Report 2016-126 Recommendation 15 Responses

Report 2016-126: California Department of Social Services: Its Caregiver Background Check Bureau Lacks Criminal History Information It Needs to Protect Vulnerable Populations in Licensed Care Facilities (Release Date: March 2017)

Recommendation #15 To: Social Services, Department of

To ensure that its exemption analysts are receiving information that Social Services believes is necessary and relevant to make exemption decisions, Social Services should immediately revise its policy to require that exemption analysts obtain law enforcement reports on behalf of individuals who seek exemptions.

60-Day Agency Response

Effective February 16, 2017 the Department began ordering arrest reports for all individuals seeking an exemption. The Criminal Background Check Bureau staff were notified of this change via an All Staff Memo. By May 2017 the Department will also have revised the exemption letters to improve and clarify understanding of what is required to submit a complete exemption request. (See Attachment 2.)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Fully Implemented

All Recommendations in 2016-126

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.