4698. (Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 253, Sec. 15.)

(a) (1) “Community crisis home” means a facility certified by the State Department of Developmental Services pursuant to this article, and licensed by the State Department of Social Services, pursuant to Article 9.7 (commencing with Section 1567.80) of Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, as an adult residential facility or a group home providing 24-hour nonmedical care to individuals with developmental disabilities receiving regional center services and in need of crisis intervention services who would otherwise be at risk of admission to a State Department of Developmental Services-operated facility, an out-of-state placement, a general acute hospital, an acute psychiatric hospital, or an institution for mental disease, as described in Part 5 (commencing with Section 5900) of Division 5. A community crisis home shall have a maximum capacity of eight consumers. No more than one-third of community crisis homes may exceed a capacity of six consumers.

(2) “Consumer,” “client,” or “individual” means a person who has been determined by a regional center to meet the eligibility criteria of Section 4512 and applicable regulations and for whom the regional center has accepted responsibility.

(b) (1) The State Department of Developmental Services, using community resource development plan funds, shall establish community-based residential options consisting of community crisis homes for adults and community crisis homes for children. The community crisis homes shall serve individuals who meet all of the following criteria:

(A) The child or adult has one or more developmental disabilities.

(B) The child or adult receives regional center services.

(C) The child or adult requires crisis intervention services.

(D) The child or adult would otherwise be at risk of admission to a State Department of Developmental Services-operated facility, an out-of-state placement, a general acute hospital, an acute psychiatric hospital, or an institution for mental disease, as described in Part 5 (commencing with Section 5900) of Division 5.

(2) The State Department of Developmental Services may issue a certificate of program approval to a community crisis home qualified pursuant to this article.

(3) A community crisis home using delayed egress devices may utilize secured perimeters in compliance with Section 1531.15 of the Health and Safety Code and applicable regulations. The total number of community crisis beds using delayed egress devices in combination with secured perimeters shall not exceed 20 percent of the statewide limit established in subdivision (k) of Section 1531.15 of the Health and Safety Code. A community crisis home that uses delayed egress devices in combination with secured perimeters shall not have more than six beds.

(c) A community crisis home shall not be licensed by the State Department of Social Services until the certificate of program approval, issued pursuant to this article by the State Department of Developmental Services, has been received.

(1) A community crisis home shall be certified only if approved through a regional center community placement plan pursuant to former Section 4418.25, as that section read on June 30, 2026, or a regional center community resource development plan pursuant to Section 4418.25. Each home shall conform to Section 441.530(a)(1) of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The home shall be eligible for federal Medicaid home- and community-based services funding, unless the State Department of Developmental Services approves the use of delayed egress devices with secured perimeters to be utilized at the community crisis home pursuant to Section 1531.15 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) A consumer shall not be placed in a community crisis home unless the program is certified by the State Department of Developmental Services, pursuant to this article, and the facility is licensed by the State Department of Social Services, pursuant to Article 9.7 (commencing with Section 1567.80) of Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) A certificate of program approval, issued pursuant to this article by the State Department of Developmental Services, shall be a condition of licensure for the community crisis home by the State Department of Social Services, pursuant to Article 9.7 (commencing with Section 1567.80) of Chapter 3 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code.

(4) Community crisis homes shall exceed the minimum requirements for a Residential Facility Service Level 4I pursuant to Sections 56004 and 56013 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, and shall meet all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements for facility licensing, the use of behavior modification interventions, and seclusion and restraint, including Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 1180) of the Health and Safety Code, and that are applicable to facilities licensed as adult residential facilities.

(d) Community crisis homes shall have a facility program plan approved by the State Department of Developmental Services. The facility program plan approved by the State Department of Developmental Services shall be submitted to the State Department of Social Services for inclusion in the facility plan of operation, pursuant to Section 1567.84 of the Health and Safety Code.

(1) No later than March 1, 2020, the department shall develop guidelines regarding the use of restraint or containment in community crisis homes, which shall be maintained in the facility program plan and plan of operation. In the development of these guidelines, the department shall consult with both of the following:

(A) The appropriate professionals regarding the use of restraint or containment in community crisis homes.

(B) The protection and advocacy agency described in subdivision (i) of Section 4900 regarding appropriate safeguards for the protection of clients’ rights.

(2) The requirements of paragraph (1) shall not apply to community crisis homes that are certified and licensed prior to March 1, 2020, or prior to the adoption of the guidelines required in paragraph (1), whichever is sooner. However, these homes shall meet the requirements of paragraph (1) no later than 30 days following adoption of the guidelines.

(3) A community crisis home shall include in its facility program plan a description of how it will ensure physical restraint or containment will not be used as an extended procedure in accordance with this section, subdivision (h) of Section 1180.4 of the Health and Safety Code, and any other applicable law or regulation.

(e) The local regional center and each consumer’s regional center shall have joint responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the provision of services in the community crisis home. Monitoring shall include at least monthly face-to-face, onsite case management visits with each consumer by the consumer’s regional center and at least quarterly quality assurance visits by the vendoring regional center. The State Department of Developmental Services shall monitor and ensure the regional centers’ compliance with their monitoring responsibilities.

(f) A consumer’s regional center shall also notify the clients’ rights advocate of each community crisis home admission. Unless the consumer objects on the consumer’s own behalf, the clients’ rights advocate may participate in developing the plan to transition the consumer to the consumer’s prior residence or an alternative community-based residential setting with needed services and supports.

(g) The State Department of Developmental Services shall establish by regulation a rate methodology for community crisis homes that includes a fixed facility component for residential services and an individualized services and supports component based on each consumer’s needs as determined through the individual program plan process, which may include assistance with returning to the consumer’s prior living arrangement or transitioning to an alternative community residential setting, including, when appropriate for the individual, wraparound services through intensive individualized support services.

(h) If the State Department of Developmental Services determines that urgent action is necessary to protect a consumer residing in a community crisis home from physical or mental abuse, abandonment, or any other substantial threat to the consumer’s health and safety, the State Department of Developmental Services may request that the regional center or centers remove the consumer from the community crisis home or direct the regional center or centers to obtain alternative or additional services for the consumer within 24 hours of that determination. When possible, an individual program plan (IPP) meeting shall be convened to determine the appropriate action pursuant to this section. In any case, an IPP meeting shall be convened within 30 days following an action pursuant to this section. The regional center shall notify the clients’ rights advocate of any removal from the community crisis home.

(i) The State Department of Developmental Services shall rescind a community crisis home’s certificate of program approval when it determines that a community crisis home does not maintain substantial compliance with an applicable statute, regulation, or ordinance, or cannot ensure the health and safety of consumers. The decision of the State Department of Developmental Services shall be the final administrative decision. The State Department of Developmental Services shall transmit a decision rescinding a community crisis home’s certificate of program approval to the State Department of Social Services and the regional center with a recommendation as to whether to revoke the community crisis home license, and the State Department of Social Services shall revoke the license of the community crisis home pursuant to Section 1550 of the Health and Safety Code.

(j) The State Department of Developmental Services and regional centers shall provide to the State Department of Social Services all available documentation and evidentiary support necessary for the licensing and administration of community crisis homes and enforcement of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, and the applicable regulations.