California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the successful resolution of a lawsuit that led to dramatic improvements in the services and operation of a Santa Cruz County skilled nursing facility. Many of the residents at the facility, the Hearts and Hands Post Acute & Rehab Center (Hearts and Hands), were diagnosed with dementia and treated for substance abuse disorders. The California Department for Justice (DOJ) and the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office sued the facility after investigators found that it frequently discharged residents who were deemed too difficult — in violation of laws and rules meant to ensure their safety and continued care. This resulted in some of those residents being moved to inappropriate treatment, and housing, and in some cases, losing access to housing. Now, after almost three years of supervision by an independent monitor appointed at the request of DOJ and Santa Cruz County, Hearts and Hands has made significant changes and progress in its operations and compliance. Today’s settlement resolves the lawsuit against Hearts and Hands on the condition that it remains under supervision for at least two more years and pays civil penalties and investigation costs.
