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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 343615585
Report Date: 10/21/2022
Date Signed: 10/21/2022 01:28:58 PM

Substantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
09/07/2022 and conducted by Evaluator Lea Habtom
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 03-CC-20220907151205
FACILITY NAME:MERRYHILL SCHOOL-KARITSAFACILITY NUMBER:
343615585
ADMINISTRATOR:VALENZUELA,YVONNEFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:2855 KARITSA AVENUETELEPHONE:
(916) 575-9603
CITY:SACRAMENTOSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95833
CAPACITY:156CENSUS: 86DATE:
10/21/2022
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
11:50 AM
MET WITH:Yvonne ValenzuelaTIME COMPLETED:
01:50 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Staff handled day-care children in a rough manner.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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On October 21, 2022 Licensing Program Analysts (LPA) Lea Habtom met with Principal Yvonne Valenzuela to deliver the findings for the above allegations. Upon arrival, LPA observed 86 napping toddler and preschool children being supervised by 12 staff members in rooms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Staff handled day-care children in a rough manner.

During the investigation, LPA Habtom toured the facility, conducted observation, and interviewed those pertinent to the investigation. It was alleged that staff handled day-care children in a rough manner. Based on the corroborating statements taken the department has found that a personal rights violation occurred when staff handled day-care children in a rough manner to be SUBSTANTIATED: meaning that the allegation is valid because the preponderance of the evidence standard has been met.

Report continued on 9099-C
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 1 of 4
Control Number 03-CC-20220907151205
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833

FACILITY NAME: MERRYHILL SCHOOL-KARITSA
FACILITY NUMBER: 343615585
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 10/21/2022
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type A
10/25/2022
Section Cited
CCR
101223(a)(3)
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101223(a)(3) Personal Rights: The licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (3) To be free from corporal or unusual punishment, infliction of pain, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat, mental abuse or other actions of a punitive
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Prinicipal Yvonne states abuse preventation training is provided to each staff and a behavioral training schedueled with all staff to discuss properly handling a child on November 2, 2022. Principal states she will address the way children are to be handled with staff in a meeting format.
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This requirement was not met as evidenced by: interviews that revealed a staff member roughly handled a day care child. This is an immediate risk to the health and safety of children.
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Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
09/07/2022 and conducted by Evaluator Lea Habtom
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 03-CC-20220907151205

FACILITY NAME:MERRYHILL SCHOOL-KARITSAFACILITY NUMBER:
343615585
ADMINISTRATOR:VALENZUELA,YVONNEFACILITY TYPE:
850
ADDRESS:2855 KARITSA AVENUETELEPHONE:
(916) 575-9603
CITY:SACRAMENTOSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
95833
CAPACITY:156CENSUS: 86DATE:
10/21/2022
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
11:50 AM
MET WITH:Yvonne ValenzuelaTIME COMPLETED:
01:50 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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9
Staff yell and intimidate children.




INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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Staff yell and intimidate children.

During the investigation, LPA Habtom toured the facility, conducted observation, and interviewed those pertinent to the investigation. It was alleged that staff yell and intimidate children. From interviews, LPA was unable to collect sufficient information to determine if staff violated a child’s personal rights therefore the allegation is said to be UNSUBSTANTIATED. Although it may or may have not happened, there is not a preponderance of the evidence to prove that the alleged violations occurred.



Unsubstantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 3 of 4
Control Number 03-CC-20220907151205
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 2525 NATOMAS PARK DR. STE.250
SACRAMENTO, CA 95833
FACILITY NAME: MERRYHILL SCHOOL-KARITSA
FACILITY NUMBER: 343615585
VISIT DATE: 10/21/2022
NARRATIVE
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Title 22 Deficiency has been cited on the attached LIC 809-D. LPA Lea Habtom informed principal Yvonne Valenzuela that this report dated October 21, 2022 documents 1 Type A citation which shall be posted for 30 consecutive days as there is/are immediate risk(s) to the health, safety, or personal rights of children in care. Also, LPA Lea Habtom informed the principal to provide a copy of this licensing report dated October 21, 2022 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. Appeal Rights given.
SUPERVISOR'S NAME: Keven PetersTELEPHONE: (916) 263-5728
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Lea HabtomTELEPHONE: (916) 208-2538
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 10/21/2022
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 4 of 4