Article 9 - Admission Agreements

California Health and Safety Code — §§ 1569.880-1569.889

Sections (10)

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)For purposes of this section, an “admission agreement” includes all documents that a resident or his or her representative must sign at the time of, or as a condition of, admission to a residential care facility for the elderly licensed under this chapter.

(b)The admission agreement shall not include any written attachment containing any provision that is prohibited from being included in the admission agreement.

§ 1569.881

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)Every residential care facility for the elderly shall make blank complete copies of its admission agreement available to the public immediately, subject to time required for copying or mailing, at cost, upon request.

(b)Every residential care facility for the elderly shall conspicuously post in a location accessible to the public view within the facility either a complete copy of the admission agreement, or a notice of its availability from the facility.

§ 1569.882

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)The admission agreement shall be printed in black type of not less than 12-point type size, on plain white paper. The print shall appear on one side of the paper only.

(b)The admission agreement shall be written in clear, coherent, and unambiguous language, using words with common and everyday meanings. It shall be appropriately divided, and each section shall be appropriately captioned.

§ 1569.883

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)The admission agreement shall not include unlawful waivers of facility liability for the health and safety or personal property of residents.

(b)The admission agreement shall not include any provision that the facility knows or should know is deceptive, or unlawful under state or federal law.

§ 1569.884

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 290, Sec. 2. (AB 261) Effective January 1, 2014.

The admission agreement shall include all of the following:

(a)A comprehensive description of any items and services provided under a single fee, such as a monthly fee for room, board, and other items and services.

(b)A comprehensive description of, and the fee schedule for, all items and services not included in a single fee. In addition, the agreement shall indicate that the resident shall receive a monthly statement itemizing all separate charges incurred by the resident.

(c)A facility may assess a separate charge for an item or service only

if that separate charge is authorized by the admission agreement. If additional services are available through the facility to be purchased by the resident that were not available at the time the admission agreement was signed, a list of these services and charges shall be provided to the resident or the resident’s representative. A statement acknowledging the acceptance or refusal to purchase the additional services shall be signed and dated by the resident or the resident’s representative and attached to the admission agreement.

(d)An explanation of the use of third-party services within the facility that are related to the resident’s service plan, including, but not limited to, ancillary, health, and medical services, how they may be arranged, accessed, and monitored, any restrictions on third-party services, and who is financially

responsible for the third-party services.

(e)A comprehensive description of billing and payment policies and procedures.

(f)The conditions under which rates may be increased pursuant to Section 1569.655.

(g)The facility’s policy concerning family visits and other communication with residents, pursuant to Section 1569.313.

(h)The facility’s policy concerning refunds, including the conditions under which a refund for advanced monthly fees will be returned in the event of a resident’s death, pursuant to Section 1569.652.

(i)Conditions under which the agreement may be terminated.

(j)An explanation of the facility’s responsibility to prepare a relocation evaluation, for each resident and a closure plan and to provide notice in the case of an eviction pursuant to Section 1569.682.

§ 1569.885

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 577, Sec. 2. (AB 895) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)When referring to a resident’s obligation to observe facility rules, the admission agreement shall indicate that the rules must be reasonable, and that there is a facility procedure for suggesting changes in the rules. A facility rule shall not violate any right set forth in this article or in other applicable laws and regulations.

(b)The admission agreement shall specify that a copy of the facility grievance procedure for resolution of resident complaints about facility practices shall be made available to the resident or the resident’s representative.

(c)The admission agreement shall inform a resident of the right to contact the State Department of

Social Services, the long-term care ombudsman, or both, regarding grievances against the facility.

(d)In addition to any other notice a licensee is required by law to provide to residents, a written notice, including the current telephone number, internet website address, and email address for the local long-term care ombudsman and the internet website address for the Community Care Licensing Division of the State Department of Social Services shall be included in, or as an attachment to, all admission agreements. The written notice also shall state that the ombudsman is intended as a resource for both of the following purposes:

(1)Accessing additional information regarding resident care at the facility.

(2)Reporting resident care complaints.

(e)A

copy of any applicable resident’s rights specified by law or regulation shall be an attachment to all admission agreements.

(f)The statement of resident’s rights attached to admissions agreements by a residential care facility for the elderly shall include information on the reporting of suspected or known elder and dependent adult abuse, as set forth in Section 1569.889.

§ 1569.886

Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 686, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2008.

(a)The admission agreement shall not include any ground for involuntary transfer or eviction of the resident unless those grounds are specifically enumerated under state law or regulation.

(b)The admission agreement shall list the justifications for eviction permissible under state law or regulation, exactly as they are worded in the applicable law or regulation.

(c)The admission agreement shall include an explanation of the resident’s right to notice prior to an involuntary transfer, discharge, or eviction, the process by which the resident may appeal the decision and a description of the relocation assistance offered by the facility.

(d)The admission agreement shall state the responsibilities of the licensee and the rights of the resident when a facility evicts residents pursuant to Section 1569.682.

§ 1569.887

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)The admission agreement shall be signed and dated, acknowledging the contents of the document, by the resident or the resident’s representative.

(b)The licensee shall retain in the resident’s file the original signed and dated initial agreement and all subsequent modifications.

(c)The licensee shall provide a copy of the signed and dated admission agreement to the resident or the resident’s representative, if any.

(d)The admission agreement shall be reviewed at the time of the compliance visit and in response to a complaint involving the admission agreement.

§ 1569.888

Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 409, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.

(a)The requirements of this article relating to admission agreements for residential care facilities for the elderly are intended to be in addition to, and not exclusive of, any other requirements established by state law or regulation.

(b)This article shall not apply to licensees of residential care facilities for the elderly that have obtained a certificate of authority to offer continuing care contracts, as defined in paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 1771.

§ 1569.889

Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 456, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.

(a)The personal rights form made available by the department’s Community Care Licensing Division to residential care facilities for the elderly shall include a statement regarding procedures for reporting known or suspected elder and dependent adult abuse, including the toll-free telephone number of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s CRISISline and a blank space for the telephone number of the nearest approved organization for long-term care ombudsperson activities. A residential care facility for the elderly shall insert in the form’s blank space the telephone number of the nearest approved organization for long-term care ombudsperson activities.

(b)The department’s Community Care Licensing Division shall adopt or amend any regulation and revise any document or policy as necessary to implement this section.