Senior care in Hawaii

Adult residential care homes (ARCH) in Hawaii

An adult residential care home, or ARCH, is a licensed house where a caregiver helps adults with the day. It is the most common kind of senior care home in Hawaii.

Families from the mainland may know this as a board and care home, an RCFE, or residential assisted living. Hawaii does not use those license names.

Also called: care home, board and care home, residential care home, RCFE or residential assisted living (RAL) on the mainland.

Talk with us See the care home list

What it is

State rules describe an ARCH as a home that gives adults 24-hour living accommodations, for a fee, with help with daily living, personal care, and health care services.

Type I is five or fewer residents. The Department may allow a sixth. Type II is six or more residents, with an administrator.

Care follows a family and community model. Homes help with bathing, dressing, meals, medicines as the rules allow, laundry, rides to appointments, and activities.

Read the State rules in our licensing guide

Who it fits

Adults who need some help every day, but not nursing-home level care.
People who would do well in a small house with a few other residents.
If care is at nursing-home level, an expanded ARCH may be the fit instead.

Paying for it

Most families pay privately or with long-term care insurance.

Medicare does not pay the monthly rate at an ARCH.

Adult residential care homes (ARCH) by island

191 licensed on State of Hawaii records. Pick an island to browse them.

List last updated October 22, 2026, from the State licensed facility roster and OHCA lists dated April 2026 and March 2026.

Questions about adult residential care homes (arch)

See all questions

What is an ARCH in Hawaii?

An adult residential care home, called an ARCH, is a State-licensed house that gives adults a room, meals, and help with daily living. Type I is for five or fewer residents. Type II is for six or more.

Is an ARCH the same as a board and care home or an RCFE?

It is the closest Hawaii match. California licenses board and care homes as an RCFE. Hawaii does not issue an RCFE license. A family leaving that kind of home is usually looking at an ARCH, an expanded ARCH, or assisted living.

Other kinds of senior care in Hawaii

Not sure which kind of home fits?

Tell us about your person. We explain which Hawaii license fits the care, and introduce you to licensed homes that may fit. Or write hello@halekokua.com.

Families pay nothing for the search.

Talk with us hello@halekokua.com

Where this list comes from

These homes come from public records of the Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA). The full list of licensed ARCH, expanded ARCH, assisted living, and community care foster family homes comes from the OHCA facilities roster that the State publishes as open data. We check it every day and update this list when it changes.

Hawaii Statewide GIS Program, OHCA Facilities layer.
Combined ARCH and Expanded ARCH Vacancy Report, by area, updated by the State April 2026.
Assisted Living Facility list, updated by the State April 2026.
Community Care Foster Family Home list, updated by the State March 2026.

The monthly ARCH vacancy report only covers homes that reported to the State that month, and openings change quickly. We do not post openings. We can ask a home about openings when we introduce you.

Hale Kōkua does not own, run, or license these homes. Foster family homes are private family homes, so we list them by town and license number only, never by the caregiver's name. Confirm any license with the State Licensing Section at (808) 692-7400. Last checked October 22, 2026.