Residential alternative care sites being established across the state to care for the most vulnerable

In an effort to help decompress California’s healthcare delivery system during the statewide surge in COVID-19 cases, Alternate Care Sites and Residential Alternate

Care Sites are being established across California. The Residential Alternate Care Sites, which are coming online in real time, will help ease the burden on California hospitals by providing needed care and support to people recovering from COVID-19 who do not require hospital-level care but are also not yet ready to return to their previous facilities.

The Residential Alternate Care Sites will serve as a resource for California’s adult and senior care facilities and the surrounding community, which care for older and/or disabled Californians who are no longer able to live in their homes. These facilities are licensed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) as Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) or Adult Residential Facilities (ARFs). The Residential Alternate Care Sites will provide a level of support consistent with requirements for RCFEs and ARFs, which includes supervision and assistance with the activities of daily living such as bathing and feeding, and can include care by licensed nurses for individuals recovering from COVID-19.

“The residents of adult and senior care facilities are among California’s most vulnerable and are at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19,” said CDSS Director Kim Johnson. “During this unprecedented surge, these new temporary sites will help free up our hospitals and nursing facilities to care for those with the most acute needs, while providing residents a place to receive needed care and treatment as they recover from COVID-19.”