Violation

California Code § 101226(e)(3)(B)Medication Authorization

How CCLD inspectors cite this regulation, what providers do to stay clear of it, and where it appears in the public record.

Type B, generalAffects Child Care Centers13 facilities cited in the last 90 days

ℹ️ Educational reference based on public CCLD inspection records. Not legal or compliance advice. Verify requirements with official sources. Full disclaimer →

Regulation text

What California Code § 101226(e)(3)(B) actually says

California Code § 101226(e)(3)(B)

For each prescription medication, the licensee shall obtain, in writing, approval and instructions from the child's authorized representative for the administration of the medication to the child. 1. This documentation shall be kept in the child's record. 2. The instructions from the child's authorized representative shall not conflict with the label directions as prescribed by the child's physician.

From the field

What providers tell us about this citation

Based on community experience, not official guidance.

Medication administration is one of the most document-heavy areas inspectors check. For every prescription medication, you need written approval from the child's authorized representative (usually a parent) AND the instructions cannot contradict what's on the pharmacy label. Inspectors open the medication log, compare it to the actual prescription bottle, and then check the parent authorization form. If the parent's form says 'give at noon' but the label says 'give with food at breakfast,' that conflict gets documented. Have parents fill out the authorization form while looking at the actual medication bottle, and keep the form stapled to a photocopy of the label in the child's file.

By the numbers

13^*CCLD: facilities cited in the last 90 days
8^*CCLD: counties where this citation appeared
85^*CCLD: rank among most-common citations
Trajectory: More citations than the prior period
+7 facilities

13 facilities were cited for this in the last 90 days. See if yours is one of them.

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What other providers do

Common practices to stay clear of Medication Authorization

Common practices shared by providers. Confirm requirements with your licensing analyst.

Common practices

Notify parents immediately of any emergency medical treatment
Contact licensing office promptly
Document the incident thoroughly
Follow up with written reports as required

What to avoid

Accepting verbal permission from a parent to administer medication instead of getting it in writing. A phone call saying 'give him his inhaler if he needs it' doesn't meet the requirement. Inspectors look for a signed, written authorization in the child's record.
Keeping the authorization form in a general binder instead of in the individual child's record. The regulation specifically says documentation must be kept in the child's record. Inspectors check the child's file, and if it's not there, it's a citation even if the form exists somewhere else.
Parent instructions that conflict with the prescription label. A parent might write 'give two teaspoons' when the label says one teaspoon. Providers follow the parent's instructions trying to be accommodating, but the regulation explicitly prohibits parent instructions from conflicting with the physician's prescription.
Not updating the authorization when a prescription changes. Dosages get adjusted, medications get switched, and the old authorization form stays in the file. Inspectors compare the form to the current bottle. Any mismatch is a finding.

Regional record

Where this citation appeared in the past 90 days

Citation counts and rates by California county, drawn from CCLD inspection records. Click a county to see its weekly intelligence report.

Regional citations for Medication Authorization, last 90 days
County	Citations	Facilities	Citation rate
Los Angeles	4	--	--
Santa Clara	2	--	--
Contra Costa	2	--	--
Orange	1	--	--
Shasta	1	--	--
Alameda	1	--	--
San Diego	1	--	--
San Bernardino	1	--	--

SOURCE

*CCLD: California Community Care Licensing Divisionviolation_citations2026-05-05Updated weekly

Articles about this topic

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Answers based on public CCLD data and regulation text. May not reflect recent changes.

What is Written Medication Authorization?

California Code Section 101226(e)(3)(B) requires you to obtain written approval and instructions from a child's authorized representative before administering any prescription medication. The written authorization must be kept in the individual child's record, and the parent's instructions cannot conflict with the physician's prescription label. This affects your daily intake process because every new medication requires a completed authorization form before the first dose can be given at your facility.

How common is this citation?

According to California CCLD inspection records as of March 15, 2026, 6 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days across 5 California counties. That translates to roughly 1 in 6,667 inspected facilities receiving this citation. Los Angeles leads with 2 cited facilities, while Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Shasta each had 1. The geographic spread across 5 counties suggests this is a statewide documentation issue, not a regional training gap.

What triggers this citation during an inspection?

Inspectors open a child's individual file and look for a signed written authorization form that matches the medication bottle currently on your shelf. Based on CCLD inspection patterns, they document a finding when the authorization form is stored in a general binder instead of the child's record, when parent instructions conflict with the pharmacy label, or when no written form exists at all. A phone call from a parent saying 'give him his inhaler' does not satisfy this requirement, and inspectors specifically ask staff how verbal permissions are handled.

How can I prevent this citation?

Have parents fill out the authorization form while looking at the actual medication bottle so the dosage and timing match the label exactly. Staple a photocopy of the prescription label to the signed form and file both in the child's individual record, not a shared binder. When a prescription changes, pull the old authorization and get a new one signed before administering the updated medication. Review all medication files at the start of each month to catch expired or mismatched authorizations.

What should I do if I receive this citation?

Audit every child's file for current, signed medication authorization forms within 24 hours. Move any forms stored in general binders into the correct child's record. Contact parents to update authorizations where dosages or medications have changed since the form was signed. Document your corrective steps and include the updated files as evidence in your Plan of Correction submission. For complex situations, consider consulting a licensed childcare compliance specialist.

Related violations

Other citations in this regulation family

This information is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed child care compliance consultant for guidance specific to your facility. Citation data is sourced from California Community Care Licensing Division public records and is refreshed regularly.

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