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California Care Compass

Updated 2026-08-28

Kern County · Assisted Living Waiver facilities

ALW participating facilities in Kern County: how to find one near you

The California Department of Health Care Services publishes the official list of Assisted Living Waiver participating Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly by county. Kern County carries 47 participating facilities on the DHCS ALW list with about 672 licensed beds between them. At roughly 14 beds per facility that is the smallest average of any participating county in California, so the Kern network is almost entirely small residential care homes. The DHCS list shows participation but not current capacity — facility-by-facility waitlist depth must be checked directly with each provider.

The quick answer

Where the list lives
DHCS publishes the official participating-facility list, organized by county. Open it, filter to Kern County, then call each facility directly to ask about current capacity and waitlist depth.
What to expect on capacity
Kern County carries 47 participating facilities on the DHCS ALW list with about 672 licensed beds between them. At roughly 14 beds per facility that is the smallest average of any participating county in California, so the Kern network is almost entirely small residential care homes.
Typical waitlist range
DHCS publishes statewide enrollment and waitlist totals, not a verified Kern County wait time. Confirm current status with a Care Coordination Agency and each participating facility.
Memory care availability
Secured-perimeter memory care is scarce in a network built from small homes, because the physical requirements are harder to meet at that scale. If your parent wanders, ask about CDSS secured-perimeter approval on the very first call rather than at the tour, and be prepared to look at Fresno or the Inland Empire if Kern has nothing suitable.

ALW facilities in California · contacts

Kern County Aging and Adult Services IHSS
(661) 868-1000
Kern County IHSS Public Authority
(661) 868-0987
DHCS ALW program contact
1-916-552-9105

The ALW landscape in Kern County

Kern County carries 47 participating facilities on the DHCS ALW list with about 672 licensed beds between them. At roughly 14 beds per facility that is the smallest average of any participating county in California, so the Kern network is almost entirely small residential care homes.

These counts are California Care Compass’s reading of the DHCS Assisted Living Waiver participating-facility records, taken from the department’s open GIS dataset on 2026-08-19 and maintained in our California ALW county tracker, which covers all fifteen participating counties. DHCS itself publishes enrollment and waitlist only as a single statewide figure, so any county-level wait time quoted anywhere, including here, is an inference rather than a published number.

Kern has the smallest average facility size in the state's ALW network, which cuts both ways. A fourteen-bed home can give a parent more individual attention than a hundred-bed community, and Bakersfield room-and-board pricing is among the lowest in California, so the family's out-of-pocket share is smaller. But a small home has no surge capacity: when it is full it is full, and there is no second wing to move into as care needs rise. Ask each home what happens if your parent's needs increase, because a transfer out is a real possibility here in a way it is not at a larger community.

How to read the DHCS list for Kern County

The DHCS Assisted Living Waiver page publishes the official participating-facility list as a PDF organized by county. Open the list, scroll to Kern County. For each facility you will see the legal name, the licensed RCFE number, the city, and a contact. What the list does not show:

Treat the Kern County DHCS list as the universe of eligible facilities, not the universe of available facilities. The phone calls are where shortlisting happens.

Before you start calling

Working the Kern County list is a real afternoon of phone calls, and two questions decide whether any of those calls can go anywhere. Both are worth settling first, because a facility cannot answer either one for you.

If both answers point to assisted living, the DHCS list for Kern County is exactly where to go next, and the seven questions further down this page are what to ask each facility you call.

What the Kern County waitlist actually looks like

DHCS publishes statewide enrollment and waitlist totals, not a verified Kern County wait time. Confirm current status with a Care Coordination Agency and each participating facility.

The waitlist itself is free to join through the DHCS-authorized Care Coordination Agency for the region. Apply early — even while your parent is still in private-pay assisted living — because the waitlist runs in parallel with whatever else you are doing. When a slot opens, you have a defined window to identify a participating facility willing to accept your parent and to coordinate the move.

Memory care in Kern County

Secured-perimeter memory care is scarce in a network built from small homes, because the physical requirements are harder to meet at that scale. If your parent wanders, ask about CDSS secured-perimeter approval on the very first call rather than at the tour, and be prepared to look at Fresno or the Inland Empire if Kern has nothing suitable.

A practical note on memory care: a facility appearing on the ALW participating list does not necessarily have CDSS secured-perimeter approval, which is the separate licensure required to legally accept residents who wander or exit-seek. Always confirm secured-perimeter status with each facility before touring or putting a resident on a waitlist.

