The Tamalpais Complaints, Violations and Inspection Records
Data current as of the August 2026 CMS Care Compare release and the CDPH state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024. State citation records cover July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
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What the public record shows
If you are looking into The Tamalpais in Greenbrae, whether a loved one lives there now or you are considering it, the public record is worth reading before you decide. Federal and state inspectors publish what they find.
Here is what the record shows for this facility, drawn from CMS Care Compare and the California Department of Public Health:
- CMS overall rating: 5 of 5 stars. The health inspection rating, the most independent of the three categories, is 4 of 5.
- California state citations: 4 on record, including 4 class B, with $23,500 in assessed penalties.
- Staffing: 4.51 nursing hours per resident per day; registered nurse turnover 14.3%.
- Most recent standard inspection: 8 deficiencies cited on September 11, 2025.
- Federal enforcement: no federal fines on record in the reported period.
- Ownership: Sequoia Living Inc, non-profit.
The Tamalpais ratings and staffing
The Tamalpais is located at 501 Via Casitas in Greenbrae, Marin County. It is a non-profit facility operated by Sequoia Living Inc, with 52 certified beds and an average of 19.7 residents a day. It accepts Medicare.
CMS rates every certified nursing home in three separate categories, and the overall star is a blend of them:
- Health inspections, based on what state surveyors observe in person during unannounced visits. Weight this one most heavily, because it does not rely on data the facility reports about itself.
- Staffing, drawn from payroll-based records of how much nursing time each resident actually receives.
- Quality measures, built largely from data the facility submits. Read a high score here with more caution than the other two.
For The Tamalpais, those scores are: health inspections 4 of 5, staffing 5 of 5, quality measures 3 of 5.
Staffing. The Tamalpais reports 4.51 total nursing hours per resident per day, of which 1.58 are registered nurse hours. Over the reporting year, 40% of the nursing staff left. Registered nurses supervise aides, catch medication errors before they reach a resident, and notice when a person's condition is changing. Staffing is the single number that most reliably predicts whether a facility catches a problem early or lets it become a crisis.
How this home compares in the public record
CMS publishes each home's star rating and its payroll-based staffing hours, and it publishes the federal fines it has imposed. The county and California figures beside each number are the averages across those same published records.
These figures are taken from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). They are reported as published and are not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
Federal inspection findings and penalties
Scope and severity A to C means no actual harm, with potential for minimal harm. Scope and severity D to F means no actual harm, with potential for more than minimal harm. Scope and severity G to I means actual harm that is not immediate jeopardy. Scope and severity J to L means immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.
September 11, 2025, standard inspection
8 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for have 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, ensure the facility is licensed under applicable state and local law and operates and provides services in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and with accepted professional standards, and ensure 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.
- F0727Have 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. (scope and severity F)
- F0836Ensure the facility is licensed under applicable State and local law and operates and provides services in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and codes, and with accepted professional standards. (scope and severity F)
- F0761Ensure 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. (scope and severity E)
- F0628Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies. (scope and severity D)
- F0656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. (scope and severity D)
- F0684Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals. (scope and severity D)
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity D)
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity D)
December 8, 2023, standard inspection
5 deficiencies cited. Surveyors cited the facility for provide and implement an infection prevention and control program, give residents notice of medicaid/medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered, and assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition.
- F0880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. (scope and severity E)
- F0582Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered. (scope and severity D)
- F0637Assess the resident when there is a significant change in condition (scope and severity D)
- F0758Implement 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. (scope and severity D)
- F0761Ensure 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. (scope and severity D)
October 25, 2019, standard inspection
1 deficiency cited. Surveyors cited the facility for procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- F0812Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. (scope and severity F)
Penalties. CMS records show no federal fines for The Tamalpais in the reported period.
