White River Health Care Center
515 E 8TH STREET, White River, SD 57579
White River, South Dakota · CMS verdict
On the federal five-star scale, White River Health Care Center shows above-average quality that runs above South Dakota's state average of 2.9.
The rating and the PlainElderCare Index below summarize federal inspection, staffing, and outcome data, they measure specific, documented dimensions of this facility, not a holistic verdict on the care your family member would receive. Visit in person, talk with staff and current residents' families, and weigh your family member's specific needs before choosing.
White River Health Care Center in White River, South Dakota holds a CMS overall rating of 5 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 99 of 100 (grade A). Its CMS inspection record lists a limited number of deficiencies. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Quality & Compliance Index (lighter deficiency book)
Its CMS deficiency count sits in the lighter U.S. deficiency tercile (≤16). A transparent composite of this facility's CMS Care Compare sub-ratings and its federal inspection record. It complements, and does not replace, the official CMS overall star rating shown at the top of the page. How this is calculated.
How the 99 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 99.
Weights: health inspections 30%, staffing 25%, quality measures 25%, inspection record 20%; any dimension CMS has not published drops out and its weight redistributes (no silent deflation). Inspection record is benchmarked against all rated US nursing homes. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
White River Health Care Center's lighter CMS deficiency book
Quality ratings
CMS's most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026) scores White River Health Care Center on three sub-ratings that roll up into the overall star: health inspection, staffing, and quality measures. Each is charted against the South Dakota average below.
What each sub-rating measures
The health inspection rating reflects on-site surveyor findings from the last three cycles. The staffing rating compares case-mix-adjusted nurse hours per resident day to national benchmarks, and quality measures aggregate 15 clinical indicators including pressure ulcers, falls with injury, and long-stay antipsychotic use.
Size and setting
Located in White River, South Dakota. Bed capacity and average daily census, where CMS reports them, are in Facility details below. Its ownership type, listed in Facility details, can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At roughly 67% occupancy, this facility has meaningful open capacity relative to its certified bed count.
Same-ownership peers
Within South Dakota, White River Health Care Center is one of 50 non profit - corporation nursing homes CMS rates. Its 5-star overall rating sits above the non profit - corporation-segment average of 3.0 stars, ahead of roughly 78% of same-ownership peers in the state. This ownership-segment comparison controls for business-model differences, so what's left mostly reflects how this facility runs relative to similar operators, not the type of operator it is.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented a limited number of deficiencies at this facility; the counts are in Facility details below. CMS has levied enforcement penalties - civil money penalties or denials of payment, during the same window. A handful of documented findings is common even among well-run facilities; the F-tag scope and severity codes on the full report distinguish isolated paperwork issues from resident-harm findings.
Where these figures come from
Figures above come from CMS Nursing Home Compare (Care Compare, data as of April 2026) with state cost medians from the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey. See our methodology for vintage.
How White River Health Care Center's upper-tercile stars compare to South Dakota
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the South Dakota facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = South Dakota state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where White River Health Care Center ranks in South Dakota
Among the 95 CMS-rated nursing homes in South Dakota, White River Health Care Center’s 5-star overall rating is higher than 80% of them. The bars show how all South Dakota homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
19 South Dakota homes share this 5-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 52 |
| Residents | 35 |
| Ownership | Non profit - Corporation |
| County | Mellette |
| Penalties | 1 |
| Deficiencies | 3 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for White River Health Care Center? ▾
5 out of 5 stars is White River Health Care Center's current CMS overall rating. The chart on this page breaks it into health inspection, staffing, and quality measures against the South Dakota average.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in South Dakota? ▾
The median cost for a semi-private nursing home room in South Dakota is $9,444 per month ($113,333 annually). A private room averages $10,190 per month. Costs are from the CareScout 2025 survey.
What services does White River Health Care Center offer? ▾
White River Health Care Center operates as a skilled nursing facility. For the specific care and therapy services, contact the facility: CMS data covers capacity, ownership, ratings, and inspections, not a service menu.
Does White River Health Care Center have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
White River Health Care Center has few deficiencies and enforcement penalties recorded by CMS; the counts are in the Facility details table. Small counts like this show up even at strong facilities; ask the facility directly what each finding involved and how it was resolved.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in South Dakota? ▾
In South Dakota, alternatives include assisted living ($4,900/mo), home health aides ($8,437/mo), and adult day care (N/A/mo).
Keep reading
Also see the South Dakota elder-care overview and highest-rated states. Provider ID: 43A089.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.