For assisted-living facilities
Running an ALW resident's care: who does what, and who to call when things change
Who does what with the Beta care coordinator, the 2026 rates and charges, what to report and when, incidents, outside providers, and video or phone visits.
An ALW resident's condition changed. In an emergency, call 911, then follow your licensing reporting rules. For any other change, call Beta at (747) 293-5777, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., ask for the resident's care coordinator, and report under licensing rules as well.
Important: Beta is a Care Coordination Agency (CCA): the state-listed organization that does the ALW assessment and care planning with the participant. Your license, your reporting duties to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and your admission decisions stay yours. ALW pays for services in the care plan, never room and board, and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) alone controls enrollment and slot release. In an emergency, call 911 first.
Who does what
| Area | Your facility | Beta's care coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Decides whether to admit, within the law and your capability | Shares the assessment and care plan, with the participant's authorization |
| Care plan (the Individualized Service Plan, or ISP) | Provides the services assigned to you, and documents them | Writes, monitors and revises the plan |
| Monthly visit | Makes the resident, the staff and the records available | Conducts the visit |
| Change in condition | Responds and reports | Reassesses and updates the plan |
| Incident | Reports under licensing and program rules | Reviews it and completes the CCA steps |
| Residential charges | Sets and explains the agreement and the charges | Explains that ALW pays for care in the plan, never for housing |
Service rates and residential charges
Current 2026 assisted-living-service tiers range from $95.69 to $270.80 per day; these are provider-service reimbursement figures. DHCS calls them the maximum payable rates, tier 1 to tier 5, per participant per day.
The residential arrangement is separate. For a resident on SSI/SSP, CDSS sets the 2026 amount payable for basic services at $1,444.07 a month: $706.07 for room and board plus $738.00 for care and supervision. Basic services come at that rate with no extra charge, except $20 for a resident with other income if the admission agreement says so, a private room at up to 10% of the room-and-board portion, and special food services by agreement. The full figures are on the costs page.
Never bill the resident for a service ALW already pays for. Never call the whole ALW tier "room and board". Show every charge in the admission agreement. Use the current year's amounts.
Under ALW Policy Letter 26-002 (September 25, 2026), a claim is paid only for an enrolled participant and an approved service; the CCA checks each participant's enrollment and sends your facility an Informing Notice. Three questions have no answer in the official sources this page uses: raising room and board for a resident not on SSI/SSP, when ALW pays and the first month's cash flow, and how many ALW residents a facility may take. Ask the ALW team, or check the DHCS provider resources page.
The care plan and monthly visits
Every shift lead should be able to say which ISP services the facility provides for each ALW resident, at what level of assistance, and with what risks. They should also know the transfer method, the supervision needs, the backup plan and who to call when the plan no longer matches the person.
For the monthly CCA visit, make available the participant, staff observations, incidents, medication changes, hospital use, unmet needs and any concerns. The participant must be able to raise concerns without pressure. A visit may be by video or phone when the participant chooses it; see the staff section below.
Changes in condition and incidents
Emergency
Call emergency services and follow licensing procedures; notify the CCA and representative as required.
Serious changes that are not emergencies
Call Beta at (747) 293-5777 and ask for the resident's care coordinator. Report under licensing rules as well. Report:
- a hospitalization or emergency room visit
- a fall
- a new transfer, equipment or wound need
- a new behavior or supervision need
- a medication or treatment change
- hospice or home health starting or stopping
- missed services
- a concern raised by the resident or the family
- any change that may affect safety, the care tier, staffing, the ISP or the person's ability to stay in your facility
Routine changes
Document and discuss at planned coordination, still meeting all reporting requirements.
Reassessment and tier changes
A facility may request review, but a tier change is not a price negotiation. Document what changed, when, how often, the exact assistance, the nighttime need, the risk and what the plan is missing; "needs more care" without examples is not enough. Use the DHCS Tier Change Checklist and Re-Assessment Checklist on the DHCS provider resources page.
Incidents
Two reporting systems may apply to one incident: your licensing report to CDSS and the ALW incident process through the CCA. Keep one chart that lists, for each incident type, who must be told, by when, on which form, and what follow-up closes it. Build it from the current DHCS and CDSS resources.
Outside providers: home health and hospice
When another provider comes in, confirm the orders or coverage, set each party's scope, avoid duplicate billing, tell the care coordinator, decide who handles medications and durable medical equipment (DME), and keep the participant's choice central. CDSS PIN 22-24-ASC requires a licensee to help a resident with a prohibited condition get home health or hospice care, and to provide care as that agency's plan says; a skilled task by an outside nurse is delivered under that plan. A resident who needs 24-hour skilled nursing may not be retained (22 CCR 87455). The healthcare partners page sets out the roles when a patient is shared.
Video and phone visits: what facility staff do
ALW Policy Letter 24-001 allows three care-coordination services by telehealth: care coordination, augmented plan-of-care development and follow-up, and nursing-facility transition care coordination. A remote visit is allowed only when it is clinically appropriate, the participant chooses it, consent is documented and privacy is protected. Telehealth does not replace direct care that can only be given in person.
When a visit is by video or phone, your facility can help:
- Give the resident a device and a private space.
- Help with hearing, language or other communication needs.
- Share the observations and records the coordinator asks for.
- Arrange an in-person visit when the resident or the coordinator asks for one.
Do not coach the resident during the visit, and do not block private communication between the resident and the coordinator. The telehealth guide tells residents and families what they can ask for.
Operational question about a current resident? Contact the ALW team, or call. For resident records, give professional context only; the coordinator names the route Beta uses.
Call (747) 293-5777, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A resident on ALW may receive hospice in your home when your license allows it. The hospice is the resident's choice. What changes for ALW care coordination is reviewed case by case. How hospice and ALW work together.
About this informationReviewed August 27, 2026. Program details may change. View official sources and page limitations.
Written by Beta's ALW team and reviewed by Sergio B., Program Coordinator, against the official sources this page lists; facts checked through August 27, 2026. Where this page and an official source differ, the source controls.
This page gives general California ALW information. DHCS decides eligibility after the nurse assessment and releases openings. Each home decides its own admissions. Nothing here is an eligibility decision or a promise of enrollment, and it does not guarantee a place in a home. You may choose any Care Coordination Agency listed by DHCS and any participating home.
Something out of date? Tell Beta's ALW team.