Helping Oregon care home owners
We help Oregon care home owners with applications, state findings, and everyday paperwork. Serving APD Adult Foster Homes, OHA Residential Treatment Homes, and ODDS I/DD Group Homes.
Tell us what you need in a 20-minute first call. It’s okay if you’re unsure where to start.
01 / Your starting point
02 / How we help
Help with one task or ongoing support. We agree on the work and price before starting.
We help prepare applications and organize the paperwork needed for licensing.
What we can help with
We help you address state findings and prepare a Plan of Correction: a written plan to fix the issues.
What we can help with
We help organize your records and make everyday work easier for you and your staff.
What we can help with
03 / Meet Haven
I’m Micheal Birhane, founder of Haven Senior Consulting. I’ve advised 23+ licensed residential homes in Oregon, supporting providers across APD, IDD, and RTH settings. From admitting clients and organizing paperwork to preparing for inspections, addressing state findings, and managing daily operations, I help owners build organized, compliant, and person-centered homes.
With years of hands-on residential care experience, I understand the work behind running a home—from coordinating admissions and facilitating care to managing staff, maintaining records, and supporting residents’ daily needs. My goal is simple: help you understand what needs attention, strengthen your operations, and take the next step with confidence.
Talk with Micheal ↗04 / Talk to Haven
Tell us what you need. In a 20-minute first call, we’ll discuss your situation and explain the next steps.
507-779-3459 ↗Oregon residential provider support
Call or text with your program type, main question, and any agency deadline.
We’ll confirm a time with you. We agree on the work and price before any paid work starts.
05 / How it works
Tell us what you're working on, the problem you're facing, and what you need help with.
Our experts will review your needs and recommend solutions tailored to your project.
We'll provide an estimated timeline, project cost, and an overview of the support we can offer.
Once you approve the plan, we'll get started on your project, keeping you informed and supported every step of the way.
06 / Free guides · Optional
Find help with opening a home, paperwork, and state requirements. Each guide includes links to official Oregon sources.
See the main steps and paperwork to plan for.
Read the guide ↗PROPERTY / ALL PROGRAMSKnow what to ask before committing to a property.
Explore the questions ↗FINDINGS / CORRECTIONSLearn what to gather and what to do next.
Prepare your response ↓RULES / BY PROGRAMStart with the official APD, OHA, or ODDS sources for your program.
Open the directory ↗12 guides
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Start with the people you intend to serve and the services you intend to provide. A house size or the phrase “group home” does not identify a licensing pathway.
When to use: Researching a new program
The APD pathway serves older adults and adults with physical disabilities. Use the state overview to explore provider and home requirements; check the county pathway for a Multnomah County location.
The mental health RTH pathway provides residential housing and treatment for qualifying adults. Use OHA’s mental health residential guidance, rather than an APD AFH packet.
Agency certification, service endorsement, and site licensing are distinct approvals. This collection focuses on agency-operated residential programs; I/DD foster homes have a different pathway.
Write a one-paragraph program concept before comparing documents or estimating conversion costs. Confirm the intended pathway and current application availability with the responsible agency.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Use this planning checklist to surface unanswered questions. Completion is preparation for a conversation, not proof that you or a property qualify.
When to use: Before committing to a startup
Describe the population, service model, location, and leadership structure. Identify the correct agency and ask about current application routes.
List business documents, qualification evidence, policies, financial planning, property information, and service arrangements you already have. Mark each item ready, missing, or needing review.
Identify decisions that need agency, city, landlord, insurer, or other professional input. Record who owns each follow-up and its next action.
Separate work you can prepare yourself from work requiring document development, coordination, or individualized review. Bring that list to your consultation.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Use ODHS’s current provider overview as your starting point. This roadmap helps you organize preparation around that official process.
When to use: Before and during an application
Check where the home will operate. Multnomah County has its own adult care home process; use its operator guidance when relevant.
Read the official overview and training pages. Compare your experience and proposed home against the applicable requirements, and identify any questions for the licensing office.
Obtain the applicable packet from the licensing office. Track supporting documents, training evidence, and outstanding items in one inventory.
Keep copies of what you submit and a dated log of agency questions. Confirm next steps directly with the responsible office rather than assuming submission authorizes operation.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Start at OHA’s residential treatment page and select mental health residential materials. It links the application guide, forms, rules, inspection manual, and submission naming guidance.
When to use: Before and during an RTH application
Read the application guide and create your document inventory from the current instructions. Check the issue date before using a saved form. The linked application guide is the September 2026 edition; return to OHA’s page to check for replacements. An older inspection manual should be read alongside the current rules.
Gather qualification evidence for proposed leadership and describe staffing and clinical-service arrangements. Keep questions that need OHA clarification in a separate list.
Track property approvals, insurance, program policies, and supporting business records as separate workstreams. Record the source of each confirmation.
Use the agency’s current submission instructions. Save a copy of each submitted version and link review questions to the documents that answer them.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
You apply for ODDS agency certification and service endorsements together. Each proposed 24-hour residential site also needs a separate license application. Keep track of both steps.
When to use: Before an agency or site application
Use Provider Types and Become a Provider to identify the intended service. Confirm current availability, any restrictions, and local need with ODDS before committing funds.
Review current executive director qualifications, orientation instructions, and the agency document list. Keep business and leadership evidence together.
Agency approval does not replace site licensing. Maintain a separate checklist for each proposed location and its supporting records.
Keep certification, endorsement, site-license, and enrollment questions visible. Ask ODDS which approvals must be in place before services begin.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
A promising floor plan is the start of research. These questions help you prepare discussions with the city, licensing agency, landlord, and qualified building or fire professionals.
