Coastal Oaks Special Care Center
Inspected within the last 6 months. Data reflects current conditions.
Coastal Oaks Special Care Center has a Trust Grade of B+, which indicates it is above average in quality and care. It ranks #330 out of 1,155 facilities in California, placing it in the top half, but it is last in its county, ranked #7 out of 7, meaning there are no better local options. The facility is improving, with reported issues decreasing from four in 2024 to just one in 2025. Staffing is a concern, with a low rating of 1 out of 5, but a turnover rate of 0% is excellent, suggesting staff are retained and familiar with residents. There have been no fines, which is a positive sign, yet recent inspections revealed issues, including expired medications in the emergency kit, improper meal portions not meeting dietary needs, and incomplete medical records for several residents, highlighting areas that need attention despite the overall good health inspection rating.
- Trust Score
- B+
- In California
- #330/1155
- Safety Record
- Low Risk
- Inspections
- Getting Better
- Staff Stability ○ Average
- Turnover data not reported for this facility.
- Penalties ✓ Good
- No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- Skilled Nurses ○ Average
- RN staffing data not reported for this facility.
- Violations ○ Average
- 9 deficiencies on record. Average for a facility this size. Mostly minor or procedural issues.
The Good
-
4-Star Quality Measures · Strong clinical quality outcomes
-
Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
-
No fines on record
Facility shows strength in quality measures, fire safety.
The Bad
Part of a multi-facility chain
Ask about local staffing decisions and management
The Ugly 9 deficiencies on record
Jun 2025
1 deficiency
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure medications were properly stored and disposed in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures when an expire...
Read full inspector narrative →
May 2024
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Menu Adequacy
(Tag F0803)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure the menu was followed as planned during lunch tray line (a system of food preparation in which trays move along an asse...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Medical Records
(Tag F0842)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to maintain medical records for three of 3 sampled residents (Resident 46, 38 and 44) and for one unsampled resident (Resident 47) were in acc...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0848
(Tag F0848)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure three of three sampled residents (Resident 22, 44, and 46) binding arbitration agreements had clearly stated the selection of a neut...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Room Equipment
(Tag F0908)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to maintain essential equipment and safe operating condition, when the refrigerator gasket was found to have been torn.
This fa...
Read full inspector narrative →
Jun 2023
4 deficiencies
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Unnecessary Medications
(Tag F0759)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on medication pass observation. record review, and interview the facility failed to ensure that it was free from a medication error rate greater than five percent when :
1. Resident 3 (Res 3) wa...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0761
(Tag F0761)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the facility failed to ensure medications were stored at the right temperature in accordance with federal laws and the facility's policies and proce...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0801
(Tag F0801)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview, and record review, the Registered Dietitian failed to demonstrate competency when the RD did not communicate current standards of practice to the facility's Medical Di...
Read full inspector narrative →
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Menu Adequacy
(Tag F0803)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, interview and record review, the facility failed to follow the menu as planned, during lunch trayline (a system of food preparation in which trays move along an assembly line) wh...
Read full inspector narrative →
Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
- "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
- "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"
Our Honest Assessment
- • Grade B+ (80/100). Above average facility, better than most options in California.
- • No major safety red flags. No abuse findings, life-threatening violations, or SFF status.
- • No fines on record. Clean compliance history, better than most California facilities.
- • No significant concerns identified. This facility shows no red flags across CMS ratings, staff turnover, or federal penalties.
About This Facility
What is Coastal Oaks Special Care Center's CMS Rating?
CMS assigns Coastal Oaks Special Care Center an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars, which is considered above average nationally. Within California, this rating places the facility higher than 99% of the state's 100 nursing homes. This rating reflects solid performance across the metrics CMS uses to evaluate nursing home quality.
How is Coastal Oaks Special Care Center Staffed?
CMS rates Coastal Oaks Special Care Center's staffing level at 1 out of 5 stars, which is much below average compared to other nursing homes.
What Have Inspectors Found at Coastal Oaks Special Care Center?
State health inspectors documented 9 deficiencies at Coastal Oaks Special Care Center during 2023 to 2025. These included: 9 with potential for harm.
Who Owns and Operates Coastal Oaks Special Care Center?
Coastal Oaks Special Care Center is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility is operated by COMPASS HEALTH, INC., a chain that manages multiple nursing homes. With 65 certified beds and approximately 8 residents (about 12% occupancy), it is a smaller facility located in Atascadero, California.
How Does Coastal Oaks Special Care Center Compare to Other California Nursing Homes?
Compared to the 100 nursing homes in California, Coastal Oaks Special Care Center's overall rating (4 stars) is above the state average of 3.2 and health inspection rating (5 stars) is much above the national benchmark.
What Should Families Ask When Visiting Coastal Oaks Special Care Center?
Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "Can you walk me through typical staffing levels on day, evening, and night shifts?" "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?" These questions are particularly relevant given the below-average staffing rating.
Is Coastal Oaks Special Care Center Safe?
Based on CMS inspection data, Coastal Oaks Special Care Center has a clean safety record: no substantiated abuse findings (meaning no confirmed cases of resident harm), no Immediate Jeopardy citations (the most serious violation level indicating risk of serious injury or death), and is not on the Special Focus Facility watch list (a federal program monitoring the lowest-performing 1% of nursing homes). The facility has a 4-star overall rating and ranks #1 of 100 nursing homes in California. While no facility is perfect, families should still ask about staff-to-resident ratios and recent inspection results during their visit.
Do Nurses at Coastal Oaks Special Care Center Stick Around?
Coastal Oaks Special Care Center has not reported staff turnover data to CMS. Staff turnover matters because consistent caregivers learn residents' individual needs, medications, and preferences. When staff frequently change, this institutional knowledge is lost. Families should ask the facility directly about their staff retention rates and average employee tenure.
Was Coastal Oaks Special Care Center Ever Fined?
Coastal Oaks Special Care Center has no federal fines on record. CMS issues fines when nursing homes fail to meet care standards or don't correct problems found during inspections. The absence of fines suggests the facility has either maintained compliance or corrected any issues before penalties were assessed. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review recent inspection reports for the full picture.
Is Coastal Oaks Special Care Center on Any Federal Watch List?
Coastal Oaks Special Care Center is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.