How the home profiles work

What a listing means

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) keeps the list of homes that take part in ALW. Beta checks it and shows the date. A state-list entry does not confirm an open bed, current admission or the support a particular person needs. Call the home or ask Beta to check those details.

A listing is not an endorsement and not an open bed. Each home decides admission. The state decides when an opening is released.

How homes are shown

Every home on the state's Assisted Living Waiver list appears here, free. Homes do not pay Beta to be listed or shown, and Beta is not paid by homes for referrals.

We do not rank homes by quality. We do not use ratings or reviews.

Some homes tell us about open beds. When a home has reported an opening in the last 30 days, we show that report at the top of its page, with the date. You can also choose to see only those homes. A report is the home's own statement. Beta does not check each bed, so please call the home to confirm.

Homes with photos and homes with a recent opening report appear first in the default list. That reflects what information a home has given, not quality. You can sort by distance or name instead.

Any home can claim its page at no charge and report openings. Choosing a home is always your decision.

Your choice

You may choose any participating home and any Care Coordination Agency listed by DHCS.

Where the facts come from

Bed counts are licensed capacity, not open beds. Website facts are matched by Beta and not confirmed by the home or by Beta. A home's own details are checked by Beta before they appear. Beta does not visit or confirm them, so ask the home.

Care the state license allows

The license sets what a home may do. Ask the home what it can support today.

• Dementia care. The license names dementia care when the home may serve residents with dementia.
• Hospice waiver. The license lets the home accept or keep residents who receive care from a hospice agency, up to the number on the waiver. Whether a particular resident can stay is the home's decision.
• Non-ambulatory residents. Residents who cannot walk without help. The record may state how many the home may have.
• Bedridden residents. Residents who stay in bed. The record may state how many the home may have, or that it may have none.

Beta does not summarize inspections or citations. Read them on the state record. Each profile links to it, or use the CDSS Care Facility Search.

Is a bed open?

A home can report openings to Beta, or tell a Beta coordinator by phone. The profile shows the date of the report. A report expires after 30 days. A report is not a held bed. Call the home, or ask Beta to check for you.

Four things to ask when you call or visit

• Are you accepting ALW residents now?Being on the list does not mean a bed is open today.
• Is a suitable room open?Private or shared, and from which date.
• Can you meet these care needs?Describe the day-to-day help needed, including memory and mobility.
• What would the resident pay each month?The resident pays room and board from their own income. Medi-Cal pays for the care. How the money works

How to choose a home: the full guide

Report a concern about a home

Concerns about a licensed home go to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing: (844) 538-8766 or letusno@dss.ca.gov.

Report something wrong on a profile

Each profile has a "Report something wrong on this page" link at the bottom. Send a short note, for example a wrong phone number or address. No resident names or health details. Beta's ALW team reads the note and checks it against the state record. You can also call (747) 293-5777.

For homes: claim your profile

A home can claim its profile to add photos, languages and rooms. Homes that claim their page report openings from their Beta account. Our team reaches out once to confirm you speak for the home. There is no charge. A claimed profile gets no preferred status with Beta and is not a recommendation. Use the "Claim this profile" link on the home's profile, or contact Beta.

The "On the state's ALW list" badge

Homes that manage their profile find the badge, with the code to paste on their own website, in their Beta facility portal. It links to the home's profile, which Beta keeps current from the DHCS list and the state license record. A listing is not an endorsement and not an open bed, and the badge says so. If the home leaves the DHCS list or its license closes, the profile says so, and the home should remove the badge.