To report a nursing home in California, file a complaint with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the agency that licenses and inspects skilled nursing facilities. You can file online through Cal Health Find, by phone at (800) 236-9747, or by mail to your local CDPH Licensing and Certification district office.1California Department of Public Health. File A Complaint2California Department of Public Health. Contact Us If a resident is in immediate physical danger, call 911 first and file the regulatory complaint afterward.
You can file anonymously. Including your contact information lets investigators call you back with follow-up questions, which often strengthens the case.
Which Agency to Call
CDPH is the right place for complaints about care quality, staffing, safety, medication errors, bedsores, hygiene, rights violations, and other regulatory problems. An investigation can lead to formal citations against the facility.
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is a separate state program that advocates directly for residents. Ombudsman representatives help resolve day-to-day issues and can intervene with facility staff on a resident’s behalf. For urgent after-hours concerns, the statewide CRISISline runs 24 hours a day at (800) 231-4024.3California Department of Aging. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Every long-term care facility in California is required to post the local Ombudsman number and the CRISISline number where residents and visitors can see them.
Adult Protective Services (APS) operates at the county level and investigates abuse of adults 60 and older, along with dependent adults 18 to 59 who have disabilities. APS can investigate independently of CDPH and may coordinate with police.
Local law enforcement handles anything that looks like a crime: assault, sexual abuse, theft, forged signatures, or injuries that don’t match the explanation given. Call 911 for emergencies.
Filing with more than one of these agencies at the same time is both legal and often the right move. A CDPH complaint triggers a regulatory inspection; a police report can lead to criminal charges; an APS report brings in social services. They do different things.
What to Have Ready Before You File
You do not need proof. California law lets you report on reasonable suspicion, and investigators are the ones who sort out what happened. But specifics help. Try to gather:
- The nursing home’s full name and street address.
- The resident’s name, and your relationship to them if you’re filing on their behalf.
- A chronological account of what happened, with dates, approximate times, and locations inside the facility.
- Names of any staff members involved or present.
- Names and contact information for witnesses.
- Photos, medical records, or other physical evidence you can access.
Incomplete information is not a reason to wait. File with what you have.
What Counts as a Reportable Problem
California defines elder abuse broadly: physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, abduction, and financial exploitation all qualify. Common reportable issues in a nursing home setting include:
- Hitting, pushing, rough handling, or inappropriate use of physical or chemical restraints.
- Bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, poor hygiene, or missed medications and treatments.
- Yelling, threatening, humiliating a resident, or cutting them off from social contact.
- Misusing a resident’s money, forging signatures, stealing belongings, or pressuring a resident to change financial documents.
- Denying privacy, blocking mail or phone calls, restricting visitors without medical justification, or excluding the resident from care planning.
- Chronic understaffing. California requires skilled nursing facilities to provide at least 3.5 hours of direct nursing care per resident per day, with at least 2.4 of those hours from certified nurse assistants, and a registered nurse on-site around the clock. Long waits for call lights, residents left in soiled clothing, and missed meals are signs of a staffing violation.4California Department of Public Health. Title 22: SNF 3.5 Direct Care Hours Section 72329.2
A rights violation on its own is enough. You don’t have to wait for physical harm.
What Happens After CDPH Gets Your Complaint
CDPH assigns an inspector and sends you that person’s name within two working days. Most complaints trigger an unannounced on-site investigation within ten working days. If the complaint describes an imminent threat of death or serious harm, the investigation begins within 24 hours.
During the inspection, investigators interview residents and staff, review medical records, and observe care. When they finish, CDPH classifies the complaint as substantiated or unsubstantiated and sends you the outcome in writing.5California Department of Public Health. Complaint Investigation Process A substantiated complaint can produce formal citations and monetary penalties, and a single investigation can generate more than one citation.
Confidentiality and Protection from Retaliation
Your identity stays confidential throughout the investigation. The facility will know an investigation is underway. It will not be told who filed.
California law also makes retaliation illegal. Any adverse action a facility takes against a resident or employee within 180 days of a complaint is legally presumed to be retaliation, and a facility found to have retaliated faces a civil penalty of up to $10,000. These protections exist so people will actually come forward.
If You Work at the Facility
Nursing home administrators, licensed staff, health practitioners, and anyone who has assumed care or custody of an elder or dependent adult are mandated reporters under California law. Reporting is not optional for them. Suspected physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, or financial exploitation must be reported immediately by phone, with a written report following within two working days.6California Legislative Information. California Welfare and Institutions Code – Section 15630
Failing to report is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both. If the failure is willful and the abuse results in death or great bodily injury, penalties increase to up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.6California Legislative Information. California Welfare and Institutions Code – Section 15630