Frequently Asked Questions: - About Choose Well

Choose Well is an innovative project approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2014, and spearheaded by Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Greg Cox.  This program is the first of its kind in the United States, and its support by the County continues to demonstrate the County's long-term commitment to be an 'age-friendly community.  The purpose of Choose Well is to help families like yours locate assisted living providers offering Title 22-compliant services, and who follow responsible business practices.  The Choose Well Volunteers listed on this site are also demonstrating their commitment to the larger community, and by their participation, are helping to establish a new bar for the standard of care all San Diego families should expect for their loved ones.  The tools offered on this website will help families evaluate the care each Choose Well facility offers, so that you feel comfortable that when a placement is made, that it's going to be the right fit for your loved one.  The Choose Well facility search will help you locate facilities throughout the County, and using the Choose Well Side-by-Side comparison tool, you will be able to compare facility features at a glance. 

The Choose Well program is an initiative of the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency, Aging and Independence Services (AIS). The purpose of the program is to help San Diegans find assisted living facilities that provide good care. 

AIS means Aging & Independence Services, an program of the Health & Human Services Agency of the County of San Diego.  AIS provides services to older adults, people with disabilities and their family members, to help keep clients safely in their homes, promote healthy and vital living, and publicize positive contributions made by older adults and persons with disabilities.  For more information call 800-510-2020.  Outside San Diego County, call toll-free 800-339-4661.

Choose Well Score is the calculated score for a facility.  The Choose Well Score is based on the facility's compliance history with the state's Title 22 regulations or relevant Health & Safety Codes, plus any bonus points the facility has earned (maximum of 5) for uploading key documents (Price List, Infectious Disease Control Policy/Procedure, Falls Mitigation Program, License and Waivers, and Dementia Plan of Operation) which add to a consumer's understanding of the care and services offered by the facility. Additionally, a facility can also earn 2 extra points if they have received a finding of "Substantial Compliance" on their most recent state-required inspection.  The Choose Well Score maximum is 100.  

Health & Human Services Agency of the County of San Diego is one of five groups or divisions of San Diego County government. The Agency provides a broad range of health and social services to promote wellness, self-sufficiency, and a better quality of life for individuals and families in San Diego County. The Agency integrates health and social services through a unified service-delivery system that is family focused and community-based. Services are delivered in a cost-effective and outcome-driven fashion, and support Live Well San Diego, the County vision for healthy, safe and thriving communities.

'Newly Licensed".  This designation is for newly licensed facilities as they do  not have a compliance history to be rated.  A facility whose score is Not Rated will also have a Newly Licensed designation.  Once the facility receives its first visit from CCL, a rating can be calculated.

Participant.   This designation is assigned to a facility who has volunteered to participate in the Choose Well program, but whose Choose Well score falls below 70.  

Substantial Compliance: A finding of "Substantial Compliance" is an outcome of a state-required inspection (Annual, Annual Random, 3-year Required, 5-year Required). The state inspector gives the "Substantial Compliance" finding if the inspector determines that the facility is complying with the state regulations for operation of a residential care facility for the elderly. To qualify for a Substantial Compliance outcome, the facility cannot receive any citations during the required inspection.

Time Frame for Choose Well Score:  The Choose Well Score reflects citations a facility has received over the past 5 years, or from the date of first licensure.  .  This is consistent with CCL's website which is linked to each Facility Profile Page. The five-year designation is a 'rolling five years".  That means that for each year going forward, the earliest year of data will 'fall off".  Examples of the Rolling Five years is 2010 - 2015, 2011 - 2016.  2012  2017.  

Volunteer means a facility that has volunteered to participate in Choose Well.  Choose Well Volunteers have agreed to be rated, have received a Choose Well Score, and have signed the Choose Well Self-Certification. 

No, not all facilities found on this website are Choose Well volunteers.  The Directory of facilities found under the "Facility Search"  is downloaded from the state's website at ccld.ca.gov.  The list is refreshed quarterly.  Facilities who are participants in the Choose Well program are indicated by the Choose Well logo on the left of the facility name.  If a facility name does not have a Choose Well icon, then the facility has not volunteered to be a Choose Well voluntary partner.  The information downloaded from the state's website is public information.