Admission Criteria

Laguna Honda complies with California and federal laws pertaining to nondiscrimination. Residents are welcome at Laguna Honda regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, disability, HIV status or related condition, marital status, political affiliation, or age if over 16.

Applicants to Laguna Honda are screened for medical necessity and level of care prior to any admission processing.

Determination is made objectively on an individual case basis according to the following criteria:

  • Resident of the City & County of San Francisco
  • Primary diagnosis is a medical condition (not psychiatric) that requires nursing facility care (MD verified)
  • Existing physical or cognitive functional limitation requiring care that cannot be provided at a lower level (e.g. B&C, intermediary facility)
  • Requires active daily rehabilitation on an inpatient basis
  • Need for ongoing rehabilitation aimed at raising functional status

Administrative Requirements for admission include:

  • Completed Interfacility Referral form
  • Medi-Cal authorization # and Medicare eligibility data as available
  • Private insurance coverage verification and/or HMO disenrollment documentation
  • Thorough and updated medical information including medication list and tuberculosis status
  • Physician and nursing assessments including current ADL ability level

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Communicable disease for which appropriate isolation facilities are not available at LHH
  • Person under police hold unless 24-hour guards are provided by the Sheriff’s Department
  • Active substance use requiring higher level of care as determined by admission screening process
  • Mental illness or developmental disability requiring an organized program of active psychiatric intervention, according to Title A of the California Administrative Code, paragraph 278.2(1), (b), (c)
  • Ventilator dependent
  • Active medical problem requiring ICU care
  • Primary psychiatric diagnosis without coexisting dementia or other medical diagnosis requiring SNF or acute care
  • Highly restrictive restraints such as 4-point soft.
  • Significant likelihood of unmanageable behavior due to:
    • Actively suicidal
    • Dangerous to self or others
    • Violent or assaultive behavior
    • Criminal behavior including but not limited to possession of weapons, drug trafficking,
    • Possession or use of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia
    • Sexual predation