complaint·March 9, 2022

Page 2/3 Throughout the course of the investigation, interviews were conducted with the Reporting Party (RP) and seven staff and three photos were taken. -Pertaining to the allegation that “Facility is not following proper COVID-19 guidelines”: This allegation refers to a day back in late November/early December 2021 when a staff disclosed to the RP that they weren’t feeling well--they had diarrhea and could not stop using the restroom—but were placed in another classroom instead of being sent home. The RP’s concern is that diarrhea is a COVID symptom. The staff who disclosed corroborated this account and added that they were not allowed to go home due to the fact that the Center was short staffed and would have been out of ratio had they gone home. Another staff stated that it was not diarrhea, just an upset stomach, but corroborated that the ill staff was not permitted to leave due to the Center being short staffed. According to three staff interviewed, if a staff is showing one COVID symptom, they are asked if they feel well enough to be at work or if they'd rather go home. If they say they'd rather go home, they are sent home and if they feel well enough to stay, they are permitted to stay. Per the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health “Entry Screening” dated 08/06/21, employees should be screened for symptoms prior to entering the site. If an employee develops symptoms while at the site, they should be excluded or isolated “until they can be transported home, as required by CDSS Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) and pursuant to Title 22 in CCR sections 101216(h), 101226.1(a)(1) and 102417(e).” Page 3/3 As the staff began displaying a symptom of COVID and was not isolated or excluded, possibly because the Center would have been short-staffed, thus jeopardizing the health and safety of all staff and children who were exposed to this staff, especially as the staff allegedly requested to go home; and due to the fact that three of the staff interviewed stated that it is left up to the employee to determine whether they feel well enough to stay in the Center as opposed to immediately isolating or excluding the employee, the allegation that “Facility is not following proper COVID-19 guidelines” has been determined to be Substantiated. Based upon the evidence as presented above, the allegation has been determined to be Substantiated. A finding of Substantiated means that the preponderance of evidence standard has been met. California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 12, Chapter 1, Article 06, Section 101223 "Personal Rights" is being cited on the attached LIC 9099D. Please refer to 9099D for documentation of deficiencies. A Notice of Site Visit was given and must remain posted on, or immediately adjacent to, the interior side of the main door for 30 days. Failure to comply with posting requirements shall result in an immediate civil penalty of $100. Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with Executive Director Jenni Gonzalez. Page 2/5 Throughout the course of the investigation, interviews were conducted with the Reporting Party (RP) and seven staff and three photos were taken. -Pertaining to the allegation that “Staff do not wear mask as required”: Per the RP, at least one staff is permitted to walk around without wearing a face covering, as required by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Per the California Department of Public Health "Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings" issued on 07/28/21, all persons, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks indoors, including "indoors in K-12 schools, childcare and other youth settings." According to two staff interviewed, the staff in question would wear a face covering, but not wear it properly, wearing it under their nose; this was observed by LPA in August 2021 when this same allegation was Substantiated. However, it is unknown as to what time period the staff were referring to. According to three of the staff interviewed, all employees always properly wear their face coverings. The staff in question states that they always wear a face covering, but admitted to taking it off outdoors, which was permitted at this point by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. As it could not be determined when the staff was observed to be wearing their face covering under their nose nor how often this was observed, and as three staff denied ever observing staff not wearing a face covering, the allegation that “ Staff do not wear mask as required” has been determined to be Unsubstantiated. Page 3/5 This agency has investigated the complaint alleging that ““Staff do not wear mask as required “ and that there was a violation of Title 22, Division 12, Chapter 1, Article 6, Section 101223 Personal Rights. Based upon the evidence as presented above, the allegation has been determined to be Unsubstantiated. A finding of Unsubstantiated means that although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur. No deficiencies are being cited for the allegation listed above. -Pertaining to the allegation that “Facility staff do not provide a safe environment for daycare children”: According to the RP, undiluted bleach is used to clean and RP that there was an open box with decorations on which an infant was chewing. Regarding the undiluted bleach being used to clean, one of the seven staff interviewed stated that there is a cleaner made of bleach; however, all seven staff stated that a soap and water mixture and a bleach and water mixture are accessible to them. Four of the staff stated that they clean with the soap and water mixture prior to disinfecting with the bleach and water mixture, but that the bleach and water may also be used directly on some surfaces. LPA took a photo in the kitchen of the amount the staff who makes up the bleach and water solution is directed to use and it states one capful in a bottle and one and half ounces per gallon. RP had corroborated this amount of dilution was used. Page 4/5 As stated in Title 22, Section 101438.1, “A disinfecting solution, which shall be used after surfaces and objects have been cleaned with a detergent or other cleaner, shall be freshly prepared each day using 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Commercial disinfecting solutions, including one-step cleaning/disinfecting solutions, may be permitted and shall be used in accordance with label directions.” One quarter cup of bleach is the equivalent to two ounces; the bleach and water mixture contains less than this. Regarding the decorations, according to six of the staff interviewed, they were unaware of this incident and were unaware of any decorations being accessible to the infants. According to one staff, the RP informed them of the incident, but stated that the decorations they observed were not harmful to infants. As four of the seven staff stated that they may clean with the soap and water before disinfecting and as the decorations observed by the staff were not hazardous to infants, the allegation that “Facility staff do not provide a safe environment for daycare children” has been determined to be Unsubstantiated. This agency has investigated the complaint alleging that “ Facility staff do not provide a safe environment for daycare children ” and that there was a violation of Title 22, Division 12, Chapter 1, Article 6, Section 101223 Personal Rights. Based upon the evidence as presented above, the allegation has been determined to be Unsubstantiated. A finding of Unsubstantiated means that although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violation did or did not occur. Page 5/5 No deficiencies are being cited for the allegation listed above. A Notice of Site Visit was given and must remain posted on, or immediately adjacent to, the interior side of the main door for 30 days. Failure to comply with posting requirements shall result in an immediate civil penalty of $100. Exit interview conducted and report was reviewed with Executive Director Jenni Gonzalez