California state citations
California inspects and cites nursing homes separately from the federal government. The Department of Public Health issues three classes of citation. A class AA citation is a class A violation that the Department of Public Health determined was a direct proximate cause of a resident's death. A class A citation is a violation the Department determined presented an imminent danger of death or serious harm to residents, or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result. A class B citation is a violation the Department determined had a direct or immediate relationship to residents' health, safety or security, other than a class AA or A violation.
State records show 4 citations against The Tamalpais between March 22, 2000 and December 12, 2016: 4 class B, with $23,500 in assessed penalties. 1 of these actions were connected to a resident's death.
- December 12, 2016, class B, Patient Care. $2,000 penalty. Appealed.
- October 4, 2002, class B, Patient Care. $250 penalty. Appealed.
- September 5, 2002, class B, Patient Care. $250 penalty. Appealed.
- March 22, 2000, class B, Patient Care. $21,000 penalty. Appealed. Death-related.
Across Marin County's 11 certified facilities, the average is about 19.5 state citations per facility. The Tamalpais's 4 is below that average.
A citation marked "Appealed." is under appeal, so it is not a final determination. A citation records a determination by state surveyors. A citation does not by itself establish that any particular resident was injured or that the facility is liable to anyone.
Other nursing homes in Greenbrae
Families comparing options in Greenbrae often look at these facilities as well. Each link opens that facility's full public record:
- South Marin Health & Wellness Center, 4 stars, 15 state citations
- Marin Post Acute, 2 stars, 4 state citations (in Marin County)
- Pine Ridge Care Center, 5 stars, 49 state citations (in Marin County)
- Professional Post Acute Center, 3 stars, 32 state citations (in Marin County)
See every facility in the Marin County nursing home directory.
Other nursing homes in Marin County
These are other nursing homes in Marin County, listed by how close each home's ZIP code is to the ZIP code for The Tamalpais. The public record gives a street address but no coordinates, so distance is not measured; homes in the same ZIP code appear first. No rating or inspection figure is used to order this list.
- South Marin Health & Wellness Center, Greenbrae
- Marin Post Acute, San Rafael
- Northgate Postacute Care, San Rafael
- Pine Ridge Care Center, San Rafael
- Professional Post Acute Center, San Rafael
This list is drawn from public CMS Care Compare records as of August 2026 (the August 2026 release) and public CDPH records as of June 2024 (the state enforcement dataset of August 27, 2024). It is ordered by location only and is not a recommendation, endorsement or assessment of any facility by this firm. How these figures were assembled.
What to do if you are worried about care at this facility
You will usually notice something is wrong before anyone official does, and you do not need proof before you act. If you are concerned about care at The Tamalpais, you can take these steps:
Write down what you see. Note dates, times, and specific concerns, and photograph anything relevant. A clear, contemporaneous record matters if an investigation follows.
File a complaint with the California Department of Public Health. CDPH licenses and inspects skilled nursing facilities and investigates complaints, and a serious complaint can trigger an on-site inspection. You can file online through CDPH's Cal Health Find system, which routes your complaint to the Marin County licensing district office.
Contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. The ombudsman is a free advocate who will visit your loved one, look into your concerns, and press the facility on their behalf. Marin County's ombudsman program can be reached at (415) 473-7446. This is often the fastest first step when the issue is care quality rather than an emergency.
For the full walkthrough, see How to report nursing home abuse in California.
Injuries that most often signal neglect
The injuries below are the ones most often at issue in California nursing home cases. Any one of them at The Tamalpais is a reason to ask what the facility's own records show:
- Bedsores and pressure ulcers, especially a wound that reached stage 3 or 4
- Falls and fractures in a resident who was supposed to be supervised
- Wandering and elopement from a building that was not secured
- Dehydration and malnutrition
- Sepsis and untreated infections
- Medication errors
- Wrongful death, when neglect contributed to a resident's passing
Nursing home abuse claims in Marin County
If a loved one was harmed at The Tamalpais, these pages explain how Marin County families pursue the most common nursing home claims, each with local facility data and the county long-term care ombudsman:
- Marin County bedsore lawyer
- Marin County nursing home neglect lawyer
- Marin County nursing home fall lawyer
- Marin County nursing home wrongful death lawyer
You can also compare every home in the Marin County nursing home directory.
