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Center for Health Care Quality

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) is comprised of two programs: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) and Licensing and Certification (L&C). HAI monitors infection rates in hospitals and assists with strategies to reduce or eliminate outbreaks. L&C is responsible for regulatory oversight of licensed health care facilities and health care professionals to assess the safety, effectiveness, and quality of health care for all Californians. We fulfill this role by conducting periodic inspections and complaint investigations of health care facilities to determine compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. We also license and certify more than 10,000 health care facilities and agencies in California in 30 different licensure and certification categories.

Healthcare-Associated Infections Program

The Healthcare-Associated Infections Program (HAI) improves care quality and patient safety through the prevention of infections in California health care facilities. HAI accomplishes this through assistance with prevention activities, development of infection prevention recommendations, and implementation of mandatory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection data.

Licensing and Certification Program

Centralized Applications Branch: The Centralized Applications Branch provides standardization and consistency of state licensing and federal certification through the application process. We review, analyze, and evaluate requests for facility licensure and/or certification, as well as process other license-associated transactions submitted by facility providers for approval.

Field Operations Branch: The Field Operations Branch has regulatory oversight of skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and many other health-care facilities. The branch includes more than 600 Health Facility Evaluation Nurses, physicians and other medical consultants who regularly survey facilities and investigate complaints to determine compliance with state laws and regulations. Our survey teams also consider compliance with federal statutes if the facilities receive Medicare or Medi-Cal reimbursement.

Professional Certification Branch: The Professional Certification Branch administers the certification of nurse assistants (CNAs), home health aides (HHAs), and hemodialysis technicians (CHTs) and conducts investigations of complaints against them. The branch administers the licensing and regulation of nursing home administrators (NHAs). It also oversees the approval of the CNA, HHA, and CHT training programs and continuing education, and the criminal record clearance of these four health care professional types.

NOTE: To view information on CHCQ's proactive six strategy response to skilled nursing facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here.

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