Ararat Nursing: No Background Checks for Staff - CA
Federal inspectors discovered the violations during an August complaint investigation, finding that a licensed vocational nurse hired in 2021, a registered nurse employed since 1997, and a certified nursing assistant working there since 1998 all lacked the required criminal background screenings in their personnel files.
The registered nurse has been providing direct patient care for 28 years without verification that she was free of criminal convictions or findings of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft. The certified nursing assistant has worked at the facility for 27 years under the same conditions.
Even the most recently hired staff member, the licensed vocational nurse who started in 2021, never received a background check despite being employed four years after federal regulations required such screenings.
The Director of Staff Development told inspectors on August 12 that the three employees "did not have a background check in their employee files because prior to 2014, the facility did not require new hires to have a background check." She said she wasn't working at the facility before 2014 and "does not know what happened prior to that time."
But her explanation fails to account for the licensed vocational nurse hired in 2021, seven years after the facility claims to have implemented background check requirements.
The administrator confirmed that "the facility did not conduct any background checks prior to the year 2014" but could not provide any written policy to support his statement. His admission raises questions about how the facility determined who was suitable to care for elderly and disabled residents during those years.
The Director of Nurses acknowledged the severity of the oversight, telling inspectors that "it is important to have background checks on all staff working in the facility because they need to be cleared of any criminal findings and also be cleared from any abuse."
The facility's own written policy, dated August 1, 2023, explicitly requires criminal background screening for all staff before they begin work. The policy states that the facility "will utilize reasonable and prudent criminal background screening and reference checks for prospective staff, contractors/consultants, registry/temporary staff, and volunteers."
The policy further specifies that "prior to employment or commencement of a contract, the facility will verify and document or obtain a copy" of criminal background checks. Yet three current employees have been working in direct violation of this requirement, some for decades.
Federal regulations mandate background checks specifically to protect nursing home residents from staff with histories of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or theft. The requirement exists because vulnerable elderly residents depend entirely on their caregivers for basic needs including medication, food, hygiene, and mobility assistance.
Without proper screening, facilities risk employing individuals with criminal records or previous findings of resident mistreatment. The consequences can be devastating for residents who cannot protect themselves or easily report abuse.
The three unvetted employees work in roles requiring intimate contact with residents. Licensed vocational nurses administer medications, monitor medical conditions, and provide hands-on care. Registered nurses supervise patient care, manage complex medical needs, and make critical health decisions. Certified nursing assistants help residents with bathing, dressing, toileting, and eating.
All three positions involve access to residents' personal belongings, medications, and private living spaces. Staff in these roles often work alone with residents, particularly during evening and overnight shifts when supervision is minimal.
The Director of Staff Development told inspectors she would "submit a background check for the staff," acknowledging that "all staff in the facility should have a background check because they need to be cleared from any abuse prior to start of work in the facility."
The Director of Nurses said background checks were "immediately ordered" for all three employees after inspectors identified the violations. But the immediate action came only after federal investigators discovered the problem, not through the facility's own quality assurance processes.
The timing raises questions about how many other employees might be working without proper screening. If the facility failed to conduct background checks on three randomly selected staff members, the problem could extend to additional employees whose files were not reviewed during the inspection.
The violation also suggests broader failures in the facility's hiring and human resources processes. Basic employment verification procedures should have caught the missing background checks, particularly for the nurse hired in 2021.
Federal inspectors classified the violation as having "minimal harm or potential for actual harm," but noted it affects "some" residents. The classification reflects the potential rather than actual documented harm, since the investigation did not identify specific incidents of abuse or neglect by the unscreened employees.
However, the potential consequences are serious. Residents at nursing facilities are among the most vulnerable members of society, often suffering from dementia, physical disabilities, or medical conditions that limit their ability to report mistreatment or protect themselves.
The three employees continue working at the facility while their background checks are processed. The facility has not indicated whether it will take any disciplinary action for the hiring violations or implement additional safeguards to prevent similar oversights.
The inspection report does not specify what prompted the complaint investigation that led to the discovery of the missing background checks. Federal inspectors typically investigate nursing homes based on complaints from residents, families, or staff members about specific care or safety concerns.
Ararat Nursing Facility's failure to properly screen employees violates both federal regulations and its own written policies, creating unnecessary risk for residents who depend on the facility for safe, appropriate care from qualified and vetted staff members.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Ararat Nursing Facility from 2025-08-13 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
Ararat Nursing Facility in MISSION HILLS, CA was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 13, 2025.
The certified nursing assistant has worked at the facility for 27 years under the same conditions.
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.