Follow-up·January 19, 2023

On January 19, 2023 at 8:20 a.m. Licensing Program Analyst, Leilani Curtis, conducted an unannounced case management inspection to confirm that all non-compliance conference requirements are met. Upon arrival LPA met with Assistant Director LaTasha Hall and proceeded to tour the facility. There were 13 children with 4 staff members present. Appropriate ratio/capacity were observed. At 8:53 a.m. Director Thilinie Messinger arrived at the facility. Of the four staff members present at the time of inspection one staff, Jessica Baltazar was observed providing care and supervision to children in the toddler classroom, room #4A, without a criminal record clearance. She is not associated to the facility. Director Messinger states that Ms. Baltazar began working at the facility on 11/22/22. She states that she believed that Ms. Baltazar had the appropriate clearances because she worked at a different child care center. LPA contacted the regional office and was advised that Ms. Baltazar does not have the appropriate clearance for child care. The director states that facility staff became aware that there was an issue with Ms. Baltazar's clearance/association on 12/20/22. On 1/18/23, the director faxed required documentation to the regional office to have Ms. Baltazar associated. On 4/29/21 a Non-Compliance Conference was conducted with Director Thilinie Messinger and Assistant Director in Training, LaTasha Hall. The director agreed to the following to bring the facility up to compliance: Licensee/Representatives are to develop and submit a formal Disaster and Mass Casualty Plan, per Section 101174, as a formal Addendum to their Plan of Operation, addressing provisions for emergency drills (every month, to include fire and earthquake), supervision, staffing and transitioning to meet the requirements of Section 101229 "Responsibility of Providing Care & Supervision." Licensee/Representatives shall ensure that personnel are competent to provide the services necessary to meet the individual needs of children in care and be employed in numbers sufficient to meet those needs and is properly trained in evacuation and emergency disaster procedures. The plan is to include arrangements and duties for a designated back up for the Director when she is off site. Direct care staff shall receive regular in-service training on the above. Future staff including substitutes shall also receive same training as part of their job orientation, prior to presence in the classroom. Verification of the training for current staff and future staff shall be reviewed no less than monthly for the duration of the Plan. Proof of review and training related to these areas must be maintained at the facility for evaluation during facility inspections. Director and Assistant Director in Training are to take the Record Keeping Orientation. All staff are to complete online Smart Horizon courses (naccrra.smarthorizons.org) as follows: Assessing Child Care Business Practices (1 hour), Routines and Transitions (1 hour), Staffing Child Care Programs, Safety (2 hours) and Risk Management (2 hrs.). LPA reviewed the Disaster and Mass Casualty Plan, and Staffing Plan that was submitted to the department via email on 5/28/21. LPA also reviewed the facility\342\200\231s disaster drill log. Based on LPA\342\200\231s review of the facility disaster/fire drill log the disaster drills are not being conducted monthly. The documented disaster/fire drills occurred on 1/27/22, 3/24/22, 8/10/22 and 11/15/22. LPA reminded the director that the per the Non-Compliance Conference Agreement the disaster drills are to be conducted and documented monthly. The director states that staff have been trained on evacuation and emergency disaster procedures. LPA was unable to review verification of the staff evacuation and emergency disaster training. The director states that she conducts a monthly staff meeting to discuss different topics including emergency/disaster procedures but she has no documentation to verify that staff members have been trained on the emergency procedures monthly. The facility does not maintain completion certificates for the online Smart Horizon courses for the four staff members present during today\342\200\231s inspection. The director states that she will have all current and future staff complete the online Smart Horizon courses for the during of the Non-Compliance Plan. Please see LIC809D for cited deficiency. A civil penalty has been assessed. LPA Curtis informed Director Messinger that this report dated 1/19/23 documents one Type A citation which shall be posted for 30 consecutive days as there is immediate risk to the health, safety, or personal rights of children in care. Also, LPA Curtis informed Director Messinger to provide a copy of this licensing report dated 1/19/23 that documents any Type A citation to parents/guardians of all children currently enrolled by the next business day or the next day the children are in care, and to any newly enrolled parents/guardians for 12 months from the date of this report. A signed Acknowledgement of Receipt of Licensing Report (LIC 9224), or other written statement, must be placed in the child's file for verification. An exit interview was conducted with the director and appeal rights (LIC 9058) were discussed. The director\342\200\231s signature on this form acknowledges receipt of these rights. LIC 9213 NOTICE OF SITE VISIT FORM IS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED FOR 30 DAYS. LPA observed the director post notice of site visit.