Violation

California Code § 87456(a)(3)Recent Medical Assessment

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

Type B, generalAffects rcfe64 facilities cited in the last 90 days

ℹ️ 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 § 87456(a)(3) actually says

California Code § 87456(a)(3)

Obtain and evaluate a recent medical assessment.

From the field

What providers tell us about this citation

Based on community experience, not official guidance.

64 California RCFEs were cited for this. Pull the medical assessment before move-in day, not after. LPAs flip straight to it in the resident file, and a missing or unreviewed form is an easy Type B citation.

By the numbers

64^*CCLD: facilities cited in the last 90 days
19^*CCLD: counties where this citation appeared
--^*CCLD: rank among most-common citations
Trajectory: Steady

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

Check a facility

What other providers do

Common practices to stay clear of Recent Medical Assessment

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

Common practices

Obtain a current medical assessment for each resident as required.
Evaluate the assessment to confirm your facility can meet the resident's needs.
Keep the completed assessment in the resident's record.

What to avoid

Admitting or retaining a resident without a recent medical assessment on file.
Filing the assessment without actually evaluating whether you can meet the resident's needs.
Letting the assessment go stale when a resident's condition changes.

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 Recent Medical Assessment, last 90 days
County	Citations	Facilities	Citation rate
Los Angeles	14	--	--
Orange	10	--	--
Riverside	7	--	--
San Joaquin	6	--	--
San Mateo	4	--	--
Merced	3	--	--
San Diego	3	--	--
San Bernardino	3	--	--
Fresno	2	--	--
Stanislaus	2	--	--

SOURCE

*CCLD: California Community Care Licensing Divisionviolation_citations2026-05-30Updated weekly

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

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

What is a medical assessment violation under Section 87456(a)(3)?

A Section 87456(a)(3) violation means your facility failed to obtain a recent medical assessment for a resident, or failed to evaluate it, before deciding the community could meet that resident's needs. This matters because the assessment tells you whether a resident's health requires care your RCFE is licensed and staffed to provide. Without it, a resident can be placed where their needs cannot be safely met.

How common is this violation in California assisted living?

It is a steady but uncommon citation statewide. According to California CCLD inspection records, 64 California RCFEs were cited under Section 87456(a)(3), about 0.48% of facilities, across 66 citations. Most are Type B, a potential risk that must be corrected before it endangers a resident. Los Angeles County leads with 15 citations, followed by Orange and Riverside counties.

What happens if an RCFE is cited for this violation?

An LPA documents the missing or unreviewed assessment and sets a correction deadline. These citations are usually Type B, giving you time to obtain and evaluate the assessment before it becomes a direct risk. Type A citations are more serious and carry higher civil penalties. If the gap let a resident be retained beyond what your facility can handle, expect closer scrutiny of your admissions.

How do I fix or prevent a medical assessment citation?

Make a current medical assessment part of your move-in checklist, completed before admission. Have the administrator or designee actually review it against your license and staffing, and note that review in the file. Re-check the assessment when a resident's condition changes. Audit a sample of resident records each month for completeness. These steps take little time and close the gap LPAs look for first.

Does a medical assessment violation affect my RCFE license?

A single Type B citation will not by itself threaten your license, but it becomes part of your public CCLD record that families and placement professionals review. Repeated assessment failures, especially if a resident was retained beyond your capacity, can lead to civil penalties, more frequent visits, and escalated enforcement by Community Care Licensing. Timely, reviewed assessments are the simplest protection.

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.

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