Lincoln County Care Center: Mental Health Screening Failures - ID
Federal inspectors found the facility failed to refer Resident #4 for the mandatory evaluation despite admitting them with multiple serious mental health conditions. The resident's care plan, dated eight months after admission, acknowledged they met the criteria for the intensive screening but the facility never requested it.
Resident #4 entered Lincoln County Care Center with diagnoses including chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Their conditions required what regulators call a PASRR Level II evaluation — an in-depth assessment by state mental health authorities that must happen before admission to determine what specialized services the person needs.
The facility's own policy requires these screenings before residents move in. But Resident #4 lived there from their admission date through April 2026 without the evaluation ever being completed.
Eight months after admission, staff finally conducted the initial PASRR Level I screening in April 2025. That screening documented the resident had major mental illnesses including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. The screening results instructed that the case be forwarded to state authorities for the required Level II evaluation.
Nearly a year later, in April 2026, inspectors found no evidence the deeper evaluation had ever happened.
The facility's registered nurse coordinator confirmed to inspectors that Lincoln County Care Center did not have a PASRR Level II evaluation for Resident #4. The nurse said the facility should have had one.
Federal regulations require the intensive Level II screening specifically because residents with serious mental illness may need specialized services that typical nursing home care cannot provide. The evaluation determines whether someone needs mental health treatment, rehabilitation services, or other interventions beyond standard nursing care.
Without the evaluation, facilities cannot know what mental health services residents require or whether they have the capability to meet those needs. The assessment also helps determine if a nursing home placement is appropriate or if the person would be better served in a different setting.
Lincoln County Care Center's own policy acknowledges this requirement. The facility's Resident Assessments PASRR Screening Coordination policy states that Level I and Level II screenings "will be conducted prior to the resident being admitted to the facility" and that staff "will utilize Level II evaluation reports when conducting assessments of the resident, developing care plans."
The resident's care plan from August 2024 documented that Resident #4 "meets PASRR Level II of determination secondary to serious mental illness diagnoses including: Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, and Long Term Care Stay." Despite this acknowledgment, no one at the facility initiated the required state evaluation process.
Inspectors reviewed three residents for PASRR compliance and found the violation affected one of them. The deficiency had "the potential to cause harm if residents' specialized services for mental health needs were not evaluated by an appropriate state-designated authority."
Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings between emotional highs and lows that can significantly impact daily functioning. PTSD develops after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events and can cause severe anxiety, flashbacks, and sleep problems. Both conditions often require specialized treatment approaches.
The State Operations Manual requires that any positive Level I screening "necessitates an in-depth evaluation of the individual by the state-designated authority, known as PASRR Level II, which must be conducted prior to admission to a nursing facility."
For Resident #4, that evaluation never came. They remained at Lincoln County Care Center without the comprehensive mental health assessment designed to ensure they received appropriate specialized care for their complex psychiatric conditions.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Lincoln County Care Center from 2026-04-15 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
Lincoln County Care Center in Shoshone, ID was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 15, 2026.
Resident #4 entered Lincoln County Care Center with diagnoses including chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD.
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.