Lake Balboa Care Center

Name: Lake Balboa Care Center
Address: 16955 VANOWEN STREET, Van Nuys, CA, 91406, US
Telephone: 8183430700

16955 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys, CA 91406 · Los Angeles County · 50 certified beds · avg 46 residents/day · certified since May 1, 1972

Part of chain: THE ENSIGN GROUP (342 facilities, chain avg rating 3.2★)

3/5

Health inspection rating (on-site)

Serious findings on record

Fines, last 3 years

3.45

Nurse hours/resident/day (adjusted)

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

Health inspection rating: ★★★☆☆3/5 · CMS overall rating: 4/5

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.

All citations in the current public record (28)

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
Apr 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not develop or follow a complete care plan for each resident — the written roadmap covering all of a resident's needs, with measurable goals and timelines.
Apr 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide treatment and care that follows the doctor's orders and matches the resident's own preferences and goals.
Apr 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not keep residents free from significant medication errors — such as giving the wrong drug, the wrong dose, or missing a critical medication.
Apr 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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.
Apr 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not serve food and drinks that were appetizing, attractive, and at a safe and pleasant temperature.
Apr 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Apr 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
Apr 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not protect residents' personal information or did not keep complete, accurate medical records that meet professional standards.
Apr 12, 2026	B · Minimal risk, repeated	The facility had resident rooms smaller than required — at least 80 square feet per person in shared rooms and 100 square feet in single rooms.
Mar 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	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
Mar 12, 2026	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide enough food and fluids to keep residents healthy, such as preventing unplanned weight loss or dehydration. · from a complaint
Mar 12, 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. · from a complaint
Mar 12, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide food that accounts for each resident's allergies, intolerances, and personal preferences, or did not offer appealing alternatives. · from a complaint
Jan 26, 2026	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential. · from a complaint
Dec 5, 2025	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
Mar 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.
Mar 30, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not keep residents' personal and medical information private and confidential.
Mar 30, 2025	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not provide safe and appropriate pain management for a resident who needed it.
Mar 30, 2025	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.
Mar 30, 2025	B · Minimal risk, repeated	The facility had resident rooms smaller than required — at least 80 square feet per person in shared rooms and 100 square feet in single rooms.
Dec 18, 2024	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 13, 2024	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
Mar 21, 2024	E · Potential for harm, repeated	The facility did not provide pharmacy services that meet each resident's needs, or did not employ or contract with a licensed pharmacist.
Mar 21, 2024	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.
Mar 21, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not make reasonable adjustments to fit each resident's individual needs and preferences — things like call buttons within reach, preferred wake-up times, or accessible room setups.
Mar 21, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	The facility did not honor residents' rights to request, refuse, or stop treatment, to decline participation in medical research, or to make an advance directive — a written statement of their wishes for future medical care.
Mar 21, 2024	D · Potential for harm, one-off	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.
Mar 21, 2024	B · Minimal risk, repeated	The facility had resident rooms smaller than required — at least 80 square feet per person in shared rooms and 100 square feet in single rooms.

Inspection trend by year

Citations from standard inspections increased between the last two inspection cycles (5 → 9).

Year	Citations	Worst severity that year
2024	8	E
2025	6	D
2026	14	E

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)

No fines or payment denials in the published 3-year window.

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

Measure	This facility	California avg	U.S. avg	Where it stands
Total nurse staffing (hours per resident per day)	3.45	4.31	3.95	bottom 9% in California; bottom 34% in the U.S.
Registered Nurse hours	0.70	0.61	0.69	top 24% in California; top 36% in the U.S.
Weekend total nurse staffing	2.88	3.90	3.50	bottom 2% in California; bottom 25% in the U.S.
Weekend RN hours (not acuity-adjusted)	0.45	0.51	0.48	top 38% in California; top 40% in the U.S.
Total nursing staff turnover (%)	26.7	36.7	45.8	top 21% in California; top 9% in the U.S.
RN turnover (%)	30.0	38.1	42.9	top 38% in California; top 29% 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 4.95, RN 1.01, weekend 4.13. Staffing rating: 3/5.

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: 5/5 · long-stay residents: —/5 · short-stay residents: 5/5

Who owns this facility

For profit - Corporation

Owner / manager	Type	Role	Stake	Since
Barron, Craig	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Barron, Craig	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Barron, Craig	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Burnam, Soon	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	11/08/2022
Ensign Services INC	Organization	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	11/01/2022
Gamero, Alicia	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	01/01/2023
Keetch, Chad	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	03/01/2011
Port, Barry	Individual	Individual Is an Owner, Partner or Trustee of Any ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	06/29/2025
Sato, Ami	Individual	Corporate Officer	NOT APPLICABLE	09/09/2024
Shirazi, Keyvan	Individual	Managing Control - Governing Body	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Shirazi, Keyvan	Individual	Operational/Managerial Control	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Shirazi, Keyvan	Individual	ADP of the SNF	NOT APPLICABLE	02/01/2023
Willits, Adam	Individual	Corporate Director	NOT APPLICABLE	11/08/2022

Questions to ask on your visit

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

"Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
"How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
"What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
"Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
"Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
"What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
"Can I see where garbage is stored and how often it's removed?"
"How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
"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
California Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center	1.7 mi	Van Nuys, CA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Berkley Post-Acute	1.7 mi	Van Nuys, CA	★★★☆☆	2/5
Terrace Post Acute	1.9 mi	Van Nuys, CA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Park View Nursing and Subacute	2.3 mi	Reseda, CA	★★☆☆☆	1/5
Eisenberg Village	2.3 mi	Reseda, CA	★★★☆☆	3/5
Encino Hospital Medical Center D/P SNF	2.6 mi	Encino, CA	★★★★★	5/5
Northridge Care Center	2.6 mi	Reseda, CA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5
Tarzana Health and Rehabilitation Center	2.7 mi	Tarzana, CA	★☆☆☆☆	1/5	abuse
Joyce Eisenberg Keefer Medical Center D/P SNF	2.9 mi	Reseda, CA	★★★★☆	3/5
The Meadows Post Acute	3.0 mi	Panorama City, CA	★★☆☆☆	1/5
The Care Center on Hazeltine, LLC	3.4 mi	Van Nuys, CA	★★★★☆	3/5
Woodland Care Center	3.5 mi	Reseda, CA	★★☆☆☆	1/5	SFF

Compare this facility with the 3 closest →

All facilities in Van Nuys →

Facility data as of CMS processing date 2026-08-01. CCN 056180.

The Care File

Visit checklist — Lake Balboa Care Center

16955 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys, CA 91406 · 8183430700

Health inspection rating 3/5 · CMS overall 4/5· Fines (3y): $0

Questions for the administrator:

☐ "Can you show me an example care plan, and how are families included when it's created and updated?"
☐ "How do you make sure each resident's care follows the doctor's orders, and what changed after this citation?"
☐ "What systems do you use to prevent medication errors, and what happens when one occurs?"
☐ "Who leads your infection prevention program, and how do you make sure staff follow practices like hand hygiene every day?"
☐ "Could I join residents for a meal to see the food quality and temperature for myself?"
☐ "What did your most recent kitchen inspection find, and can I see how food is stored and prepared?"
☐ "Can I see where garbage is stored and how often it's removed?"
☐ "How do you keep residents' medical records accurate, complete, and secure?"
☐ "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 056180 · Verify at medicare.gov/care-compare · Printed from The Care File (thecarefile.com)