About the Community Care Licensing Division

Our Mission

The Community Care Licensing Division’s (CCLD) mission is to promote the health, safety, and quality of life of each person in community care through the administration of an effective collaborative regulatory enforcement system.

This is accomplished by:
  • Promoting strategies to increase voluntary compliance
  • Providing technical assistance to and consulting with care providers
  • Working collaboratively with clients, their families, advocates, care providers, placement agencies, related programs and regulatory agencies, and others involved in community care
  • Training staff in all aspects of the licensing process
  • Educating the public about CCLD and community care options
  • Promoting continuous improvement and efficiency throughout the community care licensing system

Our History

In 1973, the Legislature enacted the Community Care Facilities Act to be administered by the Department of Health. This Act established a statewide system of community care (separate from health care) for persons with mental and developmental disabilities, and socially dependent children and adults. The Act required the Department of Health, together with care providers (Advisory Committee on Community Care Facilities), to jointly establish new regulations for licensing non-medical out-of-home care facilities.

In 1978, the Legislature established within the Health and Welfare Agency the Departments of Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Programs, Health Care Services, Developmental Services,Social Services, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. The Department of Health Services was reorganized and retained licensing responsibility for all Health Care Facilities (medical models/institutional settings), and licensing responsibilities for all Community Care Facilities (social models/residential settings) were transferred to the new California Department of Social Services (CDSS). The Community Care Licensing (CCL) Program along with several programs from the former Department of Benefit Payments were combined to form the current Department of Social Services.

Community care was originally envisioned as a normalizing and least restrictive environment for persons needing basic care and supervision that would assist them in performance of the activities of daily living. The children and adults placed in such settings were envisioned as requiring little more than a healthful safe and supportive environment.

Today the CCL Program remains a Division within CDSS. However the nature of community care has changed significantly and now includes care for persons whose needs require the management of severe behavior adjustment problems, serious mental disorders and significant medical needs. In order to give emphasis to the different populations served the CCL Program is now governed by three separate licensing Acts and a fourth statute that was enacted in 1990.

Our Roles and Responsibilities

  • Prevention reduces the predictable harm to people in care by:
    • Orientation prior to licensure
    • Screening applicants
    • Performing background checks
    • Plan of operation
    • Fire clearances
    • Staffing requirements
    • Financial verification
    • Health screenings
    • Pre-licensing visit to inspect physical plant
    • Providing information regarding laws and regulations
  • Compliance ensures community care facilities operate according to applicable laws and regulations (and of the California Code of Regulations). Compliance is maintained through:
    • Unannounced facility inspections
    • Complaint investigations
    • Issuing deficiency notices
    • Consultations
    • Education and technical support
  • Enforcement - Corrective action is taken by CCL when a licensee fails to protect the health, safety, and personal rights of individuals in care, or is unwilling or unable to maintain substantial compliance with licensing laws and regulations. Enforcement is maintained through:
    • Fines and civil penalties (these may vary according to the violation)
    • Non-compliance office conferences
    • Administrative legal actions (1,345 in 1998)
      • Denial of applications
      • Compliance plans
      • Probationary license
      • Temporary suspension of license
      • Revocation of license
      • Licensee and employee exclusions

Types of Licensed Facilities

CCLD Complaint Hotline

If you see something, let us know!

To file a complaint regarding a state licensed community care facility , child care facility, or home care organization, visit our Complaint Hotline Page for contact information and more.

 

CCLD Services and Notifications