(a) The department, in consultation with the Director of Health Care Services and the Director of Developmental Services, shall establish a training program to ensure that licensees, operators, and staffs of adult residential facilities, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502, have appropriate training to provide the care and services for which a license or certificate is issued. The training program shall be developed in consultation with provider organizations.

(b) (1) An administrator of an adult residential facility, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502, shall successfully complete a department-approved administrator certification training program pursuant to subdivision (c) prior to employment.

(2) If the individual is both the licensee and the administrator of a licensed facility, the individual shall comply with both the licensee and administrator requirements of this section.

(3) Failure to comply with this section shall constitute cause for revocation of the license of the facility.

(4) The licensee shall notify the department within 30 days of any change in administrators.

(c) (1) An administrator certification training program for adult residential facilities shall require a minimum of 35 hours of instruction conducive to learning, in which participants are able to simultaneously interact with each other as well as with the instructor, and that provides training on a uniform core of knowledge in each of the following areas:

(A) Laws, regulations, and policies and procedural standards that impact the operations of the adult residential facility.

(B) Business operations.

(C) Management and supervision of staff.

(D) Psychosocial needs of the facility residents.

(E) Community and support services.

(F) Physical needs for facility residents.

(G) Use, misuse, and interaction of medication commonly used by facility residents.

(H) Resident admission, retention, and assessment procedures.

(I) Nonviolent crisis intervention for administrators.

(J) Cultural competency and sensitivity in issues relating to the underserved aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

(2) The requirement for 35 hours of instruction pursuant to this subdivision shall not apply to persons who were employed as administrators prior to July 1, 1996. A person holding the position of administrator of an adult residential facility on June 30, 1996, shall file a completed application for certification with the department on or before April 1, 1998. In order to be exempt from the 35-hour training program and the test component, the application shall include documentation showing proof of continuous employment as the administrator of an adult residential facility between, at a minimum, June 30, 1994, and June 30, 1996. An administrator of an adult residential facility who became certified as a result of passing the department-administered challenge test, that was offered between October 1, 1996, and December 23, 1996, shall be deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of this paragraph.

(3) Unless an extension is granted to the applicant by the department, an applicant for an administrator’s certificate shall, within 60 days of the applicant’s completion of instruction, pass the examination provided in this section.

(d) The department shall not begin the process of issuing an administrator certificate until receipt of all of the following:

(1) An administrator certification application.

(2) A certificate of completion of the administrator certification training program required pursuant to this section.

(3) The fee for processing an administrator certification application, including the issuance of the administrator certificate, as specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j).

(4) Documentation that the applicant has passed the examination.

(5) Submission of fingerprints pursuant to Section 1522. The department and the Department of Justice shall expedite the criminal record clearance for holders of certificates of completion. The department may waive the submission for those persons who have a criminal record clearance or exemption on file.

(e) It shall be unlawful for a person not certified under this section to hold themselves out as a certified administrator of an adult residential facility. A person willfully making a false representation as being a certified administrator is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(f) (1) An administrator certificate issued under this section shall be renewed every two years and renewal shall be conditional upon the certificate holder submitting documentation of completion of 40 hours of continuing education related to the uniform core of knowledge specified in subdivision (c). No more than one-half of the required 40 hours of continuing education necessary to renew the certificate may be satisfied through self-paced courses. All other continuing education hours shall be completed in an instructional setting conducive to learning, in which participants are able to simultaneously interact with each other as well as with the instructor. For purposes of this section, an individual who is an adult residential facility administrator and who is required to complete the continuing education hours required by the regulations of the State Department of Developmental Services, and approved by the regional center, shall be permitted to have up to 24 of the required continuing education course hours credited toward the 40-hour continuing education requirement of this section. Community college course hours approved by the regional centers shall be accepted by the department for certification.

(2) A licensee and administrator of an adult residential facility is required to complete the continuing education requirements of this subdivision.

(3) An administrator certificate issued under this section shall expire every two years, on the anniversary date of the initial issuance of the certificate, except that any administrator receiving an initial certification on or after January 1, 1999, shall make an irrevocable election to have their recertification date for any subsequent recertification either on the date two years from the date of issuance of the certificate or on the individual’s birthday during the second calendar year following certification. The department shall send a renewal notice to the certificate holder 90 days prior to the expiration date of the certificate. If the certificate is not renewed prior to its expiration date, reinstatement shall only be permitted after the certificate holder has paid a delinquency fee, as specified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j), has submitted to the department an administrator certification renewal application, and has provided evidence of completion of the continuing education required.

(4) To renew an administrator certificate, the certificate holder shall, on or before the certificate expiration date, submit to the department an administrator certification renewal application and documentation of completion of the required continuing education courses, and pay the renewal fee specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j), irrespective of receipt of the department’s notification of the renewal. A renewal request postmarked on or before the expiration of the certificate is proof of compliance with this paragraph.

(5) A suspended or revoked administrator certificate is subject to expiration as provided for in this section. If reinstatement of the certificate is approved by the department, the certificate holder, as a condition precedent to reinstatement, shall submit proof of compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2) and shall pay a fee in an amount equal to the renewal fee, plus the delinquency fee, if any, as specified in subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j), accrued at the time of its revocation or suspension. Delinquency fees, if any, accrued subsequent to the time of its revocation or suspension and prior to an order for reinstatement, shall be waived for one year to allow the individual sufficient time to complete the required continuing education units and to submit the required documentation. Individuals whose certificates will expire within 90 days after the order for reinstatement may be granted a three-month extension to renew their certificates during which time the delinquency fees shall not accrue.

