How To Open an ARF Facility

How To Open an ARF Facility
We offer consultation and completion of the CCL License Application and Regional Center Program Design.


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Steps to Opening An Adult Residential Care Facility for clients ages 18-59

StepDescription
ICTP ARF Course Attend the 35-hour Initial Certification Training Progam.
Schedule your exam within 60 days of completing the 35 Hour ICTP training program. The cost to register for the exam is $100.00. You may take the test up to three times within 60 days. There are 75 questions. You must get 70% correct to pass.
Receive Admin CertificateAfter you pass the  test  complete fingerprint clearance and send $100.00 within 30 days to the state to receive your Admin Certificate
Legal ZoomDecide what type of business entity you will be. Most people who operate residential care homes form a Corporation. As a corporation, you are protecting your personal assets in case you are sued. Common civil lawsuits are for falls in the shower and medication errors. Many people use Legal Zoom to form their corporation.
License Application Begin the process of getting your property licensed. To submit a license application you will need property and certified administrator. More info. You cannot be within 300 feet of another Community Care Facility. Check your property here.
Centralized Application Bureau and Fee. Submit the correct fee with your license application to the Centralized Application Bureau.
3x Operating ExpenseYou must show three times your operating expenses in the bank. Licensing is now asking for three months bank statements.
Component IRegister for the Component 1 Online Orientation.
Component IIComponent II is an interview at the CCL office to interview you and review your application
CorrectionsLicensing will inform you of corrections to your application. Make the corrections. All applications will have corrections. If there are no corrections how do we know that anyone reviewed it.
Component IIIComponent III is when the Licensed Program Analyst inspects your facility. License issued.
Regional Center RequirementsObtain a contract to provide services to Regional Center clients who are developmentally disabled. There are 21 Regional Centers in California. Each one has a Regional Center you wish to work with regarding their specific requirements.
Regional Center LevelsDecide what level facility you wish to work with. Levels refer to facilities, not clients. The higher the level the higher the facility rate.
Experience RequirementRegional Center requires six, nine, or 12 months experience providing direct service to clients who are developmentally disabled. Each Regional Center interprets the experience requirement for prospective vendors. Experience has a medical professional such as a psychologist, LVN, RN, or MD is not usually considered. Most Regional Centers require direct service working in an Adult Residential Facility as an Administrator or DSP Staff. Many regional centers require pay stubs to verify experience. To find out more contact your Regional Center.
Letter of IntentPrepare a letter of intent for Regional Center outlining your goals and documenting your experience
Program DesignRegional Center requires a program design based on the principles of normalization. Each Regional Center has different guidelines for what is required in their program design. Submit design.
DSP TrainingRegional Center requires that administrators and staff complete DSP training 1 and 2. DSP Training One must be completed after the first year of employment and DSP Training 2 must be completed by the second year of employment. Some Regional Centers require you to complete the DSP Training earlier. Check what the requirements of your Regional Center are.

To enroll in DSP training you will need a Facility Number. We do not provide facility numbers to individuals seeking to enroll in DSP Training. Contact your Regional Center regarding enrollment issues.

How Long Does This Take?
The entire process to just obtain your Facility License takes between 4 and 12 months depending on your application. The Regional Center process is similar in terms of time.

You can begin the Regional Center vendorization whenever you wish. Even before you take the Initial Administrator Training. Each Regional Center is different and may or may not require you to be a certified administrator and have a facility license when you start.

Key Aspects of the Facility License: