F 0600
Level of Harm - Minimal harm
or potential for actual harm
Residents Affected - Few
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment,
and neglect by anybody.
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on
interview and record review, the facility failed to prevent one of six sampled residents (Resident 2) from
being assaulted when Resident 1 hit Resident 2 on the back of her head.This failure resulted in Resident 2
feeling distressed and had the potential to result in Resident 2 experiencing feelings of fear and anxiety.A
review of Resident 1's admission Record (AR), indicated the facility admitted Resident 1 on 6/19/25 with
medical diagnoses which included end stage renal disease (a condition where the kidneys have
permanently lost most of their function and can no longer adequately filter waste products and excess fluid
from the blood) and vascular dementia (a type of cognitive decline caused by damage to the blood vessels
in the brain).A review of Resident 1's Minimum Data Set (MDS- a resident assessment tool), dated 5/14/25,
indicated Resident1's cognitive (the ability to think and process information) skills for daily decision making
were intact.A review of Resident 2's AR indicated the facility admitted Resident 2 on 6/11/24 with medical
diagnoses which included peripheral vascular disease (a condition that affects the blood vessels outside of
the heart and brain and involves the arteries in the legs, arms, and feet), dementia (a group of conditions
that cause a decline in cognitive abilities, such as memory, thinking, and reasoning, severe enough to
interfere with daily life), anxiety disorder (disorders characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear that
are strong enough to interfere with one's daily activities) and depression (characterized by persistent
feelings of sadness, loss of interest, and other symptoms that interfere with daily life).A review of Resident
2's MDS, dated [DATE] indicated Resident 2's cognitive skills for daily decision making were moderately
impaired (inattention/disorganized thinking).A review of Resident 2's Progress Notes, dated 7/24/25,
indicated Resident 2 reported to staff an altercation with Resident 1 the night prior, in which Resident
[Resident 2] spilled hot chocolate on roommate [Resident 1] and her roommate [Resident 1] in turn
smacked the back of her [Resident 2's] head.During an interview on 8/27/25 at 11:30 a.m., with Resident 2,
in the facility dining room, Resident 2 stated she was distressed when Resident 1 hit her.During an
interview on 8/27/25 at 12:00 p.m. with Resident 1 in her bedroom, Resident 1 confirmed she hit Resident 2
and stated Resident 2 deserved it for calling her names.During an interview on 8/28/25 at 3:00 p.m. with the
Director of Nursing (DON), the DON stated that there had been recent changes in nursing leadership and
facility management. The DON stated improving resident assessment and preparatory care-planning was
important to avoid altercations between residents such as this one.During a review of the facility's Policy
and Procedure (P&P) titled, Abuse Prevention and Management, last revised on 5/30/24, the P&P
indicated, Prevention: The facility identifies, corrects and intervenes in situations in which abuse, neglect,
exploitation, misappropriation of resident property and/or mistreatment is more likely to occur.
Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other
safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the
date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided. For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date
these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.
LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER
REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE
TITLE
(X6) DATE
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99)
Previous Versions Obsolete
Facility ID:
If continuation sheet
Page 1 of 3
Event ID:
555844
Printed: 05/15/2026
Form Approved OMB
No. 0938-0391
Department of Health & Human Services
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
AND PLAN OF CORRECTION
(X1) PROVIDER/SUPPLIER/CLIA
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:
(X2) MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTION
555844
B. Wing
A. Building
(X3) DATE SURVEY
COMPLETED
08/28/2025
NAME OF PROVIDER OR SUPPLIER
STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE
Novato Healthcare Center
1565 Hill Road
Novato, CA 94947
For information on the nursing home's plan to correct this deficiency, please contact the nursing home or the state survey agency.
