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AGN. NO.

MOTION BY SUPERVISORS MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS May 26, 2020
AND KATHRYN BARGER

Improving Oversight and Accountability Within Skilled Nursing Facilities
Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) serve many of Los Angeles County’s (County)

most frail, elderly, and medically fragile residents. Moreover, the majority of the residents
in these facilities are very low-income, with 62% of residents relying on Medicaid.

SNFs have become the epicenter of the County’s COVID-19 epidemic. As of May

18, 2020, 4,794 SNF residents and 2,918 SNF staff have tested positive for the virus. 955
individuals from institutional settings, the vast majority of which reside in SNFs, have died,

representing 52% of all deaths Countywide. The control of the rapid spread of COVID-
19 in these facilities is made more complex as these institutions, many of which are for-

profit entities, have historically been challenged with low marks for patient satisfaction,

employee pay, and quality of care.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has the responsibility for

licensing and monitoring health care facilities, including SNFs, throughout the State.
However, in the County, the oversight of approximately 2,500 health facilities, which

includes approximately 400 SNFs, has historically been shared with the County
Department of Public Health (DPH).

In 2014, the Board of Supervisors (Board) recognized the sub-standard conditions

and inadequate oversight of SNFs, and called for an audit of County inspections and

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MOTION

SOLIS ___________________________

RIDLEY-THOMAS ___________________________

KUEHL ___________________________

HAHN ___________________________

BARGER ___________________________