When searching for a nursing home for a loved one, making an informed decision is crucial. Families in the St. Louis area researching nursing homes may come across facilities that are designated as “Special Focus Facility Candidates” (SFFC) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These nursing homes are typically suffering from major failures in how they meet the health and safety needs of their residents. If you're considering a nursing home in St. Louis or elsewhere in Missouri, understanding what SFFC status means—and why it's a red flag—is important for ensuring the health and safety of your loved one.

If you or your loved ones have encountered problems with Nursing Homes, you can get help from a personal injury attorney who can help you understand your legal rights, protect your loved ones, and hold negligent facilities accountable.

What is a Special Focus Facility Candidate?

A Special Focus Facility Candidate is a nursing home that has a lengthy history of poor performance in multiple areas including lack of skilled nursing staff, cleanliness, quality of care, and health inspections. Facilities with this designation have often been the subject of numerous complaints and even citations for failing to meet mandatory federal care standards for years and are a public health issue.  As of October 30, 2024, there were over 400 nursing homes in the United States identified on the government's SFFC list.  While some of these facilities will receive the benefit of increased government oversight to help them improve, most will continue to operate “business as usual” at the expense of resident safety. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a nursing home.

Why Families Should Take Note of SFFC Status

For families in St. Louis, SFFC status is a warning that a nursing home has repeatedly failed to maintain acceptable care standards. Because Missouri has many nursing homes and an aging population, the need for high-quality elder care is greater than ever.  Despite this, there are five SFFC nursing homes operating in the St. Louis area as of October 30, 2024. Here's why SFFC status should be considered when you decide on long term nursing care facility:

1. Quality of Care Concerns: It takes a history of significant issues like inadequate staffing, substandard medical care, and poor sanitation to lead to an SFFC designation. These issues can compromise the health and safety of residents. Families entrusting loved ones to a nursing home expect a facility to meet minimum standards for resident physical, emotional, and medical well-being, and SFFC facilities have fallen well short.

2. Increased Risk of Neglect and Abuse: When nursing homes face chronic quality issues, they create an environment where neglect or even abuse may occur. Low staffing levels, poor staff training, and other problems that led to the SFFC designation are often associated with increased risks of falls, malnutrition, bedsores, and other signs of neglect.

3. Likely Non-Compliance with Federal Standards: Nursing homes are required to follow federal regulations for quality and safety. SFFC facilities have failed consistently to meet these standards.

How to Evaluate Nursing Homes with SFF Status

It's always wise to evaluate a nursing home's history, including any federal or state citations, before deciding whether to accept admission. The following steps can help you assess whether a facility is the right choice—or if it's time to consider other options:

- Visit in Person: Conduct an in-person visit to get a firsthand sense of the facility's atmosphere, staffing levels, and cleanliness. Speak to both staff and residents (if possible) about their experiences.

- Check Inspection Reports: CMS publishes reports on nursing home performance, including citations, SFFC designations, and improvement updates. Reviewing these reports and asking whether the deficiencies have been cured can help you identify consistent issues.

- Ask Questions: Don't be afraid to ask management about their efforts to address past issues. Facilities should be transparent and open to discussing their improvement plans.

Making the Best Choice for Your Loved One's Care

The significance of an SFFC designation cannot be understated when choosing the right nursing home care provider. For families in the St. Louis area, this status should signal caution. While some SFFCs work hard to improve, others may continue to struggle with basic standards of care. By understanding the implications of SFFC status and using a thorough vetting process, you can make an informed decision that prioritizes the safety, dignity, and well-being of your loved one.

If you have concerns about the care your loved one is receiving in a St. Louis nursing home, don't hesitate to reach out to a personal injury attorney who can help you understand your legal rights. Families have the right to demand quality, long term care, and if that standard isn't met, legal recourse can protect your loved ones and hold negligent facilities accountable.