Adult Residential Program 16-bed facility

Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) and Adult Residential Care Facilities (ARF) are responsible for providing Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) services to participants, allowing them to maintain independence and continue to receive nursing-level of care as needed. The RCFE/ARF work in conjunction with the Care Coordinator Agencies (CCA) to ensure participants receive individualized care in a homelike and community setting. Residents are eligible to maintain their placement at Lighthouse based upon individual treatment needs, with no maximum length of stay requirements. Our hope is that many of these individuals will gain the ability to function on their own with independent housing in the community but recognize a smaller percentage may need this level of care for many years.    

Myths and Facts

Myth: The residents of this program are all coming from Sempervirens psychiatric health facility (SV).
Fact: Very few residents will come directly from SV. Most residents come from a facility that is a lower level of care than SV, and are stepping down to Lighthouse after several months, if not years, of ongoing stabilization and treatment compliance. The clients who are placed there have been conserved through the Humboldt County court system and are within the custody of the county Public Guardian’s office for ongoing guardianship. Which also means county Behavioral Health staff and Public Guardian staff know who the residents are and will use discretion as to who they refer to Lighthouse. This is a lower-level treatment facility, and most residents will be fairly stable individuals with some history of treatment compliance. There are similar unlocked-type facilities locally. 

Myth: Residents are allowed to come and go as they please.
Fact: Residents are allowed to go on approved passes. These approved passes vary in terms of length of time an individual can be gone, and how often they are allowed these passes in a given week. A typical pass is three to five times per week for two to three hours, and generally are provided for purposes of establishing independence, such as grocery shopping or attending church. Individuals who violate rules like wandering around without consent or notification to staff would need to be placed in a higher level of care. 

Myth: Residents do drugs and alcohol. 
Fact: Drugs and alcohol are not allowed on grounds. Smoking cigarettes is allowed. Individuals could go on an approved pass and take drugs and return but they would likely be given a 30-day or 10-day notice depending on the concern if that were to happen. This means the county would need to be on this timeline to find them another placement. 

Myth: Program was required to get approval from all residents of the neighborhood.
Fact: The program completed all necessary requirements for this facility. The property is zoned properly for this type of program. There were no notice requirements for the transaction of this property. 

Myth: Residents are sex offenders. 
Fact: Any individual who as a condition of their Sex Offender Registry requirements is ordered to maintain adequate distancing from school zones will be prohibited from entry to Lighthouse.  

Basic Requirements

• All facilities enrolling in the ALW program must meet licensure and certification requirements set forth by the Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing (CCL). Participating facilities must be in substantial compliance and good standing with licensing regulations (Ref: Title 22, § 87101(s)(9)). Facilities on probation with and/or who have pending accusations against the licensee are not in substantial compliance for the purpose of the ALW (Ref. H&S § 1569.33).
• Participating ALW facilities are not regarded as health care facilities, but social-based facilities. Although the RCFE/ARF is a licensed facility, ALW residents are considered as living in their own home, not in a health care setting.
• ALW facilities are required to have licensed nursing staff, either on call or employed, in order to provide skilled nursing services as needed to waiver participants. 
• Facilities shall employ staff as necessary to ensure provision of care and supervision to meet client health and safety needs. 
• Facilities are required to provide private or semi-private bathrooms, a dining room, or common activities room that may also serve as a dining room.
• Facilities must be able to offer private or shared bedrooms. 
• Facilities housing more than six participants are required to have an Individual Response System (IRS) enabling individuals to summon for assistance at any time.

RCFE/ARF provide the following services:

• Provision and oversight of personal and supportive services
• Assistance with self-administration of medication
• Three meals per day plus snacks
• Housekeeping and laundry
• Transportation or arrangement of transportation
• Activities
• Skilled-nursing services as needed.