Every Kern County facility that accepts Medi-Cal

47 facilities in Kern County participate in the Assisted Living Waiver, holding 672 licensed beds between them, an average of 14 per facility. Compiled by California Care Compass from the DHCS open GIS dataset and verified 2026-08-29. This is a record of participation, not a ranking, and nothing here is a recommendation.

Read this before you call

  • Participation is not availability. Every facility here has agreed to accept Assisted Living Waiver payment. None of them is promising an open bed. Capacity moves week to week and the only way to know is to ask.
  • Waiver participation is not memory-care approval. A facility that takes the waiver still needs separate CDSS secured-perimeter approval before it can legally admit a resident who wanders. Ask for that record specifically, on the first call.
  • The waiver does not cover room and board. It covers the care services. The resident contributes their income toward rent, so ask each facility what its room-and-board charge actually is.
  • You need an approved waiver slot first. A facility cannot admit you on the waiver until DHCS and a Care Coordination Agency have approved eligibility and a slot is available.
  • Records are from the DHCS open dataset, verified 2026-08-29. If a listing is wrong, the authoritative version is the DHCS list itself, linked in the sources below.

Bakersfield · 41 facilities

  • Aaa Residential Elderly

    Licence 1639602154

    Licensed as Tru Vision LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    4313 Monitor Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93307

    (661) 213-6798

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Aaa Residential Elderly Retreat #2

    Licence 1639602154

    Licensed as Tru Vision LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    1013 White Lane
    Bakersfield, CA 93307

    (661) 213-6798

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Aaa Rsdntl Eldrl Retreat 3

    Licence 1639602154

    Licensed as Tru Vision LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    4825 Kenny Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93307

    (661) 213-6798

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Bethan Joy Garden

    Licence 1659763480

    Licensed as Rlz Healthcare Group LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    12302 Rambler Ave
    Bakersfield, CA 93312

    (916) 670-2647

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Buena Vista Manor Arf Inc

    Licence 1750846143

    11126 Vista Del Valle Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (310) 925-8857

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Center Street Board and Care

    Licence 1477268209

    Licensed as Redwood Center Street One Opco LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2431 Center Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93306

    (415) 810-0145

    22 licensed beds · Mid-size community. Large enough to run activity programming and to have more than one care level on site, small enough that staff know residents by name.

  • Center Street Board and Care 2

    Licence 1184339913

    Licensed as Redwood Center Street Two Opco LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2451 Center Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93306

    (415) 810-0145

    18 licensed beds · Mid-size community. Large enough to run activity programming and to have more than one care level on site, small enough that staff know residents by name.

  • Cobble Stone Residential

    Licence 1861007270

    9320 Cobble Mountain Rd
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 397-0885

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Comfort Care Home II

    Licence 1114676186

    Licensed as Amy's Comfort Care Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    9613 Ghirardelli Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 858-0431

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Comfort Care Home III

    Licence 1477200939

    Licensed as Amy's Comfort Care Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    9609 Ghirardelli Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 858-0434

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Comfort Care Home IV

    Licence 1427759224

    Licensed as Amy's Comfort Care Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    4917 Au Chocolat Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 663-4050

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Companion Care Facilities

    Licence 1073973079

    Licensed as Social Comm&indep Lvng Suppo. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    4509 Foxboro Ave
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 529-0133

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Hallmark of Bakersfield

    Licence 1770296758

    Licensed as Hallmark Senior Living LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2001 Akers Road
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 834-0200

    99 licensed beds · Large community. A full campus with tiered care levels, so a resident whose needs increase can often stay in the building. Waiver beds are usually a small share of the census.

  • Heritage Living I

    Licence 1063942647

    Licensed as Heritage Living Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    10411 Blythe Ct
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 979-0417

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Heritage Living II

    Licence 1063942647

    Licensed as Heritage Living Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    6401 Redinger St
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 979-0417

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Heritage Living III

    Licence 1063942647

    Licensed as Heritage Living Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    3900 Dos Logas Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 979-0417

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Jasmin Terrace at Bakersfiel

    Licence 1861902462

    Licensed as Cvvg Management LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    5400 Stine Road
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 398-8802

    99 licensed beds · Large community. A full campus with tiered care levels, so a resident whose needs increase can often stay in the building. Waiver beds are usually a small share of the census.

