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                                                                    Exhibit 31.1


                                  CERTIFICATION


I, C. Christian Winkle, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Mariner Health
   Care, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue
   statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
   make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
   statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
   this quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material
   respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
   registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
   in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

   a)designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material
     information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
     subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities,
     particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being
     prepared;

   b)evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
     procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
     quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

   c)presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness
     of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the
     Evaluation Date.

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our
   most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee
   of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
   function):

   a)all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
     controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
     process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the
     registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

   b)any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
     employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
     controls; and

6. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
   quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
   controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
   controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any
   corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material
   weaknesses.


   Date:  August 14, 2003
                                          /s/ C. Christian Winkle
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          C. Christian Winkle
                                          President and
                                          Chief Executive Officer (Principal
                                          Executive Officer)