California Home Care Compliance Requirements

Everything your home care agency needs to know about compliance in California. Regulated by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).

40 hrs

Initial Training

5 hrs

Annual Training

Every 180 days

Supervision

Required

Fingerprints

Regulatory Authority

Agency:California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
License Type:Home Care Organization (HCO) License
Regulation:HSC § 1796.10

Training Requirements

40 hours

Initial training required

5 hours

Annual continuing education

Citation: HSC § 1796.63

Background Check Requirements

  • California DOJ Live ScanRequired
  • FBI Live Scan FingerprintRequired
  • Home Care Services Bureau (HCSB) RegistrationRequired
  • Megan's Law (Sex Offender) DatabaseRequired
  • OIG Exclusion ListRequired

Fingerprinting required: Live Scan

Citation: HSC § 1736.5

Supervision Requirements

California requires supervisory visits every 180 days.

Citation: HSC § 1796.60

Abuse Registry

Checking the Child Abuse Central Index (CACI) is required for all staff.

Citation: Penal Code § 11170

Additional Requirements

  • Home Care Aide (HCA) Registration required for all aides
  • Aides must be registered with HCSB before providing services

What the Compliance Snapshot Covers

Licensing & Operations

Agency license status, policies, incident reporting, and quality assurance programs.

Personnel Files

Employee documentation, signed agreements, I-9 verification, and tax form compliance.

Background Screening

Criminal background checks, OIG exclusion verification, and re-screening schedules.

Health & Safety

TB screening, CPR/First Aid certifications, infection control, and PPE protocols.

Training & Competency

Orientation programs, competency evaluations, and annual continuing education hours.

Care Delivery

Care plans, electronic visit verification (EVV), and supervisory visit compliance.

Documentation Integrity

Document expiration tracking, audit trail maintenance, and record-keeping standards.

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