Aitkin Health Services

Name: Aitkin Health Services
Address: 301 MINNESOTA AVENUE SOUTH, Aitkin, MN, 56431, US
Telephone: 2189275514

301 Minnesota Avenue South, Aitkin, MN 56431 · Aitkin County · 42 certified beds · avg 33 residents/day · certified since Mar 9, 1967

Part of chain: ST. FRANCIS HEALTH SERVICES (14 facilities, chain avg rating 2.8★)

2/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

$8,824

Fines, last 3 years

4.68

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

What health inspectors found (on-site government inspections — the most independent evidence available)

Health inspection rating: ★★☆☆☆2/5 · CMS overall rating: 2/5

The health inspection star above is graded on a curve within each state — a set share of each state's facilities gets each star level — so a facility can have few citations and still rate 2–3 stars if others in its state did even better. The overall rating combines that inspection score with staffing and self-reported quality measures.

Most serious findings (actual harm or immediate jeopardy)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Dec 12, 2024 · F-0689 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.

Why it matters: This is one of the most common citations and directly relates to falls and injuries, which can be devastating for older adults.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Dec 30, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

▲ Actual harm, one-off · Jul 10, 2024 · F-0684 · triggered by a complaint

The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.

Why it matters: Care that strays from doctor's orders or ignores the resident's wishes can lead to declining health and avoidable harm.

Severity (G): One or a few residents were actually harmed — physically or emotionally — though not put in immediate danger of serious injury or death.

Corrected: Aug 5, 2024 (Deficient, Provider has date of correction)

All citations in the current public record (34)

CMS publishes roughly the last three inspection cycles plus recent complaint investigations. Older surveys drop out of the record as new ones are completed.

Date	Severity	What the facility was cited for
Jun 4, 2026	F · Potential for harm, facility-wide	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide.
Jun 4, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not get its food from approved, safe sources, or did not store, prepare, and serve food according to professional food safety standards.
Jun 4, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not develop and follow policies and procedures for offering residents flu and pneumonia vaccinations.
Jun 4, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not educate residents and staff about COVID-19 vaccination, offer the vaccine to those eligible after that education, or properly document everyone's vaccination status.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required. · from a complaint
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide the help residents need with basic daily activities — like bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom — for residents who cannot do these things on their own.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not help a resident get vision and hearing services — such as eye exams, glasses, hearing tests, or hearing aids.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide appropriate care related to bladder and bowel needs — including care for residents who use catheters and steps to prevent urinary tract infections.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility used feeding tubes without a valid medical reason or the resident's agreement, or did not provide proper care to residents who have feeding tubes.
Jun 4, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate respiratory care — such as oxygen, breathing treatments, or care for residents on breathing equipment — for residents who needed it.
May 15, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not give residents proper notice about what Medicare or Medicaid covers, or about charges the resident might owe for services that aren't covered.
May 15, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility gave residents unnecessary mind-altering (psychotropic) medications, or used drugs in a way that restrained residents by dulling their ability to think, move, or function.
May 15, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Apr 30, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not treat residents with dignity and respect, or did not honor their rights to make their own decisions and communicate freely. This is one of the most fundamental resident rights. · from a complaint
Mar 19, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Dec 12, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Jul 10, 2024	▲ G · Actual harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint
Jul 10, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not immediately notify the resident, their doctor, and a family member when something significant happened — such as an injury, a decline in health, or a room change. Families and doctors are entitled to know right away. · from a complaint
Jul 10, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation. · from a complaint
Jul 10, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not respond appropriately to alleged violations, such as reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. Facilities must investigate every allegation and protect residents while they do. · from a complaint
Jul 10, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not give the resident or their representative written notice of how long it would hold the resident's bed during a hospital stay or approved leave. · from a complaint
Apr 24, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint
Mar 7, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not develop a resident's complete plan of care within 7 days of the full assessment, or the plan wasn't prepared, reviewed, and updated by a team of health professionals as required.
Mar 7, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide proper care for pressure ulcers (bedsores) or did not do enough to prevent new ones from forming. Bedsores develop when residents stay in one position too long without help moving.
Mar 7, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have a licensed pharmacist review each resident's complete medication regimen and medical chart every month, or did not follow its own rules for reporting medication problems.
Mar 7, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits.
Jan 12, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide necessary behavioral health care and services — support for residents' mental and emotional wellbeing, including conditions like depression and anxiety. · from a complaint
Jan 12, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not try to gradually reduce doses of mood- and mind-altering medications or use non-drug approaches first, as required, or used 'as needed' psychiatric drugs without proper limits. · from a complaint
Dec 21, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals. · from a complaint
Dec 21, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not have or follow an effective program to prevent and control infections — such as proper hand washing, cleaning, and isolation practices. This is the most commonly cited deficiency nationwide. · from a complaint
Sep 8, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft to the proper authorities quickly enough, or did not report the results of its investigation. · from a complaint
Sep 8, 2023	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls. · from a complaint

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (3 → 12).

Year	Citations	Serious (G–L)	Worst severity that year
2023	4	0	D
2024	13	2	G ▲
2025	5	0	D
2026	12	0	F

Counts reflect the current CMS public record (~3 inspection cycles plus complaint investigations); years with no surveys show no row. Inspection frequency varies, so compare severity as well as counts.

Fines and enforcement (last 3 years)

1 fine totaling $8,824.

Date	Type	Amount / length
Dec 12, 2024	Fine	$8,824

Nurse staffing (from payroll records, adjusted for how much care residents need)

Measure	This facility	Minnesota avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	4.68	4.83	3.95	bottom 47% in Minnesota; top 19% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	1.32	1.22	0.69	top 31% in Minnesota; top 7% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	4.21	4.27	3.50	top 49% in Minnesota; top 17% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.72	0.69	0.48	top 34% in Minnesota; top 15% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	48.8	42.2	45.8	bottom 30% in Minnesota; bottom 40% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	33.3	38.6	42.9	top 45% in Minnesota; top 33% in the U.S.

Hours are per resident per day, case-mix adjusted by CMS so facilities caring for sicker residents can be compared fairly (same basis as the CMS staffing star). "Top X%" means better than most facilities: more staffing hours, or lower turnover. Raw (unadjusted) reported hours: total 4.21, RN 1.19, weekend 3.79. Staffing rating: 5/5.

Self-reported quality measures

Note: these ratings are based on data the facility reports about itself to CMS. They are not independently verified by inspectors, and can look better than inspection findings. Give more weight to the inspection results above.

Quality measures rating: 1/5 · long-stay residents: 1/5 · short-stay residents: —/5

Who owns this facility

Non profit - Church related

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
St. Francis Health Services of Morris, INC	Organization	Direct Ownership Interest	NOT APPLICABLE	08/16/2005
Arnold, Jill	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	09/15/2021
Arnold, Jill	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	09/15/2021
Bach, Curtis	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	08/28/2024
Bach, Curtis	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	08/28/2024
Bach, Curtis	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	08/24/2024
Bach, Curtis	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	08/28/2024
Bakke, Christine	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	09/30/2019
Bakke, Christine	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	09/30/2019
Big Stone Therapies, INC	Organization	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	02/03/2015
Big Stone Therapies, INC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	10/22/2025
Caspers, Megan	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	03/26/2018
Caspers, Megan	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	03/26/2018
Copeman, Jeffrey	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2025
Copeman, Jeffrey	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2025
Dionisopoulos, Mary	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	04/30/2024
Dionisopoulos, Mary	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	04/30/2024
Dripps, Daniel	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2016
Dripps, Daniel	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2016
Dripps, Daniel	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2016

Questions to ask on your visit

Generated from this facility's actual citation record — bring them to a tour and ask the administrator directly.

"What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
"What percentage of your residents and staff are vaccinated against flu and pneumonia, and how do you offer the vaccines?"
"How do you handle COVID-19 vaccination for residents and staff, and what happens during an outbreak?"
"Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
"How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
"What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
"Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

Nearby facilities (within 20 miles)

Facility	Distance	City	Overall	Inspection	Flags
Aicota Health Care Center	0.9 mi	Aitkin, MN	★★☆☆☆	2/5
Heartwood	11.3 mi	Crosby, MN	★★★★★	4/5

Compare this facility with the 2 closest →

All facilities in Aitkin →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 245119.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Aitkin Health Services

301 Minnesota Avenue South, Aitkin, MN 56431 · 2189275514

Health inspection rating 2/5 · CMS overall 2/5· Fines (3y): $8,824

Most serious findings on record:

▲ Dec 12, 2024 (F-0689, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not keep the environment free of accident hazards, or did not provide enough supervision to prevent accidents like falls.
▲ Jul 10, 2024 (F-0684, Actual harm, one-off): The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "What is your falls rate, and what specific steps do you take to prevent falls and supervise residents at risk?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
☐ "What percentage of your residents and staff are vaccinated against flu and pneumonia, and how do you offer the vaccines?"
☐ "How do you handle COVID-19 vaccination for residents and staff, and what happens during an outbreak?"
☐ "Who is on the team that builds each resident's care plan, and how quickly is it in place after admission?"
☐ "How many aides are on each shift, and how do you make sure every resident gets timely help with bathing, dressing, and meals?"
☐ "What is your current ratio of nursing staff to residents on day, evening, and weekend shifts?"
☐ "Can I see the results and plan of correction from your most recent state inspection?"

While you're there, notice:

☐ Smell and cleanliness in hallways, not just the lobby
☐ How staff speak to residents; call lights answered promptly
☐ Residents up, dressed, and engaged (visit mealtimes and a weekend if you can)

Data: CMS Provider Data Catalog, version 2026-08-01 · CCN 245119 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)