Administrator Certification Bureau (ACB)
Administrator Certification Program Waivers and Response to the 2025 Wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
PIN 25-02-CCLD – (ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM WAIVERS AND RESPONSE TO THE 2025 WILDFIRES IN LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES)
Provides notification of the Governor’s Proclamation of a State of Emergency (SOE) in response to the wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and announces blanket waivers for administrators who are eligible to renew their administrator certification for Adult Residential Facilities (ARF), Adult Residential Facility for Persons with Special Health Care Needs (ARFPSHN), Group Homes (GH), Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), and Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP). In addition, PIN 25-02-CCLD provides guidance on extension requests to prospective administrators who are applying for administrator certification. Please refer to PIN 22-02-CCLD for more information regarding blanket waivers and extensions in response to the SOE.
ABOUT ACB
The ACB supports prospective and current administrators by proctoring mandated administrator exams, processing initial and renewal administrator applications, and ensures overall compliance of Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) approved, third-party program training vendors to promote the health, safety, and well-being of vulnerable California residents in licensed Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), Adult Residential Facilities (ARF), Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), and Group Homes (GH).
ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATION PROCESS
The following resources provide guidance to prospective and current administrators regarding the administrator certification process:
CCLD CONSIDERATIONS FOR CERTIFIED ADMINISTRATORS
The CCLD has offered the following considerations to provide some relief to the provider community as related to the ACB applications backlog.
- FOR FACILITY LICENSE APPROVAL
- When an administrator is associated to a pending facility licensure (initial or change of ownership), the administrator’s application is expedited, and certification approval is conducted along with licensure approval. This is done through internal coordination with Children's’ Residential Program (CRP) or Adult and Senior Care Program (ASCP), Regional Offices (RO) or Centralized Applications Bureau (CAB).
If this situation applies to you or if you have questions about the pending facility licensure, please contact CAB or your assigned CRP RO
- FOR CRITICAL NEED
- If there is a critical need for certification approval (for example if services from a partner agency, such as the county or Regional Center, is at risk of being disrupted; or residents are at risk of relocation as a result of a pending certification renewal; or if a new administrator needs to be onboarded immediately), your local Regional Office may request to expedite certification on the administrator’s behalf.
If this situation applies to you, please contact the assigned LPA for the licensed facility to discuss the critical need. If the RO determines that an expedite certification approval is necessary, they will send the request to ACB on your behalf.
- FOR FACILITY INSPECTIONS
- During the course of a facility inspection, if the administrator certificate is expired and the licensee can validate the submission of a renewal certificate application, the LPA should take into consideration whether a citation is warranted. Each citation should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis including the facility and administrator’s history of compliance.
If this situation applies to you, please consult with the assigned LPA to discuss questions or concerns with regards to a citation related to an expired administrator certificate.
Upcoming - ACB Webinar, March 20, 2025
ACB will be hosting a webinar to provide application processing timelines, certification reminders, website enhancements, and updates on the Administrator Certification Online Application Portal. The webinar will include a live question and answer portion.
Register in advance for this webinar:
If you would like to attend the webinar, please register in advance as space is limited.
When: March 20, 2025, at 1:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Administrator Certification Bureau Webinar
- Webinar registration link
If you require accommodation or language access, such as American Sign Language or Live Captioning, please contact ccldcts@dss.ca.gov no later than Monday, March 10, 2025.
Past Webinars
The ACB has hosted webinars for administrators, providers, and community partners. You may access recordings and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) obtained during the webinars by clicking the links below:
Administrator Certification Bureau Webinar, December 19, 2024
Topics: Online Application Portal updates, application processing timelines, website enhancements, and RCFE regulations.
Administrator Certification Bureau Vendor Webinar, November 13, 2024
Topics: ACB reorganization, course monitoring, certificate reminders, and substantive changes in Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) regulations.
ACB Quarterly Webinar, September 24, 2024
Topics: Application processing updates; Online Application Portal updates; website enhancements.
ACB Quarterly Webinar, June 4, 2024
Topics: Application processing updates; Online Application Portal updates; website enhancements.
ACB Webinar, December 12, 2023
Topics: Application processing updates; Online Application Portal walkthrough.
ACB Webinar, July 19, 2023
Topics: Assembly Bill 120; CCLD Considerations; website enhancements; Online Application Portal overview.
Changes to Administrator Certification Program Fees Effective July 1, 2024
Changes to the Administrator Certification Program (ACP) fees were effective July 1, 2024. These changes affect prospective and certified administrators of Adult Residential Facilities, Group Homes, Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, and Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs.
These increases were the last change to the ACP fees in accordance with the fee schedule established under Assembly Bill (AB) 135. Please refer to Provider Information Notice PIN 21-11-CCLD – Changes to Administrator Certification Program Fees for more information regarding the changes to ACP fees.
Administrators are encouraged to review this information to ensure that the correct fee amounts are being submitted. See table below for current fee amounts.
Administrator Certification Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)
|
Application
|
Fee Amount
|
|
Administrator Initial Application
|
$140
|
|
Administrator Renewal Application
|
$140
|
|
Administrator Examination Fee
|
$100
|
Vendor Application Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)
|
Application
|
Fee Amount
|
|
Vendor Initial Application, Initial Certification Training Program (ICTP)
|
$210
|
|
Vendor Renewal Application (ICTP)
|
$210
|
|
Vendor Initial Application, Continuing Education Training Program (CETP)
|
$140
|
|
Vendor Renewal Application (CETP)
|
$140
|
|
Vendor Course Fees (CETP)
|
$10 per unit
|
Applicable laws in Health & Safety Code (HSC) for Administrator Certification
Regulations for Certified Administrators
Regulations for Administrator Certification Training Programs Vendors
The historical rulemaking file for the regulation updates can be found at: