Assisted Living/Shared Housing Establishment · Crystal Lake, McHenry County · IDPH license #5102956
Yes — IDPH lists Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage (717 McHenry Ave, Crystal Lake) as an active Assisted Living/Shared Housing Establishment under license 5102956, held by BSL CRYSTAL LAKE, LLC. The current license period runs May 14, 2026 to May 13, 2027.
| Licensing agency | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Office of Health Care Regulation |
|---|---|
| License type | Assisted Living/Shared Housing Establishment |
| IDPH license # | 5102956 |
| IDPH facility ID | 6021053 |
| Licensee (legal operator) | BSL CRYSTAL LAKE, LLC |
| Status | Active |
| Licensed units | 56 total · 42 regular · 14 Alzheimer · 0 floating |
| Alzheimer's special care unit | Yes — 14 Alzheimer units on the license |
| Current license period | May 14, 2026 – May 13, 2027 |
| Earliest license period in IDPH's online system | May 14, 2023 |
| Change of ownership on file | None recorded at this address |
| Inspection / enforcement record | None posted in the IDPH public lookup (checked October 2026) |
| Address | 717 McHenry Ave, Crystal Lake, IL · McHenry County |
| Phone (as filed with IDPH) | (815) 477-4200 |
| State record | View this establishment in the IDPH lookup |
Source: IDPH Licensing & Certification System public lookup. Last verified: October 2026.
IDPH licenses Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage for 56 assisted living units: 42 regular assisted living units, 14 Alzheimer's/dementia special care units. About 25% of the licensed units are dedicated to Alzheimer's care, so dementia support is a meaningful part of its program.
Illinois licenses assisted living by living unit rather than by bed. An Alzheimer unit belongs to a special care program for people with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, which the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act (210 ILCS 9) and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 295 hold to added staffing, training and environment requirements.
The licensee of record for Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage is BSL CRYSTAL LAKE, LLC. IDPH shows 4 license period(s) for this establishment in its online system, the earliest beginning May 14, 2023, and no change-of-ownership record at this address.
IDPH's online system only reaches back to its 2023 migration, so a community can be licensed far longer than the earliest period shown; ask the community when it first opened.
None are posted. As of October 23, 2026, the IDPH public lookup lists no survey reports, violations or enforcement actions for Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage. That reflects what IDPH publishes online, not a guarantee that no survey has taken place.
Ask the administrator for the most recent IDPH survey and any plan of correction — establishments receive them and can share them. To raise a concern, call IDPH's Central Complaint Registry at 1-800-252-4343, or reach the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program through the Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966.
Bickford - Crystal Lake Cottage is in Crystal Lake, McHenry County, alongside 4 other IDPH-licensed assisted living establishments in the same city. Across McHenry County, IDPH lists 21 active establishments, 16 with Alzheimer units.
Nearby licensed options: Encore at Crystal Lake, Grand Victorian of Crystal Lake, Shepherd Premier Senior Living - Crystal Lake, StoryPoint Crystal Lake.
For local senior services, contact the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging, which serves DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. For help comparing options, call Chicago Senior Advisor at (877) 203-5053 — free for families.
Last verified: October 2026 against the IDPH Facility Lookup. Licensing details can change between refreshes — call us for a same-day check.
Free, no-pressure help. Our job is to look out for families, not facilities.
Or call (877) 203-5053