Has Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center been fined?

CMS lists no fines in the last three years.

Does Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center accept Medicaid?

It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.

Who owns Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center?

CMS lists 9 owners and managers. Legal business name: THE CHEROKEE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY.

Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Centre AL

The record in brief

At its most recent standard inspection, on December 11, 2025, inspectors cited 10 health deficiencies (the Alabama average is 4, the national average 9.2).

None of its 12 health citations since September 2018 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.

CMS lists no fines against this home in the last three years.

Nurses and nurse aides worked 4.74 hours per resident per day, against 3.88 across Alabama and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 0.66 of those hours.

34.8% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Alabama average 46.9%).

Health inspections

Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.

Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.

109/18

111/19

1012/25

Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit

Where its citations fall on CMS's grid

CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 12 health citations on file.

Severity

Isolated

Pattern

Widespread

Immediate jeopardy

Actual harm

Potential for more than minimal harm

Potential for minimal harm

December 11, 2025Standard inspection, Complaint inspection · 10 citations

F

Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.

F804 · Nutrition and Dietary · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 31, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observation, interview, record review, recipe review and facility policy review, the facility failed to serve food that was palatable and at an acceptable temperature to four of five residents (Resident (R) 5, R47, R144, and R139) reviewed for food palatability out of 36 sampled residents. This failure had the potential to affect 156 residents who consumed food prepared from the facility's kitchen and could result in residents skipping meals and experiencing weight loss.
F

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

F812 · Nutrition and Dietary · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 31, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observation, interview, and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure two kitchen ovens, and two kitchen drawers' housing food preparation and service equipment were kept clean. Additionally, the facility failed to ensure food was stored off the floor and failed to label, date, and cover stored food. These failures had the potential to create an environment for food-borne illnesses which could affect 156 residents who consumed food prepared from the facility's kitchen.
D

Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances.

F585 · Resident Rights · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 15, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on record review, interviews, and review of facility policy, the facility failed to identify a concern as a grievance for one of 36 sampled residents (Resident (R) 178). Family Member (F) 178 requested a meeting with the facility and voiced a concern on behalf of R178 related to the physical condition of the resident upon the resident's discharge from the facility; however, the facility did not identify the concern as a grievance and did not provide any resolution to the concern. The failure has the potential to affect resident and/or family members by not having their grievances/concerns resolved in a timely manner. This was cited as a result of the investigation of complaint #474077.
D

Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.

F628 · Resident Rights · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · found on a complaint visit · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 20, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on record review, interview, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure the resident and resident representative (RP) received a written notice of transfer that included all required information for two of three residents (Resident (R) 6 and R60) reviewed for facility initiated emergent transfer to the hospital out of 36 sampled residents. In addition, the transfer notice document did not identify the specific reason the resident was being transferred to the hospital. This failure had the potential to affect the resident and/or RP not having the knowledge of where and why a resident was transferred. This was cited as a result of the investigation of complaint #474077.
D

Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.

F641 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 28, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on record review, interview, review of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual, the facility failed to ensure an accurate Minimum Data Set (MDS) was submitted to include the correct PASSAR Level II status for two of 36 sampled residents (Resident (R) 10, and R35). The failure to code the MDS correctly could potentially lead to inaccurate federal reimbursements, and inaccurate assessment and care planning of the residents.
D

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

F658 · Resident Assessment and Care Planning · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 20, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews, record review, and facility policy, the facility failed to follow professional standards of practice when a Licensed Practical (LPN) Nurse prepared a resident's medications, and then another nurse administered the medications to the resident. administered medications that he/she did not personally prepare Additionally, the LPN documented on the medication administration record (MAR) the administration of the medications even though the LPN was not the nurse who administered the medications. The deficient practice could result in medication errors.
D

Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason.

F676 · Quality of Life and Care · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 19, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to honor resident requests to be transferred from the bed to the wheelchair for one of five residents (Resident (R) 7) reviewed for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) assistance out of 36 sampled residents. This failure had the potential for the resident to experience a decline in mobility and increased depression.
D

Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.

