Follow-up·May 6, 2025

On 05/06/2025, Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Triel Ellen Lindstrom and Renee Campbell arrived unannounced to this facility to conduct a case management visit. LPAs met with Facility Designated Administrator (FDA) Valarie Pais and explained the purpose of the visit. The purpose of this visit was to discuss the 30-day eviction notice issued by the facility against R1 on12/20/2024. On 04/28/2025, the Department issued a statement that it did not support the eviction. FDA Pais stated that R1 shared a private apartment with her husband. According to FDA Pais, R1’s husband was responsible for the base rent of the apartment and R1 was responsible for an additional fee as the second person in the apartment. FDA Pais stated that when R1’s husband passed away last year, R1 began to be charged the full amount of the rent for the unit, as outlined in the rental agreement. She stated that neither R1 or her Power of Attorney (POA) was sent a notification of the rent increase nor an addendum with this information to sign. LPA Lindstrom inquired about the requests for a smaller, more affordable room that R1’s POA stated she made in a 01/08/2025 email to FDA Pais stated that she told R1's POA that there were no smaller, more affordable rooms available at the time of these requests. FDA Pais stated that the facility attempted to collect an unpaid balance in August 2024 and that when this attempt was unsuccessful, the facility discussed a 30-day eviction notice with LPA Maja Jensen. At this point in the conversation, FDA Pais brought Carly Taylor, Chief Clinical Officer for Milestone Retirement into the conversation by cell phone. Both FDA Pais and CCO Taylow stated that it was their understanding that LPA Jensen had approved the 30-day eviction notice after reviewing the facility’s draft notice and providing recommendations for change. FDA Pais forwarded email correspondence between herself and LPA Jensen dated 10/02/2024 to LPA Lindstrom, in which LPA Jensen stated, ‘While it does appear to be a legal eviction I did recommend some changes.” Upon review of the facility's revised 30-day eviction notice, LPA Jensen said, "This looks great," in a 10/30/2024 email. FDA Pais and CCO Taylor stated that it was their understanding that they had followed Department advice in terms of the assistance the facility offered R1 in finding alternate placement by providing the links to resources that LPA Jensen had sent in her 10/02/2024 email, as well as by providing R1's POA with information about two local residential facilities that accept Medicare and Medical. FDA Pais stated that R1’s POA has not made arrangements with an alternate facility nor paid off R1’s unpaid balance. LPAs Lindstrom and Campbell then discussed with FDA Pais and CCO Taylor what type of assistance R1 needs at this time. LPAs Lindstrom and Campbell recommended that the facility take additional steps to find R1 an alternate placement. FDA Pais stated that the facility will call local facilities to check on availability, help arrange assessments and alternate placement and provide them with the needed clinical information. FDA Pais stated that the facility will contact the Long-Term Ombudsman for additional guidance on how to support R1. LPAs Lindstrom and Campbell discussed the three steps that the Department outlined for the facility to follow. These three steps are drafting and getting a signature on an addendum to the original rent agreement that notifies R1 of the new rental agreement amount, making an offer to stay in a shared room at an alternate rate, and making additional efforts to find R1 alternative placement. The facility will consult with their Chief Compliance Officer regarding documentation of these steps and notify the department of any questions they may have. Any documentation shall be emailed to LPA Lindstrom at ellen.lindstrom@dss.ca.gov. The department may return at a later date to determine if further action is needed.