Spring Valley Rehab: Kitchen Mold & Food Debris - MO
The 149-bed facility's kitchen showed widespread sanitation failures. Inspectors documented mold-like growth stretching 12 feet along the backsplash where it met the sink. Brown substances splattered the walls underneath sinks. Black substances coated the wall under the dishwasher.
Grease drops covered the wall behind the stove.
The baseboards throughout most of the kitchen were black with dirt. Food pieces scattered around sink and dishwasher areas. Black and white substances covered floors in multiple locations, especially concentrated under sinks and the dishwasher.
Dietary staff gave conflicting accounts of cleaning responsibilities when questioned five days after the initial inspection.
Dietary Aide L claimed floors were swept and mopped every shift, day and evening. The evening cook was supposed to clean everywhere, she said. "The floors should be clean." She acknowledged walls were cleaned "sometimes" during deep cleaning sessions two to three times weekly.
Dietary Aide M said floors were swept and mopped "by whichever staff is working." Wall cleaning was "more of a deep clean job" done occasionally. He couldn't say how often.
A third dietary aide, identified as N, believed housekeeping handled floor cleaning but wasn't sure of the frequency. This aide claimed walls were cleaned weekly "by someone" and said he wasn't aware of dirty walls or mold.
The dietary manager told inspectors floors should be swept and mopped during day and night shifts. Maintenance performed deep cleaning with power washing, while housekeeping buffed floors three times weekly, the manager said.
"I wouldn't expect there to not be black stuff and food on the floors," the dietary manager said. "They should be clean for the most part."
The manager claimed maintenance cleaned walls and said there shouldn't be dirt or mold present.
The facility administrator said floors should be clean and that the dietary manager monitored kitchen cleaning. The administrator wasn't aware of mold growth along the sink where the backsplash met.
Spring Valley's own policy, dated March 31, 2021, requires nutritional services to "ensure a clean and sanitary work environment to promote and protect food safety." The policy specifically mandates compliance with federal, state and local food sanitation and safety regulations.
The inspection findings directly contradicted staff claims about daily cleaning routines. Despite assertions that floors were swept and mopped each shift, inspectors found food debris and unidentified black and white substances covering kitchen floors during their visit on August 17.
The mold-like substance along the 12-foot section of backsplash suggested long-term moisture problems and inadequate cleaning. Brown splatters under sinks and black substances under the dishwasher indicated systematic sanitation breakdowns in food preparation areas.
Wall contamination extended beyond the sink areas. Grease drops on the wall behind the stove showed cooking areas weren't properly maintained between meal preparations.
The widespread nature of the contamination raised questions about the facility's ability to safely prepare meals for 149 residents. Kitchen sanitation directly impacts food safety for vulnerable elderly residents who depend on the facility for all their meals.
Inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to some residents. The citation fell under federal regulations requiring nursing homes to maintain safe, clean and comfortable environments for residents, staff and the public.
The disconnect between staff descriptions of cleaning protocols and actual kitchen conditions suggested either inadequate training, insufficient oversight, or both. Three dietary aides gave different accounts of who was responsible for floor cleaning, while none could definitively explain wall cleaning schedules.
The dietary manager's comment that black substances and food debris on floors wasn't unexpected contradicted the facility's own sanitation policy and basic food safety standards.
Spring Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center operates at 2915 South Fremont Avenue in Springfield. The August inspection was conducted in response to a complaint.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Spring Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center from 2025-08-25 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
SPRING VALLEY HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER in SPRINGFIELD, MO was cited for violations during a health inspection on August 25, 2025.
The 149-bed facility's kitchen showed widespread sanitation failures.
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.