F688 · Quality of Life and Care · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 20, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on record review, interview and policy review, the facility failed to ensure that one of one resident reviewed for restorative services (Resident (R) 5) out of 36 sampled residents, received the restorative care prescribed by physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) during the restorative nursing program. This deficient practice had the potential for the resident to experience a decline in physical abilities.
D

Provide safe, appropriate dialysis care/services for a resident who requires such services.

F698 · Quality of Life and Care · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 12, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observation, record review, interview and policy review, the facility failed to document the monitoring and assessing of residents' dialysis access site and failed to document on residents' condition for one of one resident reviewed for dialysis (Resident (R) 5) when he/she returned to the facility post dialysis treatment out of 36 sampled residents. The facility's deficient practice had the potential for the resident to experience a decline in his/her medical condition.
D

Ensure medication error rates are not 5 percent or greater.

F759 · Pharmacy Service · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 29, 2026

Inspectors wroteBased on observation, interview, record review, and facility policy review, the facility failed to ensure a medication error rate of less than 5%. Observations during medication administration revealed 35 opportunities with two total medication errors, resulting in an error rate of 5.71%. During observations, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 2 administered bothR147 and R42 incorrect dosages of medications. These failures had the potential to cause adverse drug reactions in the event of overdosing or lack of effectiveness of the medications in the event of underdosing.

November 21, 2019Standard inspection · 1 citation

D

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

F689 · Quality of Life and Care · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolated · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) January 20, 2020

Inspectors wroteBased on record reviews and interviews, the facility failed to ensure two Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) assisted (Resident Identifier) RI #120 with toileting needs on 10/15/19 which resulted in an avoidable fall. This had the potential to affect one of three sampled residents whose falls were reviewed. Findings Included: RI #120 was readmitted to the facility on [DATE] with diagnoses that included Personal History of Traumatic Brain Injury and Contracture of the Left Hand. On 11/18/19 pm, during the initial tour of the facility, RI #120 revealed to the surveyor falling off the bed when the bed pan was being removed on 10/15/19. A review of a fall incident report dated 10/15/2019 at 6:28 PM revealed: . resident on the floor . The fall incident report further revealed: TYPE of Injury Abrasion, Redness and Pain to right Knee . [...]

September 20, 2018Standard inspection · 1 citation

F

Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.

F812 · Nutrition and Dietary · No actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, widespread · Corrected (the home has a date of correction) October 22, 2018

Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews and review of facility's policies titled Dietary _ Food Storage, Dietary Dish Machine, and Date Marking for Food Safety, the facility failed to ensure: 1. chicken breasts and biscuits were wrapped properly in the freezer; 2. a loaf of bread was not expired on a counter; 3. a scoop was not left in the corn meal and; 4. bowls were not wet nesting at the tray line. This had the potential to affect 164 of 164 residents who received meals from the kitchen.

Fire safety inspections

11 fire safety citations on file: 8 on December 11, 2025, 1 on November 21, 2019, 2 on September 20, 2018.

Every fire safety citation11 citations

F
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.

K 351 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
F
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

K 353 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
E
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.

K 321 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
E
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.

K 372 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Install corridor and hallway doors that block smoke.

K 363 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.

K 511 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Have restrictions on the use of portable space heaters.

K 781 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.

K 923 · December 11, 2025 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.

K 345 · November 21, 2019 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
E
To conduct inspection, testing and maintenance of fire doors by qualified individuals.

K 761 · September 20, 2018 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)
D
Have approved installation, maintenance and testing program for fire alarm systems.

K 345 · September 20, 2018 · Corrected (the home has a date of correction)

Fines and payment denials

CMS lists no fines or payment denials against this home in the last three years. The national average is 0.9 fines per home.

Staffing

Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.

Measure	This home	Alabama	United States
All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides)	4.74	3.88	3.86
Registered nurses	0.66	0.65	0.69
All nursing staff on weekends	4.29	3.26	3.42
Nurse aides	3.44
Licensed practical nurses	0.65
Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year)	34.8%	46.9%	45.8%
Registered nurse turnover	29.2%	39.5%	42.9%
Administrators who left	0

CMS expects 3.52 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.

Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records

Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 4.93 on weekdays and 4.29 on weekends, 13% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 0.0% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 4.96 in April to June 2025 to 4.74 in January to March 2026.

Quarter	All nursing staff	Registered nurses	Weekdays	Weekends	Contract staff share	Days with no RN hours	Residents a day
Jan to Mar 2026	4.74	0.66	4.93	4.29	0.0%	0 of 90	159
Oct to Dec 2025	4.89	0.70	5.07	4.43	0.0%	0 of 92	161
Jul to Sep 2025	4.93	0.77	5.12	4.43	0.0%	0 of 92	156
Apr to Jun 2025	4.96	0.61	5.16	4.45	0.0%	0 of 91	154
United States, Jan to Mar 2026	3.75	0.62	3.92	3.33	5.3%	0.5% of days
Alabama, Jan to Mar 2026	3.88	0.63	4.13	3.27	0.9%	0.2% of days

Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.

Staff pay reports

Staff pay at this home

No staff pay figure for this home has passed review yet. A figure appears only after at least 5 reports from at least 3 different people, sent over at least 60 days, have passed review.

Official wage estimates for Alabama

Job	Median	Middle half	Employed
Alabama, all employers
CNAs (nursing assistants)	$16.41	$14.45 to $17.49	25,250
LPNs and LVNs	$27.42	$23.15 to $29.71	11,580
Registered nurses	$37.06	$30.53 to $40.09	54,340
United States, nursing care facilities
CNAs (nursing assistants)	$20.67	$17.91 to $22.55	534,270
LPNs and LVNs	$33.86	$30.05 to $37.40	188,210
Registered nurses	$41.11	$37.85 to $47.68	142,270

Hourly wages; the middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. BLS has no separate estimate for medication aides. These are survey estimates for whole occupations, not figures for any one home.

How staff pay reports work · CNA pay by state

Quality measures

The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.

Measure	This home	Alabama	US
Percentage of long-stay residents whose need for help with daily activities has increased Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	17.8	12.0	13.9
Percentage of long-stay residents with a catheter inserted and left in their bladder Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	2.0	0.9	0.8
Percentage of long-stay residents with a urinary tract infection Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	0.7	2.4	1.6
Percentage of long-stay residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	2.7	3.3	3.2
Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	0.9	2.0	1.6
Percentage of long-stay residents whose ability to walk independently worsened Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	17.8	12.1	14.1
Percentage of long-stay residents with pressure ulcers Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	2.2	5.4	4.6
Percentage of long-stay residents who received an antipsychotic medication Long Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1	27.9	21.2	15.4
Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231	34.0	24.8	23.8
Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231	13.5	11.3	12.0
Number of hospitalizations per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231	2.6	2.0	1.9
Number of outpatient emergency department visits per 1000 long-stay resident days Long Stay residents, 20250101-20251231	1.6	1.7	1.8

Short-term rehab results

For a stay to recover after a hospital visit, these are the results CMS publishes for Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center's Medicare short-stay residents. On returning residents home or to the community, CMS rates it no different from the national rate (55.6% of residents, after adjusting for how sick they were). How to read these, and what Medicare pays for.

Went home or back to the community

55.6% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 51.5% · Alabama: 41 better, 10 worse

Rate of successful return to home or community from a SNF (risk-standardized discharge to community rate). Higher is better. October 2022 to September 2024. 172 eligible stays.

Potentially preventable readmissions

11.3% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 10.7% · Alabama: 1 better, 3 worse

Rate of potentially preventable hospital readmissions 30 days after discharge from a SNF (risk-standardized rate). Lower is better. October 2022 to September 2024. 160 eligible stays.

Infections that led to a hospital stay

6.6% this home

No different from the national rate

US median of homes 7.1% · Alabama: 0 better, 1 worse

Percentage of infections residents got during their SNF stay that resulted in hospitalization (risk-standardized rate). Lower is better. October 2023 to September 2024. 94 eligible stays.