When to use: Before a lease, purchase, or conversion
Describe the intended population, services, and capacity.
Identify the city/county and licensing authority.
Ask the planning office about the intended use.
Ask the building authority and retain its response.
Identify the submission route and responsible professional.
Ask the relevant fire/building authority.
Obtain a property-specific answer and estimate.
Have the applicable requirements reviewed.
Check size, configuration, access, and the intended use.
Seek review for the actual program and property.
Consider resident support and staff tasks.
Identify secure storage and staff work areas.
Ask which certifications or records apply.
Clarify responsibilities in proposed lease or purchase terms with appropriate advice.
Estimate conversion costs, holding costs, and unresolved approvals.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Build an inventory before building a packet. Use the current agency checklist as the authority; this is a general organizing method.
When to use: Before submission or a scoping call
Business and ownership; people and qualifications; property and approvals; program documents; agency correspondence. Keep a separate index that points to each file.
For each requested document, record its source, owner, version date, status, and next action. “Exists” and “ready to submit” are different statuses.
Compare names, addresses, roles, and program descriptions across documents. Record missing signatures and unanswered questions.
Archive the exact submitted packet with its date and confirmation. Preserve earlier versions when responding to review comments.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Titles alone do not establish qualifications. Gather evidence for each proposed role and compare it with the current program-specific source.
When to use: Before hiring or assigning duties
Make a table with role, proposed person, relevant experience, required credentials/training, background-check status, and unanswered questions.
APD training guidance, OHA residential rules, and ODDS agency guidance address different programs. Do not assume evidence accepted in one program will satisfy another.
Collect resumes, certificates, and employment verification that explains duties, dates, populations served, and supervisory work where relevant. Ask the agency about ambiguous experience.
Record what must be completed before each person takes on assigned duties. Build a training tracker with dates, evidence, and a review owner.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Use the correct rule family, then follow the official source to the current text. This directory helps you locate material; it is not a substitute for reading the applicable rule.
When to use: When checking a program requirement
The APD overview points to OAR Chapter 411, Divisions 49–52. For a Multnomah County adult care home, also check the local program’s applicable guidance.
OHA’s residential treatment page links Chapter 309, Division 35 for mental health residential licensing.
Use the ODDS provider-type and rules directories for agency certification and the appropriate residential standards, including OAR 411-323 and 411-325.
Record the exact rule reference, your question, existing practice, evidence available, and the person or agency you will ask. Avoid relying on an isolated excerpt without context.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Start with the actual notice. Your response format, deadline, and submission route should come from the issuing agency’s instructions.
When to use: After receiving written findings
Separate the cited requirement, observed facts, required response, and deadline. Record questions about unclear instructions promptly.
For each finding, list immediate actions, proposed longer-term changes, responsibility, timing, and evidence. These are planning prompts; use the agency’s required format.
ODDS asks for a plan for each finding: how you will fix it, prevent the same problem for other people, name who is responsible, set completion dates, and check that the changes last. Include any supporting documents requested under Tag 9999. Follow the deadline in your licensing letter; do not assume every program has the same deadline.
Collect relevant policies, training records, logs, and completion evidence. Keep originals secure and minimize resident-identifying information when seeking an initial quote.
Describe how staff will carry out the change and how the provider will check it. A written response and the operational work behind it may require different scopes.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Good document organization supports daily work. Start by finding where the current process breaks down rather than replacing every form at once.
When to use: When records are difficult to maintain
For each recurring record, identify who starts it, who completes it, who reviews it, and where it belongs. Include incident documentation, staff records, and routine operating logs relevant to your program.
Use clear fields, named responsibilities, and a repeatable review schedule. Test whether staff can locate the correct current form.
Keep resident and employee records in appropriate secure locations. Retire superseded blank forms and maintain a current document index.
Bring a small set of blank forms and an anonymized workflow description to the consultation. Agree on whether the need is form design, filing structure, coaching, or ongoing review.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
Go to the issuing agency for the live version. Bookmark directories and record when you checked them instead of circulating an old downloaded packet indefinitely.
When to use: When retrieving a form or checking changes
Use the APD forms/resources page and its provider-alert navigation. Check whether local county instructions also apply.
Use the residential treatment page for the agency’s current application and related documents, plus links to rules and inspection materials.
Use the provider resource page for updates and rules. First-time applicants should use Become an I/DD Provider; the current Medicaid agency page is for renewals and changes.
Record the source, document title, version or effective date if provided, what may be affected, who will review it, and the next action. Ask for clarification when applicability is unclear.
Links and this guide checked October 21, 2026. Agency pages and rules can change. These are preparation tips, not a complete list of requirements. The date does not mean every linked form or document was reviewed.
07 / Common questions
Yes. The provider resources are available for your own preparation. Haven can help with a specific gap or a broader project when you want personalized review, document work, or coordination.
Bring the full request and any deadline. Review-response preparation can be included in a written scope. New documents, additional review rounds, or work outside that scope are discussed before extra work begins.
Yes. New applicants and established providers can request a specific document, review, or operational task. We’ll confirm what is included before work begins.
Pricing is based on the agreed deliverables, document volume, complexity, and timeline. Depending on the work, support may be quoted as a single task, a project package, or a monthly engagement.
No. Licensing and regulatory decisions remain with the responsible agency. Haven supports preparation and implementation within the agreed scope; the provider remains responsible for operating the program and meeting applicable requirements.
Tell us what you need. We’ll help you find the next step.