(X4) ID PREFIX TAG
SUMMARY STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
(Each deficiency must be preceded by full regulatory or LSC identifying information)
F 0645
PASARR screening for Mental disorders or Intellectual Disabilities
Level of Harm - Minimal harm
or potential for actual harm
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on
interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure one of six sampled residents (Resident 3) received
a federally required PASSR (Preadmission Screening and Resident Review - a federal requirement
ensuring individuals with serious mental illness, intellectual disabilities, or related conditions are not
inappropriately placed in Medicaid-certified nursing facilities and receive appropriate services)
evaluation.This failure excluded Resident 3 from a complete mental health evaluation for appropriate facility
placement, and non-receipt of available mental-health resources from the California Department of
Developmental Services (DDS).A review of Resident 3's, admission Record (AR), indicated Resident 3 was
originally admitted to the facility on [DATE], with medical diagnoses which included metabolic
encephalopathy (the brain does not function properly due to underlying metabolic disturbances) cognitive
communication deficit (difficulty with communication skills that results from impaired thinking abilities, such
as memory, attention, and executive functions like planning and organization), and schizoaffective disorder
(a chronic mental health condition characterized primarily by symptoms of schizophrenia, such as
hallucinations [false perceptions of sensory experiences] or delusions[false beliefs]).A review of Resident
3's Minimum Data Set (MDS-An assessment tool) dated 7/22/25 indicated Resident 3's Brief Interview of
Mental Status (BIMS-a tool used in nursing homes and long-term care facilities to assess and monitor
cognitive function [the mental processes human brains use to acquire, store, process, and utilize
information], with scores ranging from 0 to 15, where higher scores indicate better cognitive function) score
of 12, indicating moderate cognitive impairment.A review of Resident 3's MDS-I (active diagnoses), dated
7/17/25 indicated Resident 3's current medical diagnoses included schizophrenia (a mental disorder
characterized variously by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking or behavior).A review of
Resident 3's, Order Summary Report, dated 8/28/25, indicated Resident 3 currently received Zyprexa 5
milligrams (A medication to treat mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) one
time a day for schizophrenia manifested by hallucinations.A review of Resident 3's California Department of
Health Care Services (DCHS) PASSR Level 1 Screening, dated 7/28/25, indicated Resident 3 was
diagnosed with a serious mental illness and was receiving psychotropic (drugs that affect a person's mental
state) medications. This document indicated a PASSR Level 2 (its purpose is to confirm a diagnosis,
determine if a nursing facility stay is medically necessary, and identify if the individual requires specialized
services beyond what the facility normally provides. The evaluation helps ensure people are not
inappropriately placed in nursing homes and receive services in the most integrated setting possible)
screening was required.A review of DHCS mail correspondence to the facility, dated 8/02/25, indicated a
PASSR level 2 was not completed for Resident 4 due to Facility staff were unresponsive to two or more
separate attempts of communication within 48 hours of the Level 1 screening.During an interview on
8/28/25 at 1:45 p.m. with the MDS Nurse (MDSN), she stated PASSR's were filled out by acute care
hospitals as a requirement before admissions to long-term care facilities. The MDSN stated it was his
responsibility to ensure PASSR's were completed correctly but he had only been in this professional role for
about a month. When asked if and when a PASSR would need to be corrected by the facility, the MDSN
was unsure at first. After consulting with management, the MDSN stated PASSR's would be redone during
annual MDS completion, if there was a change in the resident's condition, or when it was required by
Medicaid (a public health insurance program which provides needed health care services for low-income
individuals). When asked what would be done if a new resident presented with symptoms of a mental
illness that was not reflected in the PASSR, the MDSN stated the resident would be referred for a
psychiatric consult, but the MDSN was
Residents Affected - Few
(continued on next page)
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99)
Previous Versions Obsolete
Event ID:
Facility ID:
555844
If continuation sheet
Page 2 of 3
Printed: 05/15/2026
Form Approved OMB
No. 0938-0391
Department of Health & Human Services
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
AND PLAN OF CORRECTION
(X1) PROVIDER/SUPPLIER/CLIA
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:
(X2) MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTION
555844
B. Wing
A. Building
(X3) DATE SURVEY
COMPLETED
08/28/2025
NAME OF PROVIDER OR SUPPLIER
STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE
Novato Healthcare Center
1565 Hill Road
Novato, CA 94947
For information on the nursing home's plan to correct this deficiency, please contact the nursing home or the state survey agency.
(X4) ID PREFIX TAG
SUMMARY STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
(Each deficiency must be preceded by full regulatory or LSC identifying information)
F 0645
Level of Harm - Minimal harm
or potential for actual harm
Residents Affected - Few
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99)
Previous Versions Obsolete
unsure if that would prompt a new PASSR process to start.During an interview on 8/28/25 at 2:30 p.m. with
the Director of Nursing (DON), the DON stated there had recently been changes made in the administration
and management of the facility; stating the DON, the MDS nurse (MDSN), and admissions staff were
working on ensuring potential new residents were accurately screened for mental health and developmental
delays. The DON stated for various reasons, Level 1 PASSR's were often not correctly completed by acute
care hospitals, and this put facility residents at risk for physical or mental harm. The DON also stated
residents who were not appropriately screened for mental or developmental issues might not receive
appropriate oversight from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).During a review of facility
policy and procedure (P & P) titled, Pre-admission Screening Resident Review (PASRR), dated 4/25/24,
indicated POLICY: The acute care hospital must complete a PASRR Level 1 and coordinate the completion
of the Level 2 evaluation (if applicable) prior to admission to the skilled nursing facility. The facility staff will
complete a new PASRR upon readmission from the acute care hospital if there has been a significant
change in the resident's condition.PURPOSE: to ensure that all residents are screened for mental illness
and intellectual disability (ID) or a related condition (RC).
Event ID:
Facility ID:
555844
If continuation sheet
Page 3 of 3