Which entity oversees the licensing and regulation of residential care facilities in California?

The State Department of Social Services (DSS) is responsible for overseeing the licensing and regulation of residential care facilities for the elderly in California. This includes setting standards for care and ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations designed to protect residents in these facilities. The DSS plays a crucial role in ensuring that these facilities meet health and safety requirements, providing oversight on issues such as staff training, resident care plans, and facility conditions. This regulatory oversight is vital for maintaining high standards of care and safeguarding the well-being of elderly residents in these facilities.

The other options, while they may deal with aspects of elder care, do not hold the specific responsibility for licensing and regulating RCFEs. The Department of Health Services typically focuses on overall public health concerns, the California Bureau of Elder Services does not exist as a regulatory entity under that name, and the Department of Aging primarily deals with advocacy and policy development for the elderly rather than the direct regulation of residential care facilities.