Mike and Robin heartily endorse National Care Professionals Institute as your provider for administrator and professional education courses. Our daughter Kallie and our son-in-law, Carlos, operate NCPI and are approved to teach the 80-hour RCFE initial administrator course and the 40-hour RCFE/ARF administrator renewal courses. They have caregiver training in English and Spanish and teach first aid and CPR. Carlos and Kallie have BRN and NHA continuing education, too. They have a great workplace violence prevention plan. Call NCPI, (619) 322-9578 for information, or go to www.nationalcareprofessionals.com.
And now, you can purchase a printed version of the RCFE Title 22 and Health and Safety Code from Amazon as created by NCPI. See the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBZXRH5V.
Mike’s website has industry resources available including new applications for RCFEs (the most affordable in the industry), appeals, a dementia plan of operation and more. Follow the link: https://rfce4you.com/product-category/products-and-services/ to view RCFE resources such as the state’s mandatory regulation subscription service, emergency disaster plan, infection control plan and more.
SB991, Caroline Menjivar (D-Burbank, San Fernando Valley) and Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), would allow DSS to categorize a deficiency as elder or dependent adult abuse by adding Health and Safety Code 1569.493. This bill would require DSS to categorize some deficiencies as elder abuse based upon the Welfare and Institutions Code definitions such as neglect and physical abuse, two of the most frequently cited deficiencies. The bill was recently introduced and will be under review by various legislative committees. A substantiated deficiency of abuse could be a misdemeanor or felony causing loss of license.
As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in California is $16.90 per hour for most employers. However, many cities have higher minimum wage rates: Los Angeles is $17.87 per hour; San Francisco, $18.45; San Diego, $17.75; Santa Clara, $18.70; Santa Monica, $18,00; Oakland, Pasadena and Long Beach, $17.00. A link to find the minimum by city or county is https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/#s-2.
California has been its own worst enemy for many years, usually the fault of the Legislature. If the Assisted Living Waiver Program becomes viable again (we’ll see in April) the reimbursement rates will go up, but less than one percent, to offset the state’s mandatory minimum wage increases. Tier 1 rates for 2026 will be $95.69 per day to a max of Tier 5 rates of $270.80 per day. The waiting list of possible recipients of care assistance has more than tripled when 2021 ended with 6,976 to 17,513 by November 2025. The state suspended enrollments in September 2025 because the program ran out of money. The federal government was still funding the program, so the question remains: Where is the money? DSS hasn’t explained that one yet with more Facebook videos. Another big issue for California’s ALWP is the lack of statewide access. It remains confined to only 15 of 58 California counties, a continued failure of the state.
Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Aging is now five years into its 10-year plan. He said the plan was to prepare the state for an aging and changing population. The program had five key goals: housing for all ages and stages; health reimagined; inclusions & equity, no isolation; caregiving that works; and affording aging. According to Justice in Aging, several legislative bills were proposed during 2025, but many remain “in suspense” because of the continued money shortfalls in the state’s budget. Current bills being held in suspense include: AB508, staffing levels; AB804, using Medi-Cal to fund housing costs; SB434, 90-day eviction notices for RCFE residents; AB315, East Bay disability rights; AB517, money to repair wheelchairs even without a prescription of medical necessity documentation; AB1161, protection of public benefits for low-income Californians; and AB283, for unionization of In-Home Supportive Services workers. Because of budget constraints, requests from the California Commission on Aging of $250 million was removed from the budget. The money would have been used to house persons “at risk of homelessness.” A similar $88.8 million request from the Alameda Senior Services Coalition was funded so the county could fund its “home safe program,” again focused on homelessness. Then, $113 million to implement “reforms” on Medi-Cal share of cost programs was not funded; nor was $1.1 billion for Medi-Cal flexibilities; $15 million to expand aging and disability resource connections; a request by Californians for SSI Coalition for millions of dollars to increase SSI/SSP cost of living increases for various reasons were also not funded.