What is an Administrator?
The Administrator Certification Program is legislatively mandated and designed to help ensure that prospective and existing administrators of residential facilities have the requisite initial and continuing training to appropriately care for facility residents.
What is an Administrator Certification?
The Administrator Certification Program is legislatively mandated and designed to help ensure that prospective and existing administrators of residential facilities have the requisite initial and continuing training to appropriately care for facility residents.
What is an Adult Residential Facilty?
An Adult Residential Facilty provides 24-hour a day, non-medical care and supervision for clients ages 18-59 or any person 60 years of age or older under specified requirements. These clients may have a mental, physical or developmental disability.
What is a Group Home?
A GH provides 24-hour non-medical care and supervision to children and non-minor dependents up to age 19, in a structured environment, with services provided by persons employed by the licensee. Children in a GH are in treatment programs under court jurisdiction or as dependent children removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
What is Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP)?
A residential facility licensed by CCLD and operated by a public agency or private organization that provides short-term, specialized, and intensive therapeutic and 24-hour care and supervision to children. The care and supervision provided by an STRTP shall be non-medical, except as otherwise permitted by law.
There are two subcategories of STRTP:
Care for Children under the Age of Six: An STRTP which provides care for children under the age of six years who are dependent of the court, regional center placements or voluntary placements who are not accompanied by the minor parent.
Dependent and Non-minor Dependent-Parent Program: An STRTP that cares for minor or non-minor dependents who are pregnant or parenting children younger than six years of age, who are dependents of the court, nondependent, voluntary and/or regional center placements, and reside in the STRTP with the minor or non-minor dependent parent, who is the primary caregiver of the young child.
How to become a Certified Administrator?
To become a certified administrator for the Adult Residential Facility (ARF), Group Home (GH) and/or Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTP), the applicant must meet the qualifications for each program separately.
Complete the training
- Complete the applicable Initial Certification Training Program (ICTP) given by Fundamental Training Solutions who is an approved ICTP vendor
- If you’re currently a certified GH administrator and are applying to become a STRTP administrator, complete the required twelve (12) hours of classroom instruction in core subject areas in lieu of the ICTP and exam (Health and Safety Code section 1522.41(d), and review the STRTP Interim Licensing Standards).
What do I do after I complete the Initial Certification?
You would register to take a State Exam:
Step 1: Check the calendar and the Statewide Exam Schedule to find a date and location that fits within 60 days of your training certificate completion date.
Step 2: Check both the desired date of the exam and the completion date on your ICTP certificate to verify your certificate is within 60 days of the exam date. Please refer to 60 day chart attached to the Statewide Exam Schedule
Step 3: Email examregistration@dss.ca.gov with the following required information:
- First and Last name
- Area code and phone number (xxx) xxx-xxxx
- Date of Birth MM/DD/YYYY
- Type of Exam: RCFE, GH, ARF, or STRTP
- Date and time of Exam: see Statewide Exam Schedule for dates
- Exam Location: see Statewide Exam Schedule for locations
Is there a State required test to become Certified Administrator?
Yes, you have to take the standardized exam administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) within sixty (60) days of completing the ICTP.
- Pass the exam with a minimum score of 70%.
- ACS will score your exam within seven (7) days and send you an exam results letter indicating that you either did or did not pass the exam. If you fail the exam, you can retake the test within the 60 days of completing the ICTP.
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- If you do not receive a letter within fourteen (14) days of taking the exam, please submit your application without it. Your application must be submitted within 30 days of being notified of a passing score on the exam or you will have to restart the process, meaning retake the ICTP and the exam.
Do I have to submit an application?
Yes, within thirty (30) days of receiving an exam results letter, submit a completed initial administrator application packet to the ACS (see address below). It is recommended to mail this packet via certified US mail. The application packet should include:
- A copy of your exam results letter.
- A copy of your extension approval letter, if applicable
- A completed and signed LIC 9214 – Application for Administrator Certification form.
- A check or money order in the amount of $100 (for the nonrefundable application processing fee), payable to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). Include your certificate number on the check or money order.
- A copy of your Certificate of Completion of the ICTP, OR documentation verifying qualification for an exemption, if applicable (e.g., a copy of your current NHA license).
- A completed and signed LIC 508 Criminal Record Statement. If you have a criminal record conviction, you must include and sign a written statement describing the circumstances regarding the crime(s).
- A copy of your completed LIC 9163 Request for Live Scan form for a statewide (Department of Justice) and national (Federal Bureau of Investigations) criminal background check, and, for GH or STRTP applicants, a Child Abuse Index Check; OR documentation of your prior clearance including your Personnel ID Number if available
How often do I need to renew my Administrator Certification?
Administrator certificates issued shall be renewed every two years and renewal shall be conditional upon the certificate holder submitting documentation of completion of 40 hours of continuing education.
When does my Administrator Certification expired?
Administrator certificates issued shall expire every two years on the anniversary date of the initial issuance of the certificate, except that any administrator receiving his or her initial certification on or after July 1, 1999, shall make an irrevocable election to have his or her recertification date for any subsequent recertification either on the date two years from the date of issuance of the certificate or on the individual’s birthday during the second calendar year following certification.
