Report 2005-129 Recommendation 4 Responses
Report 2005-129: Department of Social Services: In Rebuilding Its Child Care Program Oversight, the Department Needs to Improve Its Monitoring Efforts and Enforcement Actions (Release Date: May 2006)
Recommendation #4 To: Social Services, Department of
The department should complete complaint investigations within the established 90-day period. In addition, the department should revise its policies to identify specific actions its child care program staff could take to reduce the number of inconclusive complaint findings. Further, the department should continue its plans to train all of its analysts in evaluating evidence and reaching conclusions on complaint allegations.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From January 2008
Regarding 90 day completion for complaints: Available data regarding completion timeframes for complaints has been reviewed. Currently, each month complaints pending over ninety days are identified, reviewed and a plan made for completion and closure. The number of such open complaints is being systematically reduced. This identification and review process will continue as a standard procedure. This recommendation has been successfully addressed and is now operational in the Division. Regarding inconclusive findings for complaint investigations: Available data has been reviewed and findings fall into historical ranges. Additional data specific to individual Regional Offices has been requested. This will require reprogramming of the Field Automation System, but once information is available, the track record of each office can be assessed and more focused reviews can occur. Also, all staff in the Child Care Program has been trained in all facets of complaint investigations, including determining accurate findings. This recommendation has been successfully addressed and is now operational in the Division.(2007-041, p. 40)
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
All Recommendations in 2005-129
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.