Are There Lawsuits Against The Tamalpais?
This page reports federal and state inspection, complaint and enforcement records for The Tamalpais. Those records are separate from civil lawsuits: a government citation is not a lawsuit, and a facility can be sued without ever being cited. This site does not track civil court filings. Civil cases against California skilled nursing facilities are usually filed in the Superior Court of the county where the facility is located; records for Marin County are searchable through the Marin County Superior Court's online case records. If your family member was injured at The Tamalpais, the records that matter most are usually the resident's own: nursing notes, care plans, fall-risk assessments, wound records, medication administration records, physician orders and incident reports. Talk to us about what happened.
Frequently asked questions
- Is The Tamalpais a good nursing home?
- CMS gives The Tamalpais an overall rating of 5 of 5 stars, with a health inspection rating of 4 of 5 based on in-person state surveys. California has issued 4 state citations against the facility. A rating is a starting point, not a verdict. Read it alongside the inspection dates and what you see for yourself.
- What should I do if my loved one was injured at The Tamalpais?
- Document the injury with dated photos, request the care plan and treatment records, and report your concern to the California Department of Public Health and the Marin County Long-Term Care Ombudsman. If the injury is serious, such as a bedsore, a fall, or an untreated infection, you can also speak with a nursing home attorney about whether you have a claim.
- Has The Tamalpais been fined or cited for serious violations?
- Public records show 4 California state citations with $23,500 in state penalties.
- How many state citations does The Tamalpais have?
- The California Department of Public Health has issued 4 citations against The Tamalpais in Greenbrae between March 22, 2000 and December 12, 2016: 4 class B, with $23,500 in assessed penalties.
- How do I report a problem at The Tamalpais?
- File a complaint with CDPH through its Cal Health Find system, or contact the Marin County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (415) 473-7446. In an emergency, call Adult Protective Services or 911.
If your loved one was harmed
We came to this work from the other side. We spent years defending nursing homes, which means we know how a facility builds a file to protect itself and where the gaps in that file tend to be. Under California's Elder Abuse Act (Welfare and Institutions Code sections 15600 to 15675), a family that proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that neglect was committed with recklessness, oppression, fraud or malice can recover remedies beyond an ordinary injury claim, including attorney's fees (section 15657).
If your loved one was harmed at The Tamalpais, talk to our Marin County nursing home abuse lawyers. We handle cases in Greenbrae and across California. The consultation is free and confidential, we are available around the clock, and you owe nothing unless we recover for you.
Call (888) 999-0169. Available 24/7. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
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Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Care Compare: The Tamalpais provider record, CCN 056077. Ratings, staffing, and federal deficiency data processed August 1, 2026.
- CMS Provider Data Catalog: Provider Information, Penalties, and Health Deficiencies datasets.
- California Department of Public Health, Cal Health Find: The Tamalpais state license record, FACID 010000985, license 10000376.
- California Department of Public Health, Health Facilities State Enforcement Actions dataset (CHHS Open Data), citations July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024.
Disclaimer
The inspection data, ratings, citations, staffing figures, and ownership information on this page come from public sources, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (medicare.gov) and the California Department of Public Health. This information is reported as published by those sources and may not reflect the most current findings or conditions at the facility. Deficiencies and citations listed may have been corrected or appealed since the date shown. Inclusion of The Tamalpais in this directory is not a statement, allegation, or suggestion that the facility has committed abuse, neglect, or any wrongdoing. This page is attorney advertising and an information resource. It is not legal advice, and using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Young & Wallin is not affiliated with The Tamalpais, and neither the facility nor any government agency endorses this page.