374603722-1-21-2026-08-AS-SJAB-DQU258-20260130160507

Community Care Licensing

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 374603722
Report Date: 01/21/2026
Date Signed: 01/21/2026 04:03:01 PM

Substantiated

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SAN DIEGO RO, 7575 METROPOLITAN DR. #109
SAN DIEGO, CA 92108

This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
01/15/2026 and conducted by Evaluator Dang Nguyen

COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 08-AS-20260115100642

FACILITY NAME:	EL CAJON SENIOR CARE HOME		FACILITY NUMBER:	374603722
ADMINISTRATOR:	SASSO-TOTH, DAWN		FACILITY TYPE:	740
ADDRESS:	571 TERRA LANE		TELEPHONE:	(619) 804-8105
CITY:	EL CAJON	STATE: CA	ZIP CODE:	92019
CAPACITY:	6	CENSUS: 5	DATE:	01/21/2026
		UNANNOUNCED	TIME BEGAN:	11:00 AM
MET WITH:	House Manager Melissa Cherry and Licensee/Administrator Dawn Sasso-Toth		TIME COMPLETED:	04:30 PM

ALLEGATION(S):

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-Licensee unlawfully evicted resident.

INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:

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Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Dang Nguyen conducted an unannounced visit to commence a Complaint Investigation regarding the above allegation. LPA was welcomed by, identified himself to, and discussed the purpose of the visit with House Manager Melissa Cherry. LPA also spoke with Licensee/Administrator Dawn Sasso-Toth via phone during today’s visit.

The Complainant alleged that Licensee unlawfully evicted Resident #1 (R1) [See LIC 811 Confidential Names List for a description of select person identifiers used in this report.] CCLD’s investigation involved an unannounced facility tour/welfare check, interviews of relevant staff and multiple outside sources, and review of R1’s care and administrative records. LPA also made a collateral visit to interview R1.

[CONTINUED ON LIC 9099-C]

Substantiated

Estimated Days of Completion:

SUPERVISORS NAME: Simon Jacob
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Dang Nguyen
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 01/21/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 01/21/2026

This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

Page: 1 of 3

Control Number 08-AS-20260115100642

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SAN DIEGO RO, 7575 METROPOLITAN DR. #109
SAN DIEGO, CA 92108

FACILITY NAME: EL CAJON SENIOR CARE HOME	FACILITY NUMBER: 374603722
	VISIT DATE: 01/21/2026

NARRATIVE

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[CONTINUED FROM LIC 9099] The available records and interviews showed: According to R1’s Admissions Agreement, R1 moved into the facility in September 2024, and R1’s monthly rent was payable to Licensee on the 1st day of each month. Beginning November 2025, R1 stopped making rent payments to Licensee. (R1 still had a past-due balance owed to Licensee as of the filing of this complaint.) Licensee subsequently issued a 30-day-notice / eviction letter to R1. This letter was dated 11/01/2025 and stated that R1 was required to vacate the premises no later than 11/30/2025. However, CCR 87224(a)(1) states that a Licensee may not initiate an eviction action against a resident until there is a balance owed that is more than ten (10) days past due; it was therefore incorrect to date the letter 11/01/2025. Interviews showed that Licensee in practice did not serve this eviction letter to R1’s acting representative until 11/12/2025. The Department also found that the letter did not contain other elements required by law (which will be addressed in a separate Case Management visit report). The totality of available evidence showed that the eviction letter which Licensee served to R1 during November 2025 was invalid.

Interviews further showed: On 01/14/2026, R1 was transported from the facility to a hospital emergency room. Hospital staff medically evaluated R1 and determined that R1 was safe and ready to be discharged back to the facility, the same day. However, Licensee told hospital staff that they refused to accept R1 back to the facility, and that R1’s room (still with R1’s personal belongings in it) was no longer reserved for R1. The evidence shows that Licensee, in practice, physically evicted R1 from their facility, against R1’s will, without following the legal process. According to HSC 1569.683(a)(4), “In order to evict a resident who remains in the facility after the effective date of the eviction, the residential care facility for the elderly must file an unlawful detainer action in superior court and receive a written judgment signed by a judge,” and said resident must be served with the summons and complaint.

Based on records and interviews, a preponderance of evidence exists to show that Licensee unlawfully evicted R1. The allegation is therefore Substantiated, and one (1) deficiency was cited for it per California Code of Regulations, Title 22 (refer to the attached LIC 9099-D page). A Plan of Correction was jointly developed with the Licensee.

An exit interview was conducted with Licensee/Administrator Dawn Sasso-Toth and House Manager Melissa Cherry, to whom a copy of this report, the LIC 809-D page, and the Licensee/Appeal Rights (LIC9058 03/22) were provided.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Simon Jacob
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Dang Nguyen
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 01/21/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 01/21/2026

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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Control Number 08-AS-20260115100642

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
SAN DIEGO RO, 7575 METROPOLITAN DR. #109
SAN DIEGO, CA 92108

FACILITY NAME: EL CAJON SENIOR CARE HOME	FACILITY NUMBER: 374603722
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:	VISIT DATE: 01/21/2026

Deficiency Type POC Due Date / Section Number	DEFICIENCIES		PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B 02/21/2026 Section Cited CCR 87468.2(a)(20)	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	87468.2 Additional Personal Rights of Residents in Privately Operated Facilities: “(a) …residents in privately operated residential care facilities for the elderly shall have all of the following personal rights: (20) To be protected from involuntary transfers, discharges, and evictions. A licensee shall not involuntarily transfer or evict residents for reasons other than those permitted by state law or regulations and shall comply with all eviction and relocation protections for residents…” This requirement was not met, as evidenced by:	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	Based LPA observation and interviews, R1 was discharged from the hospital to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) on a short-term basis, and R1’s representative is seeking another care facility for R1. Licensee agreed to have the facility administrator [Staff #1 (S1)] complete retraining on correct eviction procedures for RCFE, led by a third-party instructor (preferably a CEU education vendor already approved by CCLD). Licensee agreed to E-mail the proof of training completion to LPA, by 02/21/2026.
	8 9 10 11 12 13 14	Based on records and interviews, Licensee did not ensure that 1 of 6 residents (R1) in their privately operated residential care facility for the elderly was protected from involuntary eviction. This posed a potential health, safety, and personal rights risk to persons in care.	8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Simon Jacob
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Dang Nguyen
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 01/21/2026

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 01/21/2026

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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