Assisted Living and Memory Care
River Valley Place of Ottumwa
173 East Rochester Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501 · Map
Licensed for 100 residents
River Valley Place of Ottumwa is a state-licensed assisted living, memory care community in Ottumwa, Iowa. It is licensed for 100 residents. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for this community; the details below come from the state licensing record.
Prices
This community does not publish its prices.
Area costs
Lilisity’s independent report
What the public record shows
Gathered by Lilisity from state and federal sources. Communities can’t edit this part of the page.
State inspections
Last recertification or initial survey: Apr 15, 2026. See the record
License
Active, 100 residents
Assisted Living Program, dementia specific S0259.
Nearest emergency room
2.4 miles
Ottumwa Regional Health Center, rated 2 of 5 stars by CMS.
Side by side with nearby communities
The 4 nearest communities that offer assisted living, by straight-line distance. Prices are starting prices each community publishes; we never show estimates.
| Community | Distance | Licensed capacity | Published starting price | License | Inspection citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Valley Place of Ottumwa this community | 100 | Not published | Active | 17 state violations in 3 years | |
| Kindred House of Ottumwa | 0.8 mi | 62 | Not published | Active | No record |
| Pennsylvania Place AL | 2.5 mi | 134 | Not published | Active | 2 state violations in 3 years |
| Pennsylvania Place | 2.5 mi | 102 | Not published | Active | No record |
| Good Samaritan Society - Timber Ridge | 4.8 mi | 48 | $1,613/mo | Active | 4 state violations in 3 years |
State inspection record17 state violations in 3 years
- Last recertification or initial survey
- April 15, 2026
- Visits in three years
- 6
- Complaint visits in three years
- 4
- State violations (all visits)
- 17
- State fines in three years
- 1 ($500 after adjustment)
- Certification expires
- July 19, 2027
- Certified since 2007
Visits (newest first)
- August 6, 2026: Incident, 2 state violations · report
- Program policies and procedures. The program's policies and procedures on allegations of dependent adult abuse shall be consistent with Iowa Code chapter 235E and rules adopted pursuant to that chapter and, at a minimum, include staff and employee' reporting requirements and requirement for victim and abuser to be separated. 481 IAC 67.2(2)
- The service plan shall be individualized and shall indicate, at a minimum: a. The tenant's identified needs and preferences for assistance; 481 IAC 69.26(4)a
- April 15, 2026: Recertification, Complaint, Incident, 4 state violations · report
- Evaluation within 30 days of occupancy. A program shall evaluate each tenant's functional, cognitive and health status within 30 days of occupancy. The evaluation shall be conducted by a health care professional, a human service professional, or a licensed practical nurse via nurse delegation when the tenant has not exhibited a significant change. 481 IAC 69.22(2)
- When a tenant needs personal care or health-related care, the service plan shall be updated within 30 days of the tenant's occupancy and as needed with significant change, but not less than annually. 481 IAC 69.26(3)
- If a significant change triggers the review and update of the service plan, the updated service plan shall be signed and dated by all parties. 481 IAC 69.26(3)a
- Nurse Review 481 IAC 69.27(2)c
- November 10, 2025: Complaint, 1 state violation · report
- The program shall follow the policies and procedures established by the program. 481 IAC 67.2(3)
- November 19, 2024: Complaint Revisit (revisit), no state violations listed
- November 19, 2024: Complaint, Incident, no state violations listed · report
- March 26, 2024: Recertification, Complaint, Incident, 10 state violations; Fining & Citation · report · citation
- Program policies and procedures. The program's policies and procedures on allegations of dependent adult abuse shall be consistent with Iowa Code chapter 235E and rules adopted pursuant to that chapter and, at a minimum, include staff and employee' reporting requirements and requirement for victim and abuser to be separated. 481 IAC 67.2(2)
- The program shall follow the policies and procedures established by the program. 481 IAC 67.2(3)
- Tenant Rights. To receive care, treatment and services which are adequate and appropriate. 481 IAC 67.3(2)
- When medications are administered traditionally by the program, medications shall be kept in a locked place or container that is not accessible to persons other than employees responsible for the administration or storage of such medications. 481 IAC 67.5(2)f(2)
- Number of staff. A sufficient number of trained staff shall be available at all times to fully meet tenants' identified needs. 481 IAC 67.9(1)
Show all 9
