About Us
The Licensing and Certification (L&C) Program 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. The L&C Program is comprised of three branches: Centralized Applications Branch, Field Operations Branch, and Professional Certification 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, certification, and other license-associated transactions submitted by facility providers for approval.
The Field Operations Branch has regulatory oversight of licensed health care facilities and agencies. This 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.
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.