Residential Care Apartment Complexes: Rules and Regulations
New online licensure and certification system for health and residential care providers
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) launched the DHS DQA Provider Portal, a new online system for licensure/certification, background checks, plan reviews, and other provider applications for certain users. Visit our webpage for more information.
Scam targeting U.S. Bank customers
DHS is aware of an organized impersonation scam that targets U.S. Bank customers. Impersonators are contacting customers by phone, posing as representatives from the U.S. Bank Fraud Department. They may claim issues with recently initiated wire transfers. The DHS DQA Provider Portal uses U.S. Bank for the payment of fees. Please be aware of this impersonation scam if you are paying fees through the DHS DQA Provider Portal.
As defined in Wis. Stat. ch. 50.01, residential care apartment complexes (RCACs) are places where five or more adults reside that consist of independent apartments with specific criteria:
- Individual lockable entrance and exit
- Kitchen, including a stove
- Individual bathroom
- Sleeping area
- Living area
These facilities also provide residents with no more than 28 hours per week of supportive, personal, and nursing services.
RCACs are not nursing homes or community-based residential facilities, but they may be physically part of these facilities.
Regulatory information
Select a link to learn more.
- Assisted Living: Home and Community-Based Services - Learn more about services to determine compliance.
- Caregiver Programs - Read about the variety of programs in Wisconsin, as well as required background checks.
- RCAC (Wis. Admin. Code ch. DHS 89) - Learn more about Wisconsin administrative codes for RCACs.
- Uniform Licensure (Wis. Stat. ch. 50) - Learn more about definitions and requirements for RCACs.
- Waivers, Approvals, Variances, and Exceptions: Assisted Living - Learn about procedures and requirements.