(6) An administrator certificate that is not renewed within four years after its expiration shall not be renewed, restored, reissued, or reinstated except upon completion of an administrator certification training program, passing any test that may be required of an applicant for a new certificate at that time, and paying the fee specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j).

(7) The department shall charge a fee for the reissuance of a lost administrator certificate, as specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (j).

(8) A certificate holder shall inform the department of their employment status within 30 days of any change.

(g) Unless otherwise ordered by the department, an administrator certificate shall be considered forfeited under either of the following conditions:

(1) The administrator has had a license revoked, suspended, or denied as authorized under Section 1550.

(2) The administrator has been denied employment, residence, or presence in a facility based on action resulting from an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 1522 or 1558.

(h) (1) The department, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services and the State Department of Developmental Services, shall establish, by regulation, the program content, the testing instrument, the process for approving administrator certification training programs, and criteria to be used in authorizing individuals, organizations, or educational institutions as vendors to conduct administrator certification training programs and continuing education courses. These regulations shall be developed in consultation with provider organizations, and shall be made available at least six months prior to the deadline required for administrator certification. The department may deny vendor approval to any agency or person in any of the following circumstances:

(A) The applicant has not provided the department with evidence satisfactory to the department of the ability of the applicant to satisfy the requirements of vendorization set out in the regulations adopted by the department.

(B) The applicant person or agency has a conflict of interest in that the person or agency places its clients in adult residential facilities.

(C) The applicant public or private agency has a conflict of interest in that the agency is mandated to place clients in adult residential facilities and to pay directly for the services. The department may deny vendorization to this type of agency only as long as there are other vendor programs available to conduct the administrator certification training programs and continuing education courses.

(2) The department may authorize vendors to conduct administrator certification training programs and continuing education courses pursuant to this section. The department shall conduct the examination pursuant to regulations adopted by the department.

(3) The department shall prepare and maintain an updated list of approved training vendors.

(4) The department may inspect administrator certification training programs and continuing education courses, including online courses, at no charge to the department, to determine if content and teaching methods comply with this section and applicable regulations. If the department determines that any vendor is not complying with the requirements of this section, the department shall take appropriate action to bring the program into compliance, which may include removing the vendor from the approved training vendors list.

(5) The department shall establish reasonable procedures and timeframes not to exceed 30 days for the approval of vendor training programs.

(6) The department shall charge a fee for an administrator certification training program vendor application or renewal, as specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (j).

(7) (A) A vendor of a self-paced online course shall ensure that each course contains all of the following:

(i) An interactive portion in which the participant receives feedback, through online communication, based on input from the participant.

(ii) Required use of a personal identification number or personal identification information to confirm the identity of the participant.

(iii) A final screen displaying a printable statement, to be signed by the participant, certifying that the identified participant completed the course. The vendor shall obtain a copy of the final screen statement with the original signature of the participant prior to the issuance of a certificate of completion. The signed statement of completion shall be maintained by the vendor for a period of three years and be available to the department upon demand. A person who certifies as true any material matter pursuant to this clause that the person knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(B) This subdivision shall not prohibit the department from approving online programs that do not meet the requirements of subparagraph (A) if the vendor demonstrates to the department’s satisfaction that, through advanced technology, the course and the course delivery meet the requirements of this section.

(8) The department shall charge a fee for processing a continuing education training program vendor application or renewal, as specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (j).

(9) The department shall charge a fee for processing a continuing education course, as specified in paragraph (4) of subdivision (j).

(i) The department shall establish a registry for certificate holders that shall include, at a minimum, information on employment status and criminal record clearance.

(j) The department shall charge nonrefundable fees, as follows:

(1) Commencing July 1, 2021, the fee amount in subparagraph (A) shall be incrementally increased by 10 percent each year, not to exceed 40 percent, over a four-year period. The current fee specified in subparagraph (A) shall be the base for the yearly increase and shall be effective July 1 of each year.

(A) The fee for processing an administrator certification application or renewal, including the issuance of the administrator certificate, is one hundred dollars ($100).

(B) The fee for the reissuance of a lost administrator certificate is twenty-five dollars ($25).

(C) The delinquency fee for processing a late administrator certification renewal application is three hundred dollars ($300), which shall be charged in addition to the fee specified in subparagraph (A).

(2) Commencing July 1, 2021, a fee for the administrator certification examination is one hundred dollars ($100), for up to three attempts.

(3) Commencing July 1, 2021, fee amounts in subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be incrementally increased by 10 percent each year, not to exceed 40 percent, over a four-year period. The current fee specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) will be the base for the increase each year and is effective July 1 of each year.

(A) The fee for processing an administrator certification training program vendor application or renewal is one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for each licensed facility type.

(B) The fee for processing a continuing education training program vendor application or renewal is one hundred dollars ($100) for each licensed facility type.

(4) Commencing July 1, 2021, the fee for processing a continuing education course is ten dollars ($10) per continuing education unit for each licensed facility type.

(5) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, a fee charged pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed the reasonable costs to the department of conducting the certification training program.

(k) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a vendor approved by the department who exclusively provides either an administrator certification training program or continuing education course for administrators of an adult residential facility, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502, shall be regulated solely by the department pursuant to this chapter. No other state or local governmental entity shall be responsible for regulating the activity of those vendors.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 43, Sec. 21. (AB 120) Effective July 10, 2023.)