If you've pulled up a facility's inspection history, you've probably run into terms like "Type A citation" or "substantiated complaint" without much explanation. Here's a plain-English breakdown.
Citations: Type A vs. Type B
- Type A citations are the more serious category — violations that pose an immediate or substantial risk to resident health and safety (things like inadequate supervision leading to injury, or major medication errors).
- Type B citations are less severe — they indicate a violation of regulations that doesn't create a direct risk, such as incomplete paperwork or a missing posted notice.
A facility with zero citations isn't necessarily perfect, and a facility with a citation or two isn't necessarily unsafe — context matters. Look at the trend over time, not just the raw count.
Complaint outcomes
When someone files a complaint against a facility, the state investigates and closes it with one of a few outcomes:
- Substantiated — the state found evidence the complaint was valid
- Inconclusive — not enough evidence either way
- Unfounded — the state found no evidence supporting the complaint
What to actually look for
- Recent Type A citations (last 1-2 years) — the biggest red flag
- A pattern of repeat citations for the same issue
- Substantiated complaints, especially involving resident safety
- How long ago the facility's last inspection was — very old data means you're flying blind on current conditions
Always read the full official report, not just the summary — summaries (including AI-generated ones like the ones on this site) can miss nuance that matters for your specific situation.