ARTICLE 3. Services and Standards [14550. - 14555.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 3.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14550. Section 14550.

Adult day health care centers shall offer, and shall provide directly on the premises, at least the following services: (a) Rehabilitation services, including the following: (1) Occupational therapy as an adjunct to treatment designed to restore impaired function of patients with physical or mental limitations. (2) Physical therapy appropriate to meet the needs of the patient. (3) Speech therapy for participants with speech or language disorders. (b) Medical services supervised by either the participant’s personal physician or a staff physician, or both, which emphasize prevention treatment, rehabilitation, and continuity of care and also provide for maintenance of adequate medical records. To the extent otherwise permitted by law, medical services may be provided by nurse practitioners, as defined in Section 2835 of the Business and Professions Code, operating within the existing scope of practice, or under standardized procedures pursuant to Section 2725 of the Business and Professions Code, or by registered nurses practicing under standardized procedures pursuant to Section 2725 of the Business and Professions Code. (c) Nursing services, including the following: (1) Nursing services rendered by a professional nursing staff, who periodically evaluate the particular nursing needs of each participant and provide the care and treatment that is indicated. (2) Self-care services oriented toward activities of daily living and personal hygiene, such as toileting, bathing, and grooming. (d) Nutrition services, including the following: (1) The program shall provide a minimum of one meal per day which is of suitable quality and quantity as to supply at least one-third of the daily nutritional requirement, unless the participant declines the meal or medical contraindications exist, as documented in the participant’s health record, that prohibit the ingestion of the meal at the adult day health care center. Additionally, special diets and supplemental feedings shall be available if indicated. (2) Dietary counseling and nutrition education for the participant and his or her family shall be a required adjunct of such service. Dietary counseling and nutrition education may be provided by a professional registered nurse, unless the participant is receiving a special diet prescribed by a physician, or a nurse determines that the services of a registered dietician are necessary. (e) Psychiatric or psychological services which include consultation and individual assessment by a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or a psychiatric social worker, when indicated, and group or individual treatment for persons with diagnosed mental, emotional, or behavioral problems. (f) Social work services to participants and their families to help with personal, family, and adjustment problems that interfere with the effectiveness of treatment. (g) Planned recreational and social activities suited to the needs of the participants and designed to encourage physical exercise, to prevent deterioration, and to stimulate social interaction. (h) Transportation service for participants, when needed, to and from their homes utilizing specially equipped vehicles to accommodate participants’ needs. The transportation service may only exceed one hour when necessary to ensure regular and planned attendance at the adult day health care center and when there is documentation in the participant’s health record that there is no medical contraindication. (i) Written policies and procedures for dealing with natural disaster and emergency situations.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14550.5. Section 14550.5.

Adult day health care centers shall offer, and provide directly on the premises, in accordance with the participant’s individual plan of care, and subject to authorization pursuant to Section 14526, the following core services to each participant during each day of the participant’s attendance at the center: (a) One or more of the following professional nursing services: (1) Observation, assessment, and monitoring of the participant’s general health status and changes in his or her condition, risk factors, and the participant’s specific medical, cognitive, or mental health condition or conditions upon which admission to the adult day health care center was based. (2) Monitoring and assessment of the participant’s medication regimen, administration and recording of the participant’s prescribed medications, and intervention, as needed, based upon the assessment and the participant’s reactions to his or her medications. (3) Oral or written communication with the participant’s personal health care provider, other qualified health care or social service provider, or the participant’s family or other caregiver, regarding changes in the participant’s condition, signs, or symptoms. (4) Supervision of the provision of personal care services for the participant, and assistance, as needed. (5) Provision of skilled nursing care and intervention, within scope of practice, to participants, as needed, based upon an assessment of the participant, his or her ability to provide self-care while at the adult day health care center, and any health care provider orders. (b) One or both of the following core personal care services or social services: (1) One or both of the following personal care services: (A) Supervision of, or assistance with, activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. (B) Protective group supervision and interventions to assure participant safety and to minimize the risk of injury, accident, inappropriate behavior, or wandering. (2) One or more of the following social services provided by the adult day health care center social worker or social worker assistant: (A) Observation, assessment, and monitoring of the participant’s psychosocial status. (B) Group work to address psychosocial issues. (C) Care coordination. (c) At least one of the following therapeutic activities provided by the adult day health care center activity coordinator or other trained adult day health care center personnel: (1) Group or individual activities to enhance the social, physical, or cognitive functioning of the participant. (2) Facilitated participation in group or individual activities for those participants whose frailty or cognitive functioning level precludes them from active participation in scheduled activities. (d) One meal per day of attendance, in accordance with Section 54331 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, unless the participant declines the meal or medical contraindications exist, as documented in the participant’s health record, that prohibit the ingestion of the meal.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14550.6. Section 14550.6.