  • Lerwick Home Care

    Licence 1477293082

    Licensed as Summer Springs Board and Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    10213 Lerwick Avenue
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 246-8703

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Living In Love Residential Care Facility

    Licence 1679271894

    Licensed as Restoration Living LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    3109 Montello Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93306

    (661) 302-8383

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Home Care

    Licence 1558013417

    Licensed as Mcj Partners LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    410 Lansing Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6051

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Home Care

    Licence 1558013417

    Licensed as Mcj Partners LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    412 Lansing Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6051

    4 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Home Care

    Licence 1558013417

    Licensed as Mcj Partners LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    414 Lansing Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6051

    4 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Home Care

    Licence 1558013417

    Licensed as Mcj Partners LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    416 Lansing Drive
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6051

    4 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterpris. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    15923 San Marco Place
    Bakersfield, CA 93314

    (661) 972-6235

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterprises LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    2714 Gosford Rd #a
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterprises LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    2714 Gosford Rd #b
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterprises LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    334 South Montclair St
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    4 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterprises LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    336 South Montclair St
    Bakersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    4 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pleasant Home Care

    Licence 1083253553

    Licensed as Lambert Home Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    10609 Pleasant Valley Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (714) 655-6454

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Purposeful Residential Care

    Licence 1538625975

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    1308 Erie St
    Bakersfield, CA 93307

    (661) 412-4541

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Purposeful Residential Care

    Licence 1538625975

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    809 Wellman Way
    Bakersfield, CA 93312

    (661) 368-2856

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Purposeful Residential Care: Haswell Place

    Licence 1538625975

    Licensed as Purposeful Residential Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    503 Haswell Street
    Bakersfield, CA 93312

    (661) 378-3764

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Purposeful Residential Care: Hawk Place

    Licence 1538625975

    Licensed as Purposeful Residential Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 4 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    600 Hawk Springs Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93312

    (818) 980-2997

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Quality Care Assisted Living

    Licence 1952056343

    Licensed as Quality Care Systems Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2607 Mount Vernon Ave
    Bakersfield, CA 93306

    (661) 871-8133

    54 licensed beds · Large community. A full campus with tiered care levels, so a resident whose needs increase can often stay in the building. Waiver beds are usually a small share of the census.

  • Savanna Assisted Living

    Licence 1013745173

    Licensed as Savanna Assisted Living LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    9013 Staten Island Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 501-1439

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Sherwood Elderly Care Facility

    Licence 1144003302

    Licensed as Sherwood Elderly Care Facility LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2204 Sherwood Ave
    Bakersfield, CA 93304

    (661) 220-6647

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Summer Springs Board and Care

    Licence 1477293082

    Licensed as Summer Springs Board and Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    6112 Summer Springs Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 246-8703

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Tar Springs Home Care

    Licence 1477293082

    Licensed as Summer Springs Board and Care LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 3 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    2804 Tar Springs Avenue
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 870-3000

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Tru Foundation

    Licence 1144829094

    11509 Tagus Drive
    Bakersfield, CA 93311

    (661) 302-7023

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Way Maker Home Care Inc

    Licence 1083217376

    5800 Winter Ridge Dr
    Bakersfield, CA 93313

    (661) 473-1112

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Westchester Gardens

    Licence 1053021915

    Licensed as Pathway Assisted Living LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    2228 Truxtun Ave
    Bakersfield, CA 93301

    (661) 324-3091

    36 licensed beds · Mid-size community. Large enough to run activity programming and to have more than one care level on site, small enough that staff know residents by name.

Baskersfield · 2 facilities

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterpris. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    2714 Gosford Rd, #c
    Baskersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

  • Pathway Homes

    Licence 1932643350

    Licensed as Markell & Marquell Enterpris. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    This licence covers 7 homes, so the same operator runs others on this list. Worth knowing before you call several of them expecting different answers.

    2714 Gosford Rd, #d
    Baskersfield, CA 93309

    (661) 972-6235

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

Frazier Park · 1 facility

  • Heavenly Castle Care Inc

    Licence 1053015156

    1651 White Rock Rd
    Frazier Park, CA 93225

    (310) 993-2447

    6 licensed beds · Six-bed residential home. A converted house on an ordinary street, usually with one or two caregivers on shift. Quieter and more personal than a community, but no second wing to move into if care needs rise.

Kernville · 1 facility

  • Kern Village Assisted Living For Seniors

    Licence 1508543281

    Licensed as Redwood Kernville Opco LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    32 Burlando Rd
    Kernville, CA 93238

    (415) 810-0145

    22 licensed beds · Mid-size community. Large enough to run activity programming and to have more than one care level on site, small enough that staff know residents by name.

Ridgecrest · 1 facility

  • High Desert Haven

    Licence 1467087007

    Licensed as Desert Bloom Inc. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    1240 College Heights Blv
    Ridgecrest, CA 93555

    (760) 371-1989

    82 licensed beds · Large community. A full campus with tiered care levels, so a resident whose needs increase can often stay in the building. Waiver beds are usually a small share of the census.

