VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

DePaul Community Resources, Inc.
2677 Steelsburg Highway, Suite 10
Cedar bluff, VA 24609
(276) 963-2360

Current Inspector: Dawn Espelage (540) 759-8852

Inspection Date: Aug. 22, 2019 and Aug. 23, 2019

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-131 PROVIDER HOMES 22VAC40-131 CHILDREN'S SERVICES 22VAC40-191 Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies

Technical Assistance:

Discussion occurred regarding pre-placement visits for children and increasing documentation about the LCPA's efforts to complete in situations where a pre-placement visit is not conducted and documented. Agency representatives inquired about acceptable heating sources for homes to comply with 22VAC40-131-190. The standard does not state types of hearing sources that are acceptable or unacceptable.

Comments:

An unannounced monitoring inspection was completed on 8/22/2019 from 3:35 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. and 8/23/2019 from 9:55 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. The licensee reports 12 children in foster care and 9 approved provider homes. There were no new hires since the last inspection. During this inspection two children?s and one foster home records were reviewed. An exit interview was completed on 8/23/2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. A Caseworker was available for the entrance conference. The Regional Foster Care Director and a Caseworker were available during the inspection and participated in the exit interview. An Acknowledgement of Inspection form was signed and left with the licensee at the end of the inspection. There was one citation for a violation of the Standards for Child-Placing Agencies. See the violation notice on the Department?s public web site for violations of the Standards. Upon receipt of the Violation Notice, the licensee should develop a plan of correction to include 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 noncompliance will be corrected. The licensee has five business days from receipt of the inspection documents to complete the section entitled "Plan of Correction", sign each page of the inspection documents and return to the Licensing Office. The licensee should retain a copy to be posted at the facility. Results of the inspection are subject to public disclosure and will be posted on the Virginia Department of Social Services public web site within five business days, regardless of whether or not the Plan of Correction is completed.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-131-250-M
Description:	Violation: Based on a record review for foster child 1 (FC1), the agency failed to complete a pre-placement visit for the child prior to placement. Findings: FC1 entered the custody of a Local Department of Social Services 10 months prior to the child's placement with the agency. The written report documenting the intake process indicates no pre-placement visit was completed due to the distance between the foster home and the child's existing placement. Additional documentation was not available to explain efforts to complete a pre-placement visit. The finding was discussed with Agency Representatives AR 1 and AR2 during the exit interview and they acknowledged a pre-placement visit was not conducted and other information to explain efforts was not available. The placement did not met the definition of an emergency placement.
Plan of Correction:	Program Director will provide clearer guidance regarding strategies to meet pre-placement visit requirements when distance presents a challenge.