California Code § 101220(a): Child Medical Assessments

📋Type A Violation🏢Affects: Child Care Centers

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

What Is California Code § 101220(a): Child Medical Assessments?

California Code § 101220(a)

Prior to, or within 30 calendar days following the enrollment of a child, the licensee shall obtain a written medical assessment of the child. This medical assessment enables the licensee to assess whether the center can provide necessary health-related services to the child.

💬What Providers Tell Us

Based on community experience — not official guidance

Inspectors pull random child files during visits and check the enrollment date against the medical assessment date. If that gap is over 30 days, it's an automatic write-up, no warnings. The trick is to hand parents the medical form packet at the tour, not at enrollment. Inspectors also look at whether the assessment is actually complete: missing immunization records or unsigned forms count as incomplete even if something is on file. Keep a tracking spreadsheet with enrollment date and medical due date for every child so nothing slips past day 30.

facilities cited (last 90 days)

That's 1 in 2500 facilities

counties affected

most common citation

📉

Decreasing

Last 90 days vs. previous 90 days

18 facilities (was 23)5 facilities

Source: California CCLD inspection records | Data as of Mar 19, 2026. Updated weekly.

18 facilities were cited for this in the last 90 days.

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What Other Providers Do for Child Medical Assessments

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

✓ Common Practices

Obtain written medical assessment for each child before or within 30 days of enrollment
Medical assessment must be current and complete
Keep medical assessments in individual child files
Review medical information to understand each child's health needs
Use medical information to provide appropriate care and supervision

❌ Common Mistakes

Letting children attend beyond 30 days without a completed medical assessment because the parent keeps promising to bring it. Providers feel uncomfortable enforcing deadlines with paying families, but inspectors count calendar days from enrollment and document every overdue file they find.
Accepting a partial medical form as 'good enough.' A form missing the physician signature, immunization history, or allergy section is treated as incomplete by CCLD. Inspectors check for all required fields, not just whether paper exists in the folder.
Filing the medical assessment but never actually reviewing it for health needs. Inspectors sometimes ask staff what allergies or conditions a child has. If staff can't answer and the info is on the form, it shows the assessment wasn't used for its intended purpose.
Using an expired medical assessment for a returning child. If a child leaves and re-enrolls, you need a current assessment. Providers assume the old one carries over, but inspectors check dates against the most recent enrollment.

1 citations

View county details →

Data updated weekly from CCLD public records. Last update: 3/19/2026

A single Type A citation can cost $150–$500+ in civil penalties — not counting the follow-up inspection it triggers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

What is Child Medical Assessments?

California Title 22, Section 101220(a) requires every enrolled child to have a written medical assessment on file, obtained either before enrollment or within 30 calendar days after the child starts attending. This assessment must be complete, including immunization records, allergy information, and a physician's signature, not just a partially filled form in a folder. Without it, your staff can't identify health conditions that affect how you supervise and care for that child daily.

How common is this citation?

According to California CCLD inspection records as of March 15, 2026, 18 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days across 12 California counties. That works out to roughly 1 in 2,222 inspected facilities receiving this citation. Los Angeles leads with 5 citations, followed by Ventura and Solano with 2 each. While the rate is relatively low, this is one of those citations that's entirely preventable with a simple tracking system.

What triggers this citation during an inspection?

Inspectors pull random child files and compare the enrollment date against the medical assessment date. If the gap exceeds 30 calendar days, it's documented immediately. They also check whether the form is actually complete: a missing physician signature, blank immunization section, or absent allergy information all count as incomplete. Some inspectors ask staff directly about a child's health needs. If the staff member can't answer and that information is sitting in the file, it signals the assessment was filed but never reviewed.

How can I prevent this citation?

Hand parents the medical form packet during the facility tour, not at enrollment. This gives families extra time to schedule a doctor visit. Keep a tracking spreadsheet with each child's enrollment date and medical assessment deadline so nothing slips past day 30. On day 20, send a reminder text or note home. If the form comes back, check every field before filing it. Missing signatures or blank sections mean starting over.

What should I do if I receive this citation?

Contact the parent immediately and set a hard deadline for the completed medical assessment. If the child's doctor can't see them quickly, an urgent care visit with the correct form can work. Submit your Plan of Correction showing the completed assessment and a new tracking system to prevent future gaps. Include your spreadsheet template as evidence. For complex situations, consider consulting a licensed childcare compliance specialist.

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This information is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed childcare 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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