled adult, and are classified as follows:
1. Nursing Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled
Intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled–nursing is a facility with a capacity of 4 to 15 beds that provides 24-hour personal care, developmental services, and nursing supervision for developmentally disabled persons who have intermittent recurring needs for skilled nursing care but have been certified by a physician and surgeon as not requiring continuous skilled nursing care.
These types of facilities serve medically fragile persons (dependent adults) who have developmental disabilities or demonstrate significant developmental delay that may lead to a developmental disability if not treated. Typically, these types of facilities are housed in a nursing home or other type of skilled nursing facility with elder patients.
Intermediate nursing care facilities for the developmentally disabled are licensed and overseen by the Department of Public Health’s Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ), which is responsible for the regulatory oversight of health care facilities to secure safe, effective and quality healthcare for all. CHCQ evaluates health care facilities for compliance with state laws and regulations, and also investigates complaints or inappropriate or illegal conduct, as well as certifies health care facilities’ compliance with federal laws and regulations.
Complaints about an intermediate nursing care facility can be made to the California Department of Public Health, Licensing and Certification Division, through their website at www.cdph.ca.gov.
All licensed health care facilities are listed on the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s website, www.oshpd.ca.gov. This list is updated as of June 30 and December 31 of each year.
2. Habilitative Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled
An intermediate, habilitative care facility for the developmentally disabled is a facility with a capacity of 4 to 15 beds which provides 24-hour personal care, habilitation, developmental, and supportive health services to 15 or fewer developmentally disabled persons who have intermittent recurring needs for nursing services, but have been certified by a physician and surgeon as not requiring continuous access to skilled nursing care.
These facilities, which can also be called long-term care facilities, convalescent facilities, or nursing homes, typically provide basic needs, such as food, shelter and companionship to dependent adults who are mentally incapacitated and cannot live independently. These facilities provide a safe, comfortable living environment for their residents, and usually offer programs and activities to encourage social engagement.
Intermediate habilitative care facilities are licensed by the Department of Social Services’ Community Care Licensing Division, which is responsible for the oversight of these facilities to secure safe, effective and quality care.
Intermediate, habilitative care facilities are listed on the California Department of Social Services’ Community Care Licensing website, www.dss.ca.gov. This list is updated weekly.
