Violation

California Code § 87458(a)Pre-Admission Assessment

How CCLD inspectors cite this regulation, what operators do to stay clear of it, and where it appears in the public record.

Type B, generalAffects rcfe351 facilities cited in the last 90 days

What does Type A vs Type B mean?

Type A. Serious citation. Imminent or substantial risk to residents. The regulator requires corrective action immediately and may impose a civil penalty.

Type B. Lower-severity citation. Corrective action required, no imminent risk. The regulator monitors compliance on the next visit.

Educational reference based on public CCLD inspection records. Not legal or compliance advice. Verify requirements with official sources. Full disclaimer

Regulation text

What California Code § 87458(a) actually says

California Code § 87458(a)

Prior to a person's acceptance as a resident, the licensee shall obtain documentation of a medical assessment, signed by a licensed medical professional acting within the scope of their practice and made within the last year, to be kept in the resident's record.

From the field

What operators tell us about this citation

Based on community experience, not official guidance.

Treat the signed medical assessment as a locked admission gate: no document, no move-in. LPAs pull new residents' files first, and an admission date that predates the assessment is a Type B citation every time.

By the numbers

351^*CCLD: facilities cited in the last 90 days
26^*CCLD: counties where this citation appeared
--^*CCLD: rank among most-common citations
Trajectory: Steady; Last 90 days vs. previous 90 days.

351 facilities were cited for this in the last 90 days. See if yours is one of them.

Check a facility

What other operators do

Common practices to stay clear of Pre-Admission Assessment

Common practices shared by operators. Confirm requirements with your licensing analyst.

Common practices

Obtain a signed medical assessment before the resident moves in
Ensure the exam occurred within the past year
Keep the signed assessment in the resident's record

What to avoid

Admitting a resident and collecting the assessment afterward
Accepting an assessment older than one year
Filing an assessment that lacks the licensed professional's signature

Regional record

Where this citation appeared in the past 90 days

Citation counts and rates by California county, drawn from CCLD inspection records.

Regional citations for Pre-Admission Assessment, last 90 days
County	Citations
Los Angeles	89
Orange	42
San Diego	25
Riverside	23
Sacramento	22
San Bernardino	17
Alameda	13
Sonoma	11
San Mateo	11
Fresno	10

SOURCE

*CCLD: California Community Care Licensing Divisionviolation_citations2026-07-13Updated weekly

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Answers based on public CCLD data and regulation text. May not reflect recent changes.

What is the pre-admission medical assessment requirement?

Title 22, Section 87458(a) requires an RCFE to obtain a documented medical assessment before a person moves in. A licensed medical professional must sign it, and the exam must have taken place within the past year. The assessment goes in the resident's record and stays there. It confirms the facility can meet the person's care needs and gives staff a baseline picture of the resident's health at admission.

How common is this violation in California assisted living?

It is among the most-cited admission deficiencies. California CCLD inspection records show 317 California RCFEs cited under Section 87458(a), a Type B deficiency that flags potential risk if left uncorrected. The citations are heaviest in Los Angeles (88), Orange (42), and San Diego (25) counties. Most facilities collect the assessment eventually but admit the resident before the signed document is in the file.

What happens if an RCFE is cited for a missing medical assessment?

The LPA documents the deficiency, sets a correction date, and the facility files a plan of correction. As a Type B citation it reflects potential risk, so it carries lower civil penalties than a Type A citation, which involves immediate danger. Because the assessment determines whether your community can safely serve a resident, repeat citations here draw close CCLD attention to your admission practices.

How do I prevent pre-admission assessment violations?

Make the signed medical assessment a hard gate in your admission packet, so no resident moves in until the document is in the file. Confirm the exam date falls within the past year and that a licensed professional signed it. If a family arrives without the form, hold the move-in date rather than admitting first and collecting later. File the assessment the same day the resident arrives.

Does this violation affect my RCFE license?

It can. Section 87458(a) citations become part of your public CCLD record and signal whether you screen residents before admission. A single corrected Type B citation rarely threatens your license, but admitting residents without assessments suggests a deeper intake problem that CCLD takes seriously. Treating the assessment as a non-negotiable admission step keeps this common citation off your record.

Related violations

Other citations in this regulation family

This information is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed residential care compliance consultant for guidance specific to your facility. Citation data is sourced from California Community Care Licensing Division public records and is refreshed regularly.

Every California assisted living facility's citation record is free to read. Browse facilities by county or look one up by name.

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