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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 300603549
Report Date: 05/05/2022
Date Signed: 05/05/2022 01:45:36 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, 770 THE CITY DR., SUITE 7100
ORANGE, CA 92868
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
02/08/2022 and conducted by Evaluator Michael Almaraz
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 22-CR-20220208095810
FACILITY NAME:NEW ALTERNATIVES, INC #5FACILITY NUMBER:
300603549
ADMINISTRATOR:MEAGHAN CRITCHLOWFACILITY TYPE:
733
ADDRESS:TELEPHONE:
CITY:STATE: ZIP CODE:
CAPACITY:20CENSUS: 6DATE:
05/05/2022
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
12:55 PM
MET WITH:Breanna TuckerTIME COMPLETED:
01:59 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Minor was spoken to inappropriately while in care.
Minor(s) are threatened while in care.
Minor(s) are being yelled at while in care.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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On May 5, 2022, at 12:55 PM Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Michael Almaraz arrived at the facility and met with facility program administrative director, Breanna Tucker, to issue the finding for the above stated allegations involving the facility and the clients (C1, C2, C3…C8) listed on the Confidential Names List (LIC 811) dated on 05/05/2022. On February 16, 2022, at 10:06 AM LPA Almaraz conducted a safety inspection at the facility. During the inspection, LPA reviewed one client’s records, reviewed one staff’s employment records, and conducted interviews with two staff. Additionally, LPA conducted interviews with five of eight clients, an additional staff and a county social worker (CSW). Three clients were unavailable for interviews.

On February 8, 2022, the Department received a complaint that a minor was spoken to inappropriately while in care, minors are threatened while in care, and minors are being yelled at while in care. It was specified that client #1 (C1) was ridiculed by staff #1 (S1), S1 threatened to record client’s inappropriate behavior and share it with clients’ families. Confidential witness’ statements revealed that on February 7, 2022, S1 made inappropriate comments toward C1. (continued on next page...)
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Abdoulaye Traore
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Michael Almaraz
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
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 3
Control Number 22-CR-20220208095810
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 770 THE CITY DR., SUITE 7100
ORANGE, CA 92868
FACILITY NAME: NEW ALTERNATIVES, INC #5
FACILITY NUMBER: 300603549
VISIT DATE: 05/05/2022
NARRATIVE
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 Confidential witnesses also revealed that S1 had made threats of recording client’s inappropriate behavior to share it with clients’ families. In addition, the confidential witnesses stated that S1 yelled at clients. CSW reiterated that he was informed that S1 threatened C1 and used inappropriate comments toward C1. CSW stated that he was also informed that S1 had yelled at C1. During LPA’s review of S1’s employment records, it was observed that on February 2, 2022, S1 had been given an employee warning report for poor work quality. Moreover, S1 resigned from the facility without notice and left during shift on February 7, 2022.

Based on confidential interviews and record review, the preponderance of evidence standard has been met and the Department has determined that S1 had spoken inappropriately to C1, S1 threatened C1 and yelled at clients while in care. Therefore, these allegations are substantiated. The facility is being cited for violation of the Interim Licensing Standards, Chapter 7.5 Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program, Articles 1 through 10, Version 4 Personal Rights 87072(c)(11)

An exit interview was conducted, appeal rights explained, and a copy of this report was provided to Breanna Tucker.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Abdoulaye Traore
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Michael Almaraz
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 3
Control Number 22-CR-20220208095810
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
CCLD Regional Office, 770 THE CITY DR., SUITE 7100
ORANGE, CA 92868

FACILITY NAME: NEW ALTERNATIVES, INC #5
FACILITY NUMBER: 300603549
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 05/05/2022
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B
05/19/2022
Section Cited
ILS
87072(c)(11)
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Personal Rights 87072 (c) The licensee shall ensure that each child, regardless of whether the child is in foster care, is accorded the personal rights… the licensee shall ensure that each child is accorded the following personal rights: (11) To be free of physical, sexual, emotional, or other abuse, and from
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Per facility program administrative director, the facility will provide staff with training on ILS Personal Rights section 87072. The facility will provide proof to LPA in the form of a sign in sheet by the POC due date.
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corporal or unusual punishment, *exploitation,* infliction of pain, humiliation, intimidation, ridicule, coercion, threat…This requirement was not met as evidenced by: Based on confidential interviews and record review S1 ridiculed C1, S1 threatened clients and S1 yelled at clients which poses an immediate health, safety, and personal rights risk to clients in care.
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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.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Abdoulaye Traore
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