Adult day health care centers shall offer, and provide directly on the premises, in accordance with the participant’s individual plan of care, and subject to authorization pursuant to Section 14526.2, the following core services to each participant during each day of the participant’s attendance at the center: (a) One or more of the following professional nursing services: (1) Assessment and monitoring of the participant’s general health status and changes in his or her condition, risk factors, and the participant’s specific medical, cognitive, or mental health condition or conditions upon which admission to the adult day health care center was based. (2) Monitoring and assessment of the participant’s medication regimen, administration and recording of the participant’s prescribed medications, and intervention, as needed, based upon professional assessment of the participant’s reactions to his or her medications. (3) Oral or written communication with the participant’s personal health care provider, other qualified health care or social service provider, or the participant’s family or other caregiver, regarding changes in the participant’s condition, signs, or symptoms. (4) Provision of skilled nursing care and intervention, within scope of practice, to participants, as needed, based upon an assessment of the participant, his or her ability to provide self-care while at the adult day health care center, and any health care provider orders. (b) Personal care services or social services, or both, needed to address the person’s individual needs for benefits as required by Section 14525.1, as follows: (1) Protective group supervision and interventions to ensure participant safety and to minimize the risk of injury, accident, inappropriate behavior, or wandering. (2) Assessment, and monitoring of the participant’s psychosocial status provided by the adult day health care center social worker or social worker assistant. (3) Group work to address psychosocial issues. (c) At least one of the following therapeutic activities provided by the adult day health care center activity coordinator or other trained adult day health care center personnel: (1) Group or individual activities to enhance the social, physical, or cognitive functioning of the participant. (2) Facilitated participation in group or individual activities for those participants whose frailty or cognitive functioning level precludes them from active participation in scheduled activities. (d) One meal per day of attendance, in accordance with Section 54331 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, unless the participant declines the meal or medical contraindications exist, as documented in the participant’s health record, that prohibit the ingestion of the meal. (e) This section shall only be implemented to the extent permitted by federal law. (f) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement the provisions of this section by means of all-county letters, provider bulletins, or similar instructions without taking further regulatory action. (g) Upon the date of execution of the declaration described under subdivision (g) of Section 14525.1, this section shall become operative and Section 14550.5 shall become inoperative and on that date is repealed.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14551. Section 14551.

The following additional services may also be provided: (a) Podiatric services provided or arranged for, or under direction of, the supervising physician. (b) Optometric screening and advice for low-vision cases by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. (c) Dental screening for the purpose of apprising the participant of the necessity of regular or emergency dental care. (d) Such other services within the concept and objectives of adult day health care as may be approved by the department.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14552. Section 14552.

In order to obtain certification as a provider of adult day health care under this chapter and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000), the following standards shall be met: (a) The provider shall have met all other requirements of licensure as an adult day health care center pursuant to Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 1570) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) The provider shall comply with requirements of this chapter regarding program and scope of services. (c) The provider shall have appropriate licensed personnel. (d) The provider shall employ required personnel for furnishing of required services pursuant to Section 14550 consistent with commonly accepted professional standards. (e) The provider shall afford to each participant all rights, including the right to be free from harm and abuse, identified in the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1580 of the Health and Safety Code. (f) A provider serving a substantial number of participants of a particular racial or ethnic group, or participants whose primary language is not English, shall employ staff who can meet the cultural and linguistic needs of the participant population. (g) A provider shall have organizational and administrative capacity to provide services under the provisions of this chapter.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14552.2. Section 14552.2.