- Evaluation of tenant prior to occupancy. A program shall evaluate each prospective tenant's functional, cognitive and health status prior to the tenant's signing the occupancy agreement and taking occupancy of a dwelling unit in order to determine the tenant's eligibility for the program, including whether the services needed are available. The cognitive evaluation shall utilize a scored, objective tool. When the score from the cognitive evaluation indicates moderate cognitive decline and risk, the Global Deterioration Scale shall be used at all subsequent intervals, if applicable. If the tenant subsequently returns to the tenant's mildly cognitively impaired state, the program may discontinue the GDS and revert to a scored cognitive screening tool. The evaluation shall be conducted by a health care professional, human service professional, or a licensed practical nurse via nurse delegation. 481 IAC 69.22(1)
- Evaluation within 30 days of occupancy. A program shall evaluate each tenant's functional, cognitive and health status within 30 days of occupancy. The evaluation shall be conducted by a health care professional, a human service professional, or a licensed practical nurse via nurse delegation when the tenant has not exhibited a significant change. 481 IAC 69.22(2)
- Evaluation of tenant. Evaluation annually and with significant change. A program shall evaluate each tenant's functional, cognitive and health status as needed with significant change, but not less than annually, to determine the tenant's continued eligibility for the program and to determine any changes to services needed,. The evaluation shall be conducted by a health care professional, a human service professional, or a licensed practical nurse via nurse delegation when the tenant has not exhibited a significant change. A licensed practical nurse shall not complete the evaluation when the tenant has exhibited a significant change. 481 IAC 69.22(3)
- and 2 more
State fines
- Visit March 26, 2024: fine issued April 23, 2024, $500; paid $500, owed $0 (enforcement no. 10320)
DIAL Health Facility Database record → (River Valley Place of Ottumwa)
What these terms mean
DIAL's Health Facility Database lists each visit to the program, the number of state violations found, and any certification or licensure action and fine that followed. The scanned report for each visit is linked; it holds the inspectors' findings in full.
Recertification: DIAL's routine survey of the program for its certification. Complaint: a visit to look into a complaint. Incident: a visit to look into an incident the program reported. Initial: the survey of a new program. A revisit is a follow-up visit after an earlier one. A visit can be more than one type.
Iowa Code 231C.14 lets DIAL fine an assisted living program for “noncompliance with any regulatory requirements which presents an imminent danger or a substantial probability of resultant death or physical harm to a tenant,” for continued failure to comply after notice, or for interfering with an inspector. A fine is reduced by 35 percent when the program does not contest it and pays within 30 days; the Assessed Fines Report shows this as “State Adjusted”. “State Susp” is the part suspended.
A complaint visit with no violations listed does not say whether the complaint was substantiated; the linked report does. This program is certified for 100 residents or units; larger programs are visited and cited more often, so read counts with size in mind. Source: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Health Facilities Division, data as of October 16, 2026. Always visit in person and ask the program about anything listed here.
License and ownershipActive license
- License type
- Assisted Living Program, dementia specific
- License number
- S0259
- License status
- Active
- Licensed capacity
- 100
- County
- Wapello County
- Administrator
- Doug Techel
Source: Iowa state licensing records (agency listing), retrieved 2026-09-09. Licensing status is a matter of public record; it is not a quality rating.
Administrator name from the Iowa licensing record, as of Sep 9, 2026.
Paying with Medicaid and other programsHow Medicaid pays for care in Iowa, and other programs
How Medicaid pays for care in Iowa
- Elderly (E) Waiver, Assisted Living Service. Iowa Medicaid's Elderly Waiver, for people 65 and older, lists "Assisted Living Service" among its services. Waiver slots can have waiting lists. (state page)
- Waitlist. Iowa HHS says there is currently no waitlist for the Elderly Waiver, and that this could change. (source)
Ask the community whether it accepts Medicaid.
Location and nearby careNearest hospital 2.4 mi, nursing home 3.0 mi, pharmacy 0.7 mi
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Ottumwa Regional Health Center, Ottumwa. 2.4 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 2 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Vista Woods Care Center, Ottumwa. 3.0 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Iowa Home Care, L L C, Ottumwa. 1.5 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- Hy-Vee Pharmacy. 0.7 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 52501 as micropolitan (micropolitan core).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Davita Ottumwa Dialysis, Ottumwa, 2.4 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 2 of 5 stars)
Fmc - Ottumwa, Ottumwa, 3.5 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars) - Hospice
- 10 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 52501.