Wofford Heights · 1 facility

  • The Burlington Assisted Living

    Licence 1134806813

    Licensed as Redwood Wofford Heights Opco LLC. Facilities often trade under one name and are licensed under another, so search both.

    13 Sycamore Drive
    Wofford Heights, CA 93285

    (415) 810-0145

    22 licensed beds · Mid-size community. Large enough to run activity programming and to have more than one care level on site, small enough that staff know residents by name.

Looking beyond Kern County? The full California list, county by county. A facility with an open bed one county over beats a waitlist at home.

Seven questions to ask a Kern County participating facility before you tour

  1. Do you currently have an open ALW bed, or how long is your internal waitlist?
  2. What level of care do you admit? Do you accept residents needing two-person transfers, full feeding assistance, or behavior management for dementia?
  3. Are you CDSS-approved for secured-perimeter memory care, if that is the need?
  4. What does room and board cost monthly at your facility, given that ALW does not cover that portion?
  5. What additional fees apply outside ALW reimbursement (level-of-care surcharges, one-time community fees, medication-administration fees)?
  6. How long have you been ALW-participating, and what is your current ALW resident census?
  7. Can I see your most recent Title 22 inspection report and your written explanation of any cited deficiencies?

If your situation in Kern County doesn’t fit the ALW timeline

If care is needed now and the Kern CountyALW waitlist won’t open in time, three options:

DHCS participating-sites list last checked on 2026-08-19. The DHCS list is the source of truth; verify against the live PDF before acting.

Related guides and next steps

This guide explains program rules and county-specific contacts, not legal advice. California Care Compass does not place referrals on county or planning pages.

Common questions

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How do I find an ALW facility near me in Kern County?

Open the DHCS Assisted Living Waiver participating-sites list (linked in the sources below). Filter to Kern County. Each facility on the list has agreed to accept ALW payment, but the list does not show current capacity. The next step is to call each facility directly and ask whether they currently have an ALW bed available, what level of care they accept, and what their internal waitlist looks like.

What is the ALW waitlist like in Kern County?

DHCS publishes statewide enrollment and waitlist totals, not a verified county-level wait time. Timing depends on waiver capacity, the Care Coordination Agency, facility availability, location, and care needs. Ask the agency and each participating facility for current status before relying on a timeline.

Are there memory-care ALW facilities in Kern County?

Secured-perimeter memory care is scarce in a network built from small homes, because the physical requirements are harder to meet at that scale. If your parent wanders, ask about CDSS secured-perimeter approval on the very first call rather than at the tour, and be prepared to look at Fresno or the Inland Empire if Kern has nothing suitable. A facility on the DHCS list that does NOT have CDSS secured-perimeter approval cannot legally take a wandering memory-care resident. Always confirm secured-perimeter status with each facility before touring.

What if no ALW facility in Kern County has an open bed?

Three practical paths. First, bridge with IHSS at home (available in every California county; family members can be paid providers). Second, look at adjacent counties — many California families pursuing ALW have flexibility across a region. Third, if your parent's care needs justify nursing-facility level of care, transition to a Medi-Cal SNF, which is available statewide without a long waitlist.

Can I tour an ALW facility in Kern County before I have a slot?

Yes, and you should. Facilities welcome inquiries from prospective ALW residents because participation is voluntary and they need to know whether you are a good fit for them. Bring the Title 22 inspection record (available from CDSS) to the tour and ask about any cited deficiencies. Ask which staff are dementia-trained if memory care is the need.

How to find assisted living that accepts Medi-Cal in Kern County?

Medi-Cal payment for assisted living in California only flows through the Assisted Living Waiver. The DHCS participating-facility list for Kern County is therefore the answer to both questions — find an ALW facility, and you have found assisted living that accepts Medi-Cal. Outside the ALW network, no California assisted-living facility accepts Medi-Cal.

Sources

  1. 01California Department of Health Care Services · Assisted Living Waiver · accessed 2026-08-19
  2. 02California Department of Social Services · Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly licensing search · accessed 2026-08-19
  3. 03California Department of Health Care Services · ALW participating facilities · accessed 2026-08-19
  4. 04Justice in Aging · California Medi-Cal long-term care resources · accessed 2026-08-19
  5. 05California Department of Health Care Services · ALW Assisted Living Facilities (DHCS GIS open dataset) · accessed 2026-08-19