Choctaw Residential Center: Psychotropic Drug Violations - MS
Federal inspectors documented the violations during a March 6, 2025 survey. Both residents were cognitively intact. Both had been prescribed benzodiazepines on an as-needed basis for anxiety. Neither order included a date when the prescription would expire or trigger a clinical review.
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See the Derila PillowThe first resident, identified in inspection records as Resident 43, had an order dated December 6, 2024 for Ativan, the brand name for lorazepam, a benzodiazepine with well-documented potential for dependence. The order called for one milligram by mouth every 12 hours as needed for anxiety. When inspectors reviewed the record, the order had been sitting without a stop date for nearly three months. A cognitive assessment from late January 2025 showed the resident scored a 15 out of 15 on a standard mental status interview, the highest possible score, indicating full cognitive function.
The second resident, Resident 259, had an order dated February 20, 2025 for Clorazepate Dipotassium, another benzodiazepine, at 3.75 milligrams by mouth every 12 hours as needed, also for anxiety. The order carried no stop date. The cognitive assessment completed the same day the order was written showed the same result: a perfect score of 15, meaning this resident, too, was fully aware of their surroundings and capable of participating in decisions about their own care.
The facility's own policy, revised in March 2025, the same month inspectors arrived, states that psychotropic medications used on an as-needed basis must be limited to no more than 14 days unless a provider determines an extension is appropriate and documents a specific duration in the medical record. Neither order met that standard.
The Director of Nursing confirmed both gaps during interviews with inspectors on March 4, 2025. He acknowledged the order for Resident 43 lacked a stop date at 12:24 p.m. Four minutes later, he confirmed the same for Resident 259. He told inspectors that all as-needed psychotropic medications should carry a stop date to ensure residents are reevaluated for continued need, and he acknowledged that failing to include one could result in residents continuing to receive medications they no longer need.
That acknowledgment captures the core problem precisely. Benzodiazepines are not medications that can be left running indefinitely without consequence. They are among the drug classes most associated with falls, sedation, cognitive impairment, and physical dependence in older adults. An as-needed order with no expiration date is, in practice, a standing order, one that can be filled whenever a resident reports anxiety or a nurse judges it appropriate, with no built-in moment to ask whether the prescription still makes sense.
For a resident who is cognitively intact, the absence of a stop date also means the absence of a structured conversation. There is no scheduled point at which a clinician sits down, reviews the record, and asks whether the drug is still necessary, whether the dose is appropriate, or whether something else might work better.
Inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, and noted that few residents were affected. The deficiency applied to two of the six residents whose psychotropic medication records were reviewed.
The facility's updated policy, dated the same month as the inspection, now states the 14-day limit in writing. What it does not resolve is how long both residents had been receiving these medications under orders that carried no endpoint, and whether anyone had asked, before inspectors arrived, whether they still needed them.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Choctaw Residential Center from 2025-03-06 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
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Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: November 13, 2026 · Our methodology
Choctaw Residential Center in CHOCTAW, MS was cited for violations during a health inspection on March 6, 2025.
Federal inspectors documented the violations during a March 6, 2025 survey.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.