Report 2016-126 Recommendation 25 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 #25 To: Social Services, Department of
To ensure that its regional offices consistently verify that excluded individuals are no longer present at licensed facilities, at a minimum, Social Services should immediately revise its policy to require that regional offices conduct site visits after it issues exclusion orders. In addition, it should formalize the verification process it develops in its procedures, train all regional offices, and monitor compliance with the process.
1-Year Agency Response
The Department implemented a process to ensure that excluded individuals are no longer present at licensed facilities through a Regional Office Memo (ROM) - "Serving Immediate Exclusion Orders". Staff were trained on the process and procedures for documentation in April 2017. Attached is the Confirmation of Removal log that is utilized to track and monitor ongoing exclusions. (Attachment 15)
- Completion Date: April 2017
- Response Date: March 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
The Department implemented a process to ensure that excluded individuals are no longer present at licensed facilities through Regional Office Memo "Serving Immediate Exclusion Orders." Staff were trained on this memo in April 2017 (see prior Attachment 4 and Attachment M).
- Completion Date: April 2017
- Response Date: November 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Social Services has not yet provided evidence that it is monitoring the implementation of the guidance on an ongoing basis. We look forward to reviewing the additional steps Social Services is taking as part of its one year response.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
The Department implemented a process to ensure that excluded individuals are no longer present at licensed facilities through Regional Office Memo "Serving Immediate Exclusion Orders." Staff were trained on this memo in April 2017. (See Attachment 4.)
- Completion Date: April 2017
- Response Date: May 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
Social Services has distributed a new procedures document that outlines the steps that staff at regional offices must take to verify that excluded individuals are not present in licensed facilities. However, it has not yet provided evidence that it trained staff on this new guidance or that it is monitoring the implementation of the guidance on an ongoing basis. We look forward to reviewing the additional steps Social Services is taking as part of its six-month response.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
All Recommendations in 2016-126
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.