New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that St. Margaret’s Center, a not-for-profit pediatric skilled nursing facility in Albany, will pay $1.3 million following an investigation that found years of resident neglect and repeated violations of state and federal nursing home laws.
The investigation, conducted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, found that between 2018 and 2023, St. Margaret’s repeatedly certified compliance with care standards while failing to provide adequate supervision, staffing, and medical care to chronically ill and disabled children and other residents covered by Medicaid. Deficiencies included missed anti-seizure medication doses, inadequate respiratory care, and failure to supervise residents, putting their health and safety at risk.
Under the settlement, St. Margaret’s will pay $707,200 to New York State and $592,800 to the federal government. The HHS Office of the Inspector General will monitor the facility for five years to ensure proper care.
“New York nursing home residents, especially children, always deserve high-quality care,” Attorney General James said. “For years, St. Margaret’s failed to follow the law and endangered vulnerable children. We will hold facilities accountable when residents are mistreated.”
The investigation began after whistleblowers filed complaints under the New York and federal False Claims Acts, which allow individuals to pursue claims on behalf of the government. St. Margaret’s admitted wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
This marks the fifth nursing home enforcement action under Attorney General James, following previous settlements and reforms at Van Duyn, Centers for Care, Fulton Commons, and Saratoga Center for Rehabilitation.
Anyone with information about nursing home abuse or neglect can file a confidential complaint online or call the OAG Medicaid Fraud Control Unit hotline at (833) 249-8499.
