The California Department of Health has issued a new All Facilities Letter requiring skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to comply with data collection procedures to evaluate compliance with the mandated 3.2 nursing hours per patient day staffing ratio. The department's Licensing and Certification program will continue the staffing data collection effort begun in June 2006 and will send staff into SNFs to audit payroll records on-site. The monitoring visits will be unannounced and cover fiscal year 2005-2006 (July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006). Facilities will be required to make available payroll records documenting nurse staffing hours, as well as patient census records, for the specified period. Facilities found to be non-compliant will be issued a deficiency and required to submit a plan of correction. Exempt facilities include those that are part of a continuing care retirement community, distinct parts of a licensed general acute care hospital, and state-owned or public entity-owned facilities.

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