VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

SKILL BUILDERS Operated By JW & SW, LLC
1400 18th Street
Chesapeake, VA 23324
(757) 233-2896

Current Inspector: Sherry Woodard (757) 987-0839

Inspection Date: April 12, 2021 , April 14, 2021 , April 23, 2021 , April 28, 2021 , April 29, 2021 and May 7, 2021

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

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

Technical Assistance:

Discussed describing background checks as it pertains to the sworn statement or affirmation as noted in 22VAC40-191-20.D. Discussed admission criteria for the independent living arrangement program as noted in 22VAC40-131-440.B.3. Discussed the written agreement for participation in the arrangement (with the youth, the guardian, and as appropriate, the family) as it pertains to the purpose of the independent living arrangement, with timeframe for completing the program as noted in 22VAC40-131-440.E.1. Discussed the written agreement for participation in the arrangement (with the youth, the guardian, and as appropriate, the family) as it pertains to the information pertaining to the physical setting arrangements and requirements that all arrangements must be approved by the licensee unless those arrangements are exempt from licensee approval as noted in 22VAC40-131-440.E.6. Discussed the written agreement for participation in the arrangement (with the youth, the guardian, and as appropriate, the family) as it pertains to a plan to seek emergency assistance from medical professionals and emergency responders as noted in 22VAC40-131-440.E.8. Discussed after placement, maintaining supervision over the independent living arrangement by ensuring that over 50% of these face to face visits occur in the youth?s place of residence within a calendar year as noted in 22VAC40-131-440.M.3. Discussed documentation regarding the arrangements for and child?s receipt of care in the child?s file as it pertains to the child receiving any routine and recommended medical, dental, mental health, psychological, and psychiatric follow-up care and treatment as noted in 22VAC40-131-290.F. Discussed documentation regarding the arrangements for and child?s receipt of care in the child?s file as it pertains to the child receiving necessary medical, dental, mental health, psychological, and psychiatric care and treatment resulting from injuries, illness, emergencies, or other conditions that occur in between examinations or appointments as noted in 22VAC40-131-290.G.

Comments:

This inspection was conducted by the licensing staff using an alternate remote protocol, necessary due to a state of emergency health pandemic declared by the Governor of Virginia. A monitoring inspection was initiated on 4/12/21 and concluded on 5/7/21. The Executive Director was contacted by email on 4/12/21 to initiate the inspection. The Executive Director reported that the current census was four (4) youth. The Licensing Specialist emailed the Executive Director a list of items required to complete the inspection. The following is a listing of the activities for this inspection: Reviewed one current resident record. Two personnel records were reviewed, which consist of the new staff members hired since the June 2020 inspection. The Executive Director and the Senior Case Manager were interviewed on 4/23/21. Additional documentation was requested by the Licensing Specialist after the interview and was reviewed. Upon receipt of this violation notice, a plan of correction is requested for the violations. The Plan of Correction should include, as appropriate: - steps to correct noncompliance of a regulation, - measures to prevent reoccurrence of noncompliance, - person(s) responsible for implementing each step and/or monitoring any preventive measure(s), and - the date by which the noncompliance will be corrected. Be advised that the Violation Notice, including the Plan of Correction and this Summary page will be posted on the VDSS web page and available for review by the general public. Do not write any names or other confidential information into your plan of correction. The licensee should retain a copy of this document to be posted at the facility. The results of the inspection are subject to public disclosure and will be posted on the Virginia Department of Social Services? website within 5 business days.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-131-260-B-2
Description:	Violation: Based on review of the foster youth?s, FY1?s, documentation and interview with staff, the agency failed to document the reasons for the placement and the permanency planning goal in the social history. Findings: 1) During the interview on 4/23/21, the Licensing Specialist asked staff, S3 and S4, where the reasons for the placement was documented on the social history. The answer provided by S3 does not meet compliance as it pertains to this element. Therefore, the social history does not correctly document the reason for placement. 2) Also, the social history does not correctly document the permanency planning goal for the child?s placement. a. Beneath the permanency planning goal, it states the following ? ?Increase involvement in academics, obtain a job and save for the future.? b. The correct permanency planning goal for FY1 as documented by the legal guardian on the agency?s ?Application for Independent Living Program? is ?relative placement.? c. Staff, S3 and S4, both agreed that ?Increase involvement in academics, obtain a job and save for the future? is not the correct permanency planning goal. They also agreed that ?relative placement? should have been documented on the social history as the permanency planning goal.
Plan of Correction:	Skill Builders will add an additional section to the social history of each youth?s documentation. The section will address the reason for the youth?s placement in the ILA. Also, the document will reflect permanency planning goal for the child?s placement as determined by the courts and the custodial agency.
Standard #:	22VAC40-131-340-L
Description:	Violation: Based on review of the foster youth?s, FY1?s, documentation and interview with staff, the agency failed to obtain from the custodial child placing agency a copy of the child?s service plan sent to the court. Findings: 1) During the interview on 4/23/21, the Licensing Specialist asked staff, S3 and S4, if they had a copy of FY1?s service plan. 2) S3 and S4 both stated they did not have a copy of this document.
Plan of Correction:	Skill Builders will obtain a copy of the child?s service plan sent to the court by the custodial placing agency. If the service plan is not able to be obtained, Skill Builders will document the efforts made to obtain the documents.
Standard #:	22VAC40-131-440-C-3
Description:	Violation: Based on review of the foster youth?s, FY1?s, documentation and interview with staff, the agency failed to consider all of the elements as it pertains to evaluating the youth?s readiness for an independent living arrangement. Findings: 1) During the interview on 4/23/21, the Licensing Specialist asked staff, S3 and S4, for documentation that would meet compliance as it pertains the elements below: a. 440.C.3.c - ?Has participated in designing service plan goals and objectives.? b. 440.C.3.d - ?Has participated in meeting service plan goals and objectives including those for transition and self-sufficiency.? 2) The additional documentation provided by staff, S3, does not provide the information needed to meet compliance for these elements.
Plan of Correction:	To address the violation finding of 440-C-3-c; Skill Builders will obtain any service plans and monthly summaries from the youth previous placement prior to accepting a youth for an ILA. A question will be added to the pre-placement interview, inquiring if youth participated in the designing of service plans goals and objectives. To address the violation finding of 440-C-3-d; Skill Builders will assess the readiness of the youth for the ILA by adding questions on youth?s participation in meeting the service plans and objectives, including those for transition and self-sufficiency. A statement will be added to the agreement between the Agency and the Youth to attest to the youth?s participation in the service plans.
Standard #:	22VAC40-131-440-C-4
Description:	Violation: Based on review of the foster youth?s, FY1?s, documentation and interview with staff, the agency failed to determine the results of the life skills assessment completed within the last 90 days and whether those results indicate the youth would benefit from placement in an independent living arrangement setting. Findings: 1) The Licensing Specialist reviewed the life skills assessment dated for 12/3/20. 2) This life skills assessment assesses fourteen categories. The? number correct? and the ?percentage correct? for each category are blank. Also, the ?total correct? is blank.
Plan of Correction:	Skill Builders will obtain a life skill assessment completed within the last 90 days prior to placement. The completed assessment should indicate that the youth would benefit from placement in an ILA setting.