Your report for Mescalero Care Center
Overall Score
CMS Five-Star Quality RatingMuch below averageCMS Five-Star overall rating
- Much below average
- Below average
- Average
- Above average
- Much above average
Where it ranks
- New MexicoLowest tier among peers67 rated homes · average 2.8★
- United StatesLowest tier among peers14,574 rated homes · average 3.0★
How the rating is built
- Health inspectionsStarting point1★−1.7 vs NM avg
- StaffingCan add or remove a star—
- Quality measuresCan add or remove a star—
CMS starts from the health inspection stars, then adds or subtracts a star for staffing and for quality measures. Stars are assigned relative to other facilities in the same state.
Ratings & measures
Tap a row to see what it meansHealth inspection ratingCMS stars from the last three on-site inspection cycles1★Lowest tier among peersNM avg2.7★U.S. avg2.8★
What is health inspection rating?
Stars assigned from the last three standard surveys and every complaint investigation in that window, weighted toward the most recent and the most serious findings. CMS assigns these stars relative to other facilities in the same state.
Why it matters
It carries the most weight in the overall rating and is the only domain based on what trained inspectors saw on site rather than what the facility reported.
Staffing ratingCMS stars from payroll-reported hours and turnover—No dataNM avg2.6★U.S. avg2.9★
What is staffing rating?
Nurse and aide hours per resident day from payroll records CMS collects every quarter, adjusted for how much care residents need, plus staff turnover and weekend coverage.
Why it matters
More hours and lower turnover are the strongest predictors of fewer falls, pressure sores, and avoidable hospital stays.
Quality measures ratingCMS stars from clinical outcomes and resident assessments—No dataNM avg3.7★U.S. avg3.6★
What is quality measures rating?
Clinical outcomes from resident assessments and Medicare claims: falls with injury, pressure ulcers, hospitalizations, antipsychotic use, and more, for both short-stay and long-stay residents.
Why it matters
It shows whether care is working, but part of it comes from the facility’s own assessments, so read it alongside the inspection results.
Total nurse hoursPer resident per day, all nursing staff—hrsNo dataNM avg3.56Benchmark4.10
What is total nurse hours?
All licensed nurse and aide hours worked, divided by the number of residents, on an average day. Reported from payroll, not self-reported.
Why it matters
Federal research links 4.1 hours a day to fewer avoidable harms. Below about 3 hours, residents wait longer for help with basics like toileting and repositioning.
RN hoursPer resident per day, registered nurses only—hrsNo dataNM avg0.62Benchmark0.75
What is rn hours?
Registered nurse hours only. RNs assess residents, manage medications, and catch changes in condition; LPNs and aides deliver most hands-on care.
Why it matters
RN coverage is the staffing measure most tied to fewer hospital transfers and infections, and it is where thinly staffed facilities cut first.
Nursing staff turnoverShare of nursing staff who left within a year · lower is better—No dataNM avg53%RN turnover—
What is nursing staff turnover?
The share of nursing staff who left within the past year, from the same payroll data.
Why it matters
High turnover means residents are cared for by people who do not know them, and it is one of the strongest predictors of inspection problems.
Fines in the last three yearsCivil money penalties imposed by CMS · lower is better$32,110Above only 43% of peersNM avg$49,432Fines · denials5 · 0
What is fines in the last three years?
Civil money penalties CMS imposed after serious or uncorrected deficiencies, and denials of Medicare payment for new admissions.
Why it matters
Penalties follow the worst inspection findings. A recent fine is the clearest sign that inspectors found real harm.
Inspection history
Last three inspection cycles62citations
5inspection dates
0actual harm (G–I)
0immediate jeopardy (J–L)
Dec 5, 2025most recent
Citations by monthApr 2023 – Dec 2025
- No actual harm (D–F)
- Actual harm (G–I)
- Immediate jeopardy (J–L)
- $Fine or payment denial
Click to filter the findings below
Showing
Click a month or a year to filter the findings below. Arrow keys move between months; Esc clears.
