VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Northern Virginia Family Service, Inc.
10455 White Granite Drive
Suite 100
Oakton, VA 22124
(571) 748-2500

Current Inspector: Kevin Lassiter (804) 241-2093

Inspection Date: Feb. 12, 2021 and Feb. 18, 2021

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-131 PERSONNEL 22VAC40-131 PROVIDER HOMES 22VAC40-131 CHILDREN'S SERVICES 22VAC40-131 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC PROGRAMS 22VAC40-191 Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies

Comments:

This inspection was conducted by licensing staff using an alternate remote protocol necessary due to a state of emergency health pandemic declared by the Governor of Virginia. A renewal inspection was initiated on 2/12/21. The inspection was concluded on 2/18/21. The agency reports 32 foster families and 21 children in care. The Director of Child Placement Services was contacted by email to initiate the inspection. The inspector emailed the Director of Child Placement Services a list of items required to complete the inspection. The inspector reviewed documents from 6 provider home records, 3 children's records and 2 personnel records submitted by the agency. An exit interview was conducted on 2/18/21 with the Director of Child Placement Services and the Treatment Foster Care Program Manager. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliances with applicable standards or law, and violations were documented on the violation notice issued to the agency. Upon receipt of the violation notice, the licensee must develop a plan of correction for each violation. The plan of correction must include the following: the steps to correct non-compliance with the standard(s); measures to prevent re-occurrence of non-compliance; person(s) responsible for implementation and monitoring of preventative measure(s); and date by which non-compliance will be corrected. The licensee has ten (10) calendar days from receipt of the inspection documentation to complete the section entitled "Plan of Correction", sign each page of the Plan of Correction and return it to the Licensing Office. The licensee retains a copy to be posted at the facility. Results of the inspection are subject to public disclosure and will be posted on the VDSS web site within five (5) days, regardless of whether or not the Plan of Correction has been completed.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-191-40-C-1-d
Description:	Violation: Based on a review of the sworn disclosure statement for a foster family (FH-1) submitted by the agency, and an interview with the agency representative (AR-1), the agency failed to obtain a search of the child abuse and neglect registry maintained by any other state the individuals have resided in the last 5 years. Evidence: 1) The sworn disclosure statements for both parents in FH-1 documented that both parents resided in a state other than Virginia in the last 5 years. 2) This licensing specialist requested the out of state central registry searches for both parents in FH-1 in an email on 2/16/21 to AR-1. 3) AR-1 acknowledged in an email to this licensing specialist on 2/16/21 that they had not sent in a request for the out of state searches so they did not have the results for both parents in FH-1.
Plan of Correction:	FH-1 has not had any children placed in their home. FH-1 is currently suspended until the results of the out-of-state background checks are received. Child abuse registry forms for state they lived in previously have been sent to FH-1 for completion. Training Supervisor will submit background checks for FH-1 to that state no later than 3/2/21. In order to avoid this type of error going forward, two training staff will review all FPs? applications, including Sworn Disclosures, to ensure we submit all required background checks prior to certification. Training supervisor is reviewing all FPs? files to ensure no other out-of-state background checks have been missed that were required to be completed.
Standard #:	22VAC40-191-40-D-1-b
Description:	Violation: Based on a review of documents in the personnel record for an employee (P-1) submitted by the agency and an interview with an agency representative (AR-1), the agency failed to obtain a criminal history record check for P-1 before 30 days of employment ended. Evidence: 1) "Staff Information" submitted by the agency documented that P-1 has been employed at the agency for more than 30 days. 2) The agency did not provide the criminal history record check results for P-1 when it was requested in an email by this licensing specialist to AR-1 on 2/12/21. 3) This licensing specialist requested the criminal history record results for P-1 in an email on 2/16/21 to AR-1. 4) AR-1 acknowledged that they did not have documentation of P-1's criminal history record check results in an email to this licensing specialist on 2/16/21.
Plan of Correction:	NVFS submitted for the criminal history record check for P-1 within 30 days of employment, but failed to print out the online document. Virginia State Police only keep records online for 90 days. NVFS provided documentation that NVFS submitted for P-1?s VSP criminal history check within 30 days of employment by providing the invoice that listed P-1; however we were unable to print out the actual background check. Human Resources staff have reviewed the error and established a new process for ensuring that all VSP checks saved as a PDF in a secure agency file within one week of receiving the results. The Human Resource Program Specialist will be responsible for ensuing this occurs.