Self-care and mobility at discharge

50.0% this home

Median of homes: Alabama50.0% · US 56.6%

Percentage of residents who are at or above an expected ability to care for themselves and move around at discharge. Higher is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 84 residents counted.

Falls with major injury

1.6% this home

Median of homes: Alabama0.0% · US 0.0%

Percentage of SNF residents who experience one or more falls with major injury during their SNF stay. Lower is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 125 residents counted.

New or worsened pressure ulcers

0.0% this home

Median of homes: Alabama2.1% · US 1.7%

Percentage of residents with pressure ulcers or pressure injuries that are new or worsened (adjusted rate). Lower is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 125 residents counted.

Medication list given at discharge

100.0% this home

Median of homes: Alabama100.0% · US 98.7%

Percentage of residents where the SNF provided a current medication list to the resident, family, and/or caregiver at final discharge. Higher is better. October 2024 to September 2025. 34 residents counted.

Source: CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program - Provider Data, released 2026-09-30. Better, no different and worse are CMS's own comparisons with the national rate, after adjusting for how sick residents were. Medians of homes and the state counts are worked out by us from the same file.

Owners and operators

Legal business name: THE CHEROKEE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY.

Name	Role	Type	Since
Ellis, John	Corporate director	Individual	01/27/2013
Preferred Health Services Inc	Operational/managerial control	Organization	01/01/1990
The Cherokee County Health Care Authority	Operational/managerial control	Organization	01/01/1990
Cambron, Jennifer	Operational/managerial control	Individual	06/01/2023
Preferred Health Services Inc	Adp of the SNF	Organization	04/09/2025
The Cherokee County Health Care Authority	Adp of the SNF	Organization	01/01/1990
Cambron, Jennifer	Adp of the SNF	Individual	06/01/2023
Frickey, Sheri	Adp of the SNF	Individual	11/23/2021
Gaspar, Enrico	Adp of the SNF	Individual	12/01/2021

As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.

Questions to ask on a visit

Chosen from this home's own inspection record.

How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 4 problems in this area, most recently on December 11, 2025: "Ensure residents do not lose the ability to perform activities of daily living unless there is a medical reason."
Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 3 problems in this area, most recently on December 11, 2025: "Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature."
How do residents and families raise a complaint or grievance, and how fast is it answered?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on December 11, 2025: "Honor the resident's right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal and the facility must establish a grievance policy and make prompt efforts to resolve grievances."
When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on December 11, 2025: "Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment."

Other nursing homes nearby

Collinsville Healthcare & Rehab
Collinsville, 13.4 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 8 citations
Piedmont Health Care Center
Piedmont, 18 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 3 citations
Northside Health Care
Gadsden, 19.1 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 12 citations
Crowne Health Care of Ft Payne
Fort Payne, 20.2 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 4 citations
Crossville Health and Rehabilitation, LLC
Crossville, 20.7 mi · 5 of 5 stars · 12 citations
Coosa Valley Health and Rehab
Glencoe, 20.9 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 23 citations
Gadsden Health and Rehab Center
Gadsden, 24.3 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 6 citations
McGuffey Health & Rehabilitation Center
Gadsden, 24.5 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 7 citations

Alabama contacts for a concern about a nursing home

These are the official offices in Alabama. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.

Inspections and complaints: Alabama Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Provider Standards, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
Resident advocate: Alabama Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, 334-242-5753. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
State inspection reports: Alabama Health Care Facilities Deficiencies, where Alabama publishes its own records on licensed homes.

Common questions

What is Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center's Medicare star rating?: CMS rates Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center 2 out of 5 stars overall, with 1 for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 3 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
How many deficiencies did Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center get at its last inspection?: 10 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on December 11, 2025. The Alabama average is 4.
Has Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center been fined?: CMS lists no fines in the last three years.
Does Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center accept Medicaid?: It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
Who owns Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center?: CMS lists 9 owners and managers. Legal business name: THE CHEROKEE COUNTY HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY.

Sources

Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.