California’s LIC 602A is a medical assessment used for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly. It gives the facility information about diagnoses, medications, functional ability, cognition, health conditions and care considerations. It is not a marketing form or a substitute for the facility’s own assessment.
Use the current form and current facts
CDSS updated the LIC 602A in 2025. Ask the residence which version and timing requirements apply, and update information after meaningful changes.
Why the form matters
The RCFE uses the physician’s report to determine whether it can admit and support the person within licensing requirements. Incomplete or inaccurate information can lead to an unsafe placement or a last-minute refusal.
Families may worry that honest answers will make admission harder. The greater risk is a home accepting someone without understanding the needs. A good match begins with a complete picture.
What the clinician needs to know
Provide an updated medication list, recent discharge information and observations about function. If cognition, behavior or mobility varies, describe the pattern rather than only the best day.
The clinician should complete the medical portions. Families can help supply history and examples, but should not guess or alter clinical responses.
Compare the report with other records
Check that medication, allergies, diagnoses and functional needs align with discharge documents and the RCFE assessment. If records differ, ask the responsible clinician to clarify which is current.
A report completed before a hospitalization or fall may no longer describe the person. Ask whether an update is required before move-in.
- Ambulation and transfer ability
- Eating, bathing, dressing and toileting support
- Cognitive status and behaviors
- Medication and treatments
- Communicable-disease screening information
- Restricted or prohibited health-condition considerations
Share it securely
The form contains sensitive health information. Ask the RCFE for its secure submission process and confirm receipt. Do not upload it through a general website contact form.
Keep a copy in the resident’s records and note the date. If a health plan also needs clinical information, use the plan’s approved channel rather than forwarding the RCFE’s copy casually.
Translate the form into daily care
After admission is approved, the residence should incorporate relevant findings into the needs-and-services plan. Ask how the listed support will appear on an ordinary shift.
Continue with what belongs in an RCFE needs-and-services plan.
Sources & important note
Zeal reviewed the primary sources below while preparing this article. Policies, benefits and individual circumstances can change; confirm current requirements with the responsible agency, health plan and licensed provider.
- CDSS: LIC 602A Medical Assessment for RCFEs
- CDSS: Dementia Care Information and Resources for RCFEs
- CDSS: Residential Care Regulations
Editorially reviewed September 2026.