VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

DePaul Community Resources
302 Shawnee Avenue
Big stone gap, VA 24219
(276) 524-2033

Current Inspector: Dawn Espelage (540) 759-8852

Inspection Date: July 23, 2020 and July 24, 2020

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

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

Technical Assistance:

Discussion occurred regarding COVID-19 leniency. Case record documentation should clearly demonstrated agency efforts to meet specific standards for each child and provider and indicate when specific standards were not met due to COVID related barriers.

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. An announced mandated monitoring inspection was conducted on 7/23/2020 and 7/24/2020. The Director of Foster Care and Independent Living was contacted by telephone to initiate the inspection. The inspector emailed the Director of Foster Care and Independent Living a request for documentation required to complete the inspection. The agency reported 11 children in placement and 11 approved provider homes at the time of inspection. The Director of Foster Care and Independent Living participated in the entrance conference and remained available during the inspection. The Director of Foster Care and Independent Living, Regional Director of Foster Care and Site Leader/Foster Care Supervisor participated in the exit interview on 7/24/2020. Two violations of the Standards for Licensed Child Placing Agencies were cited. 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 #:	22VAC40-131-290-C-4
Description:	Violation: Based on a review of the record for Foster Child 1 (FC1), the agency failed to obtain and place in the child?s record a written physical examination report that addressed all required elements. Findings: The record for Foster Child 1 (FC1) contained a physical exam report dated 75 days prior to the child?s placement. The physical exam report did not address the child?s growth and development. The findings were discussed during the exit interview. Staff reviewed the child?s record to determine if an additional physical exam report that addressed all required elements was conducted. An additional physical exam report was not located and Staff 1 (S1) acknowledged the findings.
Plan of Correction:	Program Director will remind all staff to review physical examination forms from other licensed child placing agencies, residential treatment facilities, and previous placements to ensure all elements of the standard are met.
Standard #:	22VAC40-131-340-E-4
Description:	Violation: Based on review of the record for Foster Child 2 (FC2), the agency failed to include all required elements in the child?s individualized service plan. Findings: The individualized service plan for FC2, dated 3/13/2020, documented the child was receiving treatment foster care services. The plan did not contain an anticipated target date for the child?s discharge as required by 22VAC40-131-340.E.4. The anticipated target date for the child?s discharge from the program was documented as ?unknown.? The findings were discussed during the exit interview. Staff reviewed the service plan and Staff 1 (S1) acknowledged the findings.
Plan of Correction:	Program Director has revised the individualized service plan template to clarify expected answers to anticipated discharge date and to advise staff that ?unknown? is not an acceptable response.