Hospice Inc Serving Davis & Wapello Counties, office in Ottumwa, 2.4 miles away, straight line
Good Samaritan Society Home Care And Hospice, office in Ottumwa, 4.7 miles away, straight line
Mahaska Health Partnership Hospice Services, office in Oskaloosa, 20.3 miles away, straight line - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Lucas County Health Center, Chariton. 46.8 miles away, straight line. 1 geriatric medicine doctor listed there.
Distances are straight lines from the community, not driving distance. Hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors come from CMS provider data (CMS, hospital list updated Jul 22, 2026). Star ratings are CMS’s own.
Emergency and natural hazard riskFEMA overall risk relatively low; outside FEMA's high-risk flood areas
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Flood zone
- Outside the high and moderate risk flood areas on FEMA's flood map (Zone X, minimal flood hazard, or not studied). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: relatively low. By hazard: hurricane very low, inland flooding relatively moderate, wildfire relatively low, tornado very high, heat wave relatively moderate, earthquake very low. These are FEMA’s ratings for the census tract, compared with tracts nationwide. (FEMA, December 2025)
A flood zone describes the map at this point, not the building's elevation. In an emergency, follow the local emergency management agency.
Questions to ask on a tour10 questions picked for this community from its record
Picked for this community from its record. Ask them in person and write down the answers.
- The state recorded a finding in August 2026. What was it, and how was it fixed?
- What does the base rate include, and when did rates last go up?
- How many caregivers work in memory care during the day, the evening and overnight, and for how many residents?
- What dementia training does each caregiver get before working alone, and every year after?
- How do staff respond when a resident is agitated, frightened or tries to leave?
- How many caregivers are on duty during the day and at night?
- What happens if care needs increase? When would someone need to move?
- What fees are charged at move-in?
- How do you tell families about falls, illness or changes?
- How long have the executive director and the head of care been here?
What we checked12 public sources we searched, with dates
Every public source we searched for this community. “Nothing on record” means we found no record that matched it. A record can be missed when a name or address differs.
| Source | Data as of | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Health Facilities Division inspection records | Oct 16, 2026 | See above |
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: FEMA rates wildfire risk here relatively low |
| FEMA National Risk Index | See above | |
| CMS hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors; OpenStreetMap pharmacies | See above | |
| HUD Multifamily Properties - Assisted | Jul 6, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| State Veterans Homes (NASVH directory) | Sep 20, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Hospice - General Information | Aug 19, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Home Health Care Agencies | May 27, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| The community’s own website | Could not read the site |
Common questionsAnswers to 4 questions families ask
What type of care does River Valley Place of Ottumwa provide?
River Valley Place of Ottumwa is licensed by the state of Iowa for assisted living, memory care in Ottumwa, Iowa. Its licensed capacity is 100 residents.
Does Lilisity rate River Valley Place of Ottumwa?
No. We publish state licensing details for River Valley Place of Ottumwa but no score, rating, or ranking. Only communities on the Top Communities list or with a Senior Living Alliance Excellence Award, both based on phone-verified resident and family interviews, are ranked.
How much does River Valley Place of Ottumwa cost?
Assisted Living in Iowa typically starts at $1,450 to $4,650 a month. Based on 33 communities that publish prices. These are area figures, not this community's price. River Valley Place of Ottumwa does not publish its prices.
How do I contact River Valley Place of Ottumwa?
Use River Valley Place of Ottumwa's website, prairiehillsottumwa.com, or visit at 173 East Rochester Street, Ottumwa, IA 52501.
How Lilisity works. The only scores or rankings Lilisity publishes are the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified resident and family interviews. Communities can pay Lilisity a flat monthly fee to manage their own listing: photos, prices, contact details, and receiving the inquiries families choose to send them. The fee is the same no matter how many families contact them or move in. Senior Living Alliance, which runs Lilisity, offers the same listing to its member communities as part of their membership; members pay SLA for its resident and family interview program. No community pays Lilisity per inquiry, per referral or per move-in. Payment never changes a testimonial, a rating, or the order of search results. The "Nearby Senior Living Alliance communities" box shows member communities only. How we verify testimonials · How we are paid