Dec 5, 2025Cycle 1worst E · no actual harm
- F609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and ExploitationD · isolatedCorrection pending
- F568Properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money which is deposited with the nursing home.Resident RightsE · patternCorrection pending
- F600Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and ExploitationE · patternCorrection pending
- F658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrection pending
May 19, 2025Cycle 1worst F · no actual harm
- F636Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- Encode each residentâs assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- Conduct mandatory training, for all staff, on the facilityâs Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program.AdministrationE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F552Ensure that residents are fully informed and understand their health status, care and treatments.Resident RightsD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F580Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident.Resident RightsE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F605Prevent the use of unnecessary psychotropic medications or use medications that may restrain a resident's ability to function.Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and ExploitationE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F628Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.Resident RightsE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- Assure that each residentâs assessment is updated at least once every 3 months.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F637Assess the resident when there is a significant change in conditionResident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F641Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F655Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admittedResident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F658Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F679Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Quality of Life and CareD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F712Ensure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.Nursing and Physician ServicesE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F730Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.Nursing and Physician ServicesE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F756Ensure a licensed pharmacist perform a monthly drug regimen review, including the medical chart, following irregularity reporting guidelines in developed policies and procedures.Pharmacy ServiceE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F791Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F801Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician.Nutrition and DietaryF · widespreadCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Nutrition and DietaryF · widespreadCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F941Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program that includes effective communications for direct care staff members.AdministrationE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F942Ensure that staff members are educated on resident rights and facility responsibilities to properly care for its residents.Resident RightsE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F943Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation.Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and ExploitationD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F945Include as part of its infection prevention and control program, mandatory training that includes written standards, policies, and procedures for the program.Infection ControlE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F947Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.Nursing and Physician ServicesE · patternCorrected Jul 18, 2025
- F949Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.AdministrationD · isolatedCorrected Jul 18, 2025
Feb 27, 2025Cycle 1worst E · no actual harm
- F561Honor the resident's right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice.Resident RightsE · patternCorrected Dec 17, 2024
May 22, 2024Cycle 2worst F · no actual harm
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Infection ControlF · widespreadCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F919Make sure that a working call system is available in each resident's bathroom and bathing area.EnvironmentalD · isolatedCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F949Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment.AdministrationE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, residentâs preferences and goals.Quality of Life and CareD · isolatedCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F636Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F657Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F688Provide 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.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F712Ensure that the resident and his/her doctor meet face-to-face at all required visits.Nursing and Physician ServicesE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F727Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.Nursing and Physician ServicesF · widespreadCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F791Provide or obtain dental services for each resident.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Nutrition and DietaryF · widespreadCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F867Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.AdministrationF · widespreadCorrected Aug 5, 2024
- F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Aug 5, 2024
Jun 15, 2023Cycle 3worst F · no actual harm
- F812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.Nutrition and DietaryE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F851Electronically submit to CMS complete and accurate direct care staffing information, based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data.AdministrationF · widespreadCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F947Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.Nursing and Physician ServicesF · widespreadCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- Encode each residentâs assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F636Assess the resident completely in a timely manner when first admitted, and then periodically, at least every 12 months.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F655Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admittedResident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F695Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F726Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.Nursing and Physician ServicesF · widespreadCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F727Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis.Nursing and Physician ServicesF · widespreadCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F730Observe each nurse aide's job performance and give regular training.Nursing and Physician ServicesF · widespreadCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F745Provide medically-related social services to help each resident achieve the highest possible quality of life.Quality of Life and CareE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F758Implement gradual dose reductions(GDR) and non-pharmacological interventions, unless contraindicated, prior to initiating or instead of continuing psychotropic medication; and PRN orders for psychotropic medications are only used when the medication is necessary and PRN use is limited.Pharmacy ServiceE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F761Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.Pharmacy ServiceE · patternCorrected Aug 31, 2023
- F842Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.Resident Assessment and Care PlanningD · isolatedCorrected Aug 31, 2023
Staffing
From quarterly payroll reportsHours per resident per day
- All nursing staffRNs, LPNs and aides combined—hrs
- Registered nursesRN hours only—hrs
- Licensed practical nursesLPN hours—hrs
- Nurse aidesCNA hours—hrs
- Weekend nursingAll staff on Saturdays and Sundays—hrs
- New Mexico average
- Research benchmark (4.10 total, 0.75 RN)
Turnover & capacity
- Nursing staff turnoverShare who left within a year · lower is better—NM avg 53%
- RN turnoverRegistered nurses only—Not ranked by CMS
- Administrators who leftIn the past year—
- Occupancy40 certified beds · ~1 residents a day3%Lowest tier among peersNM avg 81%
Fines & penalties
Roughly the past three yearsEnforcement summary
- $32,110In fines
- 5Fines
- 0Payment denials
- $49,432NM avg in fines
Above only 43% of peersFewer fines than 43% of rated homes in New Mexico
Actions on record
- May 30, 2023Civil money penalty$4,587
- May 23, 2023Civil money penalty$4,587
- May 15, 2023Civil money penalty$4,587
- May 8, 2023Civil money penalty$4,587
- Apr 17, 2023Civil money penalty$13,762
Ownership
As filed with CMSStructure
- Ownership type
- Non profit - Other
- Chain
- Independent
- Certification
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Location type
- Rural
- Ownership change
- None in the last 12 months
People and entities on file
Direct owners (5%+)
- Mescalero Apache Tribe
Operational or managerial control
- Mescalero Apache Tribe
- Carol Esquibel
Corporate directors
- Carol Esquibel
Corporate officers
- Nelva Cervantes
Person Organization
Sources & notes
Public data, updated quarterlyData sources
- CMS Care Compare · Provider InformationStar ratings, staffing hours, turnover, penalties and flags · processed February 2026.
- CMS Health CitationsEvery deficiency from the last three inspection cycles, with scope, severity and inspection cycle.
- CMS Penalties and Ownership filesCivil money penalties, payment denials, and the owners and managers on file.
Notes
- CMS Certification Number 325116 · 454 Lipan Avenue, Mescalero, NM, 88340.
- Percentiles compare this facility with every rated nursing home in New Mexico and Otero County. Turnover and fines are inverted so a high percentile is always good.
- This is an informational summary of public data, not medical, legal, or placement advice. Facilities cannot pay to change it; a facility that believes a record is wrong can dispute it with CMS.
