Licensing Surveys for Nursing Homes in California – All You Need to Know

By Garrett Fry

  |  

Elder Abuse

  |  

Last Modified on Jan 11, 2026

When you entrust a family member to a skilled nursing facility, you are relying on state oversight to protect their safety. For this reason, understanding licensing surveys for nursing homes in California can be beneficial for families in the Golden State concerned about the quality of care their loved one receives.

These surveys are the main tool used by the California Department of Public Health to monitor facilities and hold them accountable for medical neglect and mistakes. When a facility constantly fails these inspections, it often points to issues that may require you to hire a nursing home negligence lawyer to protect your family’s rights.

The Role of the California Department of Public Health in Facility Oversight

In California, nursing homes are governed by state and federal regulations. The CDPH Licensing and Certification Division conducts unannounced inspections to check that every facility meets the standards set by California’s Title 22 regulations and federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines. The observations made during these inspections are critical when you consider the following data:

• There are 14,742 nursing facilities with federal certification in the United States.
• There are over 1.2 million people living in these facilities.
• While staffing levels have slightly fluctuated, the average hours of nursing care per resident have declined by roughly 7% over the last decade.

When such decreases in direct care take place, they often lead to and correlate with increases in survey deficiencies. Considering how many people are impacted by care changes and the results of these surveys, families must stay vigilant and understand the paper trail left by state inspectors.

Understanding Different Types of Surveys

Not all inspections are the same. Depending on the facility’s history and current status, they may undergo various types of reviews, including but not limited to:

• Standard Recertification Survey: This is a comprehensive, unannounced visit that looks at everything from clinical records and pharmacy services to dietary safety and resident rights.
• Complaint investigations: These occur when a resident, family member, or staff member files a specific grievance with the California Department of Public Health, located on Capitol Avenue in Sacramento. These are typically focused on a single incident or a specific area of care.
• GAC Survey: A General Acute Care survey is used for hospitals or “Distinct Part” skilled nursing units located within a hospital setting. These surveys are focused on meeting and maintaining hospital-level safety standards.
• Follow-up Surveys: If a facility is cited for a Statement of Deficiencies via Form 2567, the state generally returns to verify that the facility creates and actually implements a Plan of Correction.

Knowing What to Take Away from Nursing Home Survey Laws and Regulations

Under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, the findings from a state survey can often be used to demonstrate recklessness or malice.

Serious deficiencies, such as a failure to protect residents from abuse or the improper use of physical restraints, remain a significant issue for some nursing homes and medical facilities. Understanding these laws helps families realize that a failing grade on a survey is a red flag that should not be ignored.

Hire a Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer

While state surveys identify problems, they don’t always provide direct justice for the victim. A facility may receive a fine from the state for a violation, but that money doesn’t go to the injured resident.

You should hire a nursing home negligence lawyer if a survey reveals the facility was cited for violations of Actual Harm or Immediate Jeopardy. These citations are powerful evidence in a legal claim.

A California nursing home negligence attorney can use these survey results to prove that the facility was aware of its failings but chose not to fix them. So, if your loved one suffered a fall, a stage 4 bedsore, or a severe infection, the survey history can often show a pattern of similar incidents and demonstrate that the injury was not an isolated accident but a predictable result of poor management.

FAQs

How Often Do Nursing Homes Get Surveyed in California?

In California, nursing homes get surveyed for standard health recertification no later than 15.9 months after the previous survey, with a statewide average of 12.9 months. However, facilities with a history of poor care become known as Special Focus Facilities, and are surveyed once every six months, which is more frequently by comparison to those that aren’t under special focus.

What Is a GAC survey?

A GAC survey refers to a General Acute Care survey, which is a relicensing inspection for hospitals. In the context of nursing care, this applies to “Distinct Part” nursing units that are physically located inside a hospital. These units are surveyed at least once every two years to verify that they meet the higher clinical standards required of hospital-based care.

What Is the 5-Year Rule for Nursing Homes in California?

The 5-year rule for nursing homes in California refers to the Medicaid (Medi-Cal) Look-Back Period. While many states look back 5 years into financial history to determine eligibility, California historically used a 30-month period. California has recently reinstated certain asset limits and look-back rules for Nursing Home Medi-Cal, making it essential to consult with a professional regarding financial eligibility for long-term care.

How Can You Check Nursing Home Violations in California?

You can check nursing home violations in California through the Cal Health Find portal provided by the California Department of Public Health. You can search by facility name or ZIP code to see a full history of citations, penalties, and Statements of Deficiencies. You can also cross-reference this with the federal Medicare Care Compare website to see how the facility ranks across the nation in terms of staffing and quality measures.

Learn How a Licensing Survey Case Works Today

When a law firm takes on a nursing home licensing survey case, they aren’t just looking at medical charts. They’re looking at the facility’s culture of non-compliance. If a facility gets cited multiple times for failing to prevent falls, and your loved one suffers a broken hip caused by a fall, your lawyer can argue that the facility was on notice but didn’t take action to make it right.

Our attorneys at Belgum, Fry & Van Allen are experienced in dissecting these complex state reports and building an accurate narrative of neglect. Reach out to us today to hold California medical facilities accountable and make negligent parties pay the price of missed warnings, not the resident.