F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
E

Failure to Provide Behavioral Health Training Consistent with Facility Assessment

Bonterra Transitional Care & RehabilitationEast Point, Georgia Survey Completed on 03-19-2025

Summary

The facility failed to provide an effective behavioral health training program consistent with its facility assessment and person-centered care requirements. The deficiency was identified through observations, staff and resident interviews, record reviews, and a review of the facility's policy on education and training requirements. The policy stated that training should be based on the needs identified in the facility resource assessment, but evidence showed that staff did not receive adequate training on behavioral health topics relevant to the resident population, including schizophrenia, mental disorders, and PTSD. Three residents with significant behavioral health needs were reviewed. One resident had diagnoses including cerebrovascular disease and schizoaffective disorder/bipolar type, with care plans addressing screaming and verbal outbursts. Another resident had schizophrenia and exhibited verbal aggression, accusations, and suicidal behavior, with care plans and physician orders reflecting these issues. A third resident had mood disorder, PTSD, and cognitive decline, with care plans noting delusions, negative self-feelings, and resistance to care. The facility assessment confirmed that mental disorders, schizophrenia, and PTSD were common diagnoses among residents. Despite these needs, training records revealed only one in-service on managing crisis behaviors and one on behavior management in the past year, with little or no content specific to schizophrenia, mental disorders, or PTSD. Orientation materials for CNAs and other non-nursing staff did not include behavioral health topics. Interviews with CNAs, LPNs, RNs, agency staff, housekeeping, dietary, activities, and other staff consistently revealed a lack of training on behavioral health, schizophrenia, mental disorders, and PTSD. Agency staff and volunteers also did not receive documented behavioral health training. The staff development coordinator and social services director confirmed that training on these topics was infrequent or outdated, and that agency staff were expected to self-educate using binders that lacked relevant materials.

Penalty

Inspection fine: $17,66016 days payment denial
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0949 citations
Failure to Provide Behavioral Health Training
D
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Behavioral Health Training: Behavioral Health training was not provided for two NAs as required by facility policy and the facility assessment. Personnel records did not show the required annual training for either NA, and HR confirmed the missing training during interview.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Missing Required Alzheimer’s and Dementia Training for DON and NA-C
D
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

Missing Required Alzheimer’s and Dementia Training for DON and NA-C: The facility failed to ensure the DON and an NA-C completed required initial or annual Alzheimer’s/dementia training. Record review showed both staff lacked training on Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, ADL assistance, problem solving with challenging behaviors, and communication skills. The administrator acknowledged the missing training, while facility orientation materials and the facility assessment identified dementia care topics as part of staff training.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Verify Required Behavioral Health Training for Agency CNA
F
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

The facility failed to ensure an agency CNA had completed required behavioral health training. Record review showed no documentation of the training, and Administrative Staff B stated the facility expected the agency to provide required training and in-services before scheduling staff. The facility also could not provide a policy related to required staff in-services.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Behavioral Health Training to Direct Care Staff
E
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

Behavioral Health training was not provided to five of five direct care staff reviewed, including an LPN, three NAs, and an RN. The NHA stated that education is tracked by calendar year and that no 2025 education records could be found for these employees, and the HR Director confirmed the training was not provided.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Required Behavioral Health Training
F
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Required Behavioral Health Training: The facility did not provide evidence that 5 CNAs who had worked there for more than 1 year received required behavioral health training. Review of records and staff interviews showed the facility had no organized system for tracking annual training, no Staff Development Coordinator or Nurse Educator, and training records were kept in boxes from the previous DON.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Lack of Behavioral Health Training for Agency CNAs
F
F0949 F949: Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.
Short Summary

The facility did not ensure that all CNAs, including agency CNAs, received required behavioral health training as outlined in its facility assessment, which called for dementia management, resident abuse prevention, and care of cognitively impaired residents with behaviors. Review of training records for two agency CNAs showed no behavioral health training over the prior year, and both CNAs reported they had not received such training from either the facility or their agency, despite one CNA confirming they provide care to all residents. The AIT and DON acknowledged that these CNAs had not received the required behavioral health training.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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