ADULT DAY SERVICES – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is an Adult Day Services provider?
Adult Day Services providers operate community-based day care facilities where older adults and adults with disabilities can receive health, personal care, and social supports during the day, then return home in the evening. These centers offer a safe setting with structured activities, health services, care coordination, and support for family caregivers as an alternative to premature nursing home placement.
How do Adult Day Services providers receive funding?
The Adult Day Services industry relies on a mix of funding sources, including Medi-Cal (for Community Based Adult Services centers, which are also known as Adult Day Health Care centers and provide a higher level of care than other models) private pay, Veterans programs, and other public or philanthropic sources. For CBAS in particular, Medi-Cal managed care plans authorize services and pay contracted providers a daily rate for eligible enrollees based on assessed medical and functional need.
How do providers guard against waste, fraud, and abuse?
Adult Day Services providers must comply with licensing, certification, and contracting requirements that include regular surveys, audits, and documentation reviews by state agencies and, depending on the type of center, health plans. Records of attendance, assessments, care plans, and services delivered are required, and suspected fraud or abuse can be investigated by state Medicaid fraud units, federal authorities, or other relevant oversight bodies.
How do providers navigate immigration status for employees and participants?
Adult Day Services employers are required to follow federal and state employment laws, including verifying work authorization for employees through standard hiring and I9 processes. Participant eligibility for Medi-Cal funded services such as CBAS is determined by state and county agencies and Medi-Cal managed care plans, not by individual centers, and services are delivered consistent with Medicaid rules and applicable civil rights protections.
What is CAADS’s role?
The California Association for Adult Day Services represents and supports Adult Day Services providers across the State, including Adult Day Programs, Adult Day Vendorized Programs, and CBAS/ADHCs. CAADS offers education, technical assistance, and advocacy to promote quality, compliance, and sustainability of the Adult Day Services industry for older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers.
Can I enroll a family member in Adult Day Health Care today?
Enrollment is not same day. You’ll contact the center, schedule a visit, confirm insurance and identification, and submit medical forms from your family member’s doctor before a start date can be approved.
How do I become an Adult Day Health Care provider? Can I just open a center?
You cannot simply open a center. To become an ADHC provider, you must secure an appropriate facility, complete state licensing, meet staffing and safety requirements, and finish Medi-Cal and health plan contracting before serving participants. This process generally takes years, not months.
