South Los Angeles facility accused of patient dumping reaches $450,000 settlement

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Ronald Anderson is at the heart of a settlement reached between the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and the nursing home he alleges left him on the sidewalk outside of the Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row with two hours' notice.

"You get depressed because you don't think that anyone in the world cares about you," Anderson said.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer announced the $450,000 settlement, alleging that since 2015, Avalon Villa Care Center failed to properly discharge patients.

"A portion of the money that I mentioned will go to hiring and training staff dedicated to implementing those homeless discharge protocols that are designed to protect the dignity and the health of those who reside in facilities like this," Feuer said.

Union Rescue Mission CEO Andy Bales said Anderson - who's diabetic and was recovering from having part of his foot amputated - was left without medication.

"Fortunately, I had my insulin and my needles available and my testing, blood sugar testing kit and it really was a life and death situation," Bales said during a Thursday press conference.

Bales is calling for continued efforts to stop this from happening to anyone experiencing homelessness, saying it's been a yearslong battle.

"We took it all the way to Gov. Schwarzenegger to make it a criminal charge if a hospital facility dumps somebody on the streets and the governor vetoed that measure," he said. "I say it's probably time to bring that up again. How do we make sure this never happens again?"

Feuer asked anyone who witnesses patient dumping in Los Angeles to call (213) 978-8340.

The South Los Angeles nursing home did not provide a statement Thursday, but in April told Eyewitness News in part, "Avalon Villa Care Center adheres to the highest level of ethics and morals and the care of our patients is our No. 1 priority."