(a) “Program plan” means a written description of the adult day health care center’s philosophy, objectives, and processes for providing required services to the participant populations. (b) The program plan shall include any of the following elements, as requested by the California Department of Aging, and shall be submitted as required in Section 14574.1: (1) The total number of participants the center proposes to serve, or currently serves, daily. (2) A profile of the participant population the center proposes to serve, or currently serves, that includes a description of the specific medical, social, and other needs of each population. (3) A description of the specific program elements and services that addresses the medical, social, and other needs of each participant population that the center proposes to serve, or currently serves, as specified in paragraph (2). “Program elements” means the components of an adult day health care program, as specified in Section 14550. (4) A description of the specialized professional and program staff that will provide, or currently provide, the adult day health care center’s program services, as specified in paragraph (3), and that staff’s responsibilities. The plan shall demonstrate that the adult day health care center is organized and staffed to carry out the requirements as specified in the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1580 of the Health and Safety Code. (5) An in-service training plan for each center staff member to commence within the first six months of employment. The training plan shall address, at a minimum, the specific medical, social, and other needs of each participant population the center proposes to serve, as specified in paragraph (2). (6) A sample individual plan of care for each specialty population the adult day health care center proposes to serve, or currently serves, and a sample of a one-week schedule of daily program services for each sample individual plan of care. The individual plan of care shall demonstrate the specific medical, social, and other needs of each participant population the adult day health center proposes to serve. (7) A plan for a behavior modification program if such a program will be used as a basic intervention for meeting the needs of a special population, such as persons with developmental disabilities or persons with mental disabilities. (c) This section shall be implemented only to the extent funds are made available for the purposes of this section in the annual Budget Act or another statute. (d) The implementation of the program plan requirements does not require adoption of regulations pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14552.5. Section 14552.5.

Pursuant to Section 14043.46, the department may implement a one-year moratorium on the certification and enrollment into the Medi-Cal program of new adult day health care centers.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14553. Section 14553.

An adult day health care provider shall establish written policies and procedures, which shall have prior approval of the department, unless otherwise specified in an interagency agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1572 of the Health and Safety Code, for continuously reviewing the quality of care, performance of all personnel, the utilization of services and facilities, and costs. Information derived from the review shall be made available to the department, unless otherwise specified in an interagency agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1572 of the Health and Safety Code.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14553.1. Section 14553.1.

The adult day health care center’s policies and procedures shall include provisions for the following: (a) Designating the staff who will serve in the required positions during a short-term absence or short-term vacancy, as defined in subdivision (o) of Section 1570.7 of the Health and Safety Code, of required staff. (b) Providing coverage for required staff in the event of a long-term absence or long-term vacancy, as defined in subdivision (k) of Section 1570.7 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) Ensuring continuity of services for participants during staff absences.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14554. Section 14554.

The adult day health care provider shall maintain a complete standard medical record for each participant, including records of treatment rendered by a subcontractor, according to specifications established by the department and as may be further specified by the California Department of Aging.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 14555. Section 14555.

Each adult day health care provider shall establish a grievance procedure under which participants may submit their grievances. Such procedure shall be approved by the department prior to the approval of the certification. The department shall establish standards for such procedures to insure adequate consideration and rectification of participant grievances. A provider shall make written findings of fact in the case of each grievance processed, a copy of which shall be transmitted to the participant. If the Medi-Cal participant has an unresolved grievance, the fair hearing provided in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 10950) of Part 2 of this division shall be available to resolve all grievances regarding care and administration by the adult day health care provider. The findings and recommendations of the department, based on the decision of the hearing officer, shall be binding upon the adult day health care provider.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026