DOH Cites 4 People For Running Unlicensed Adult Care Homes

UPDATED: The care home operators deny wrongdoing.

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Four people were cited Thursday by state health officials for allegedly operating two illegal Kaneohe adult residential care homes and a home care agency.

The Hawaii Department of Health’s Office of Health Care Assurance (OHCA) ordered April M. Mabe, Dwayne N. Nasu, Ken Arima, and Linda Fong Arima to cease and desist operations of the unlicensed care homes and agency and pay penalty fees totaling $379,100. They have 20 days to contest the notice and order.

Keith Ridley, who heads the state Office of Health Care Assurance, said a few of his inspectors have been denied entry into a home while trying to determine if the facility was licensed.
The Office of Health Care Assurance, headed by Keith Ridley, levied fines of $379,000 against the operator of two unlicensed Kaneohe adult care homes and ordered the facilities closed. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

The two care homes were located at 45-1117 Cobb Adams Rd.

“The safety and wellbeing of our kupuna is our highest priority,” said Keith Ridley, OHCA chief, in a statement. “If anyone suspects unusual or illegal activity or is uncertain whether a facility is licensed, please reach out to us and report it.

“We are here to help ensure that our seniors are receiving quality care at licensed facilities and agencies throughout the state.”

In a public press release, a lawyer for the care home operators called the allegations “unsubstantiated” and said the accused denied wrongdoing.

The Notices of Violation and Order “were based on a mistaken conclusion that there was some relationship between Ms. Mabe and Cobb-Adams, LLC. There is not,” said Margery Bronster, a Honolulu former state attorney general who represents them.

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