Honolulu Senior AdvisorHow many community care foster family homes are on Oahu?
The Department of Health's March 2026 roster lists 1,111 certified community care foster family homes on Oahu with 2,800 certified beds; Waipahu alone has 524 of them.
| Town | Certified homes | Certified beds | Homes certified for 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waipahu | 524 | 1310 | 263 |
| Ewa Beach | 199 | 509 | 111 |
| Honolulu | 166 | 426 | 94 |
| Pearl City | 62 | 161 | 37 |
| Wahiawa | 49 | 120 | 22 |
| Aiea | 40 | 97 | 18 |
| Kapolei | 27 | 66 | 12 |
| Waianae | 21 | 54 | 12 |
| Kaneohe | 9 | 23 | 5 |
| Mililani | 9 | 21 | 3 |
| Kailua | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Hauula | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Waialua | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Waimanalo | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Why are individual foster family homes not listed?
Individual foster family homes are not listed because each is a private family residence and the state's roster identifies them by the caregiver's personal name and home address; placements are arranged through a licensed case management agency.
A case manager or a QUEST Integration service coordinator matches a resident with a home that has an open bed, and stays involved after the move. Inspection reports for foster family homes are posted on OHCA's website under the caregiver's name. Read how foster family homes work.
What does certification as a two- or three-bed home mean?
A two-bed home may care for up to two adults at nursing facility level of care, at least one on Medicaid; a three-bed home has department approval for a third Medicaid resident, which requires a year of operation and nurse aide training for both caregivers.
Since 2017 a three-bed home may, with approval, care for two private-pay residents who are a married couple or in a civil union.
How do families get a foster family home placement?
Families get a foster family home placement through a licensed home and community-based case management agency, which assesses the resident, proposes homes with open beds, and then monitors the placement; Med-QUEST members usually start with their QUEST Integration plan's service coordinator.
The primary caregiver must live in the home, be a nurse aide, LPN or RN with a year of home-setting experience, and have an approved substitute caregiver (HAR 11-800-41). Ask the case manager how often they visit, how to reach them after hours, and what happens if the placement does not work out. Complaints about foster family homes go to Community Ties of America at (808) 234-5380.
Where on Oahu are the foster family homes?
Foster family homes are concentrated on the Leeward side, in Waipahu, Ewa Beach and Pearl City, and in Kalihi and Salt Lake in town, with very few on the windward side or in East Honolulu.
For a Med-QUEST member on the windward side or in Hawaii Kai, that often means choosing between a foster family home farther away and an expanded ARCH or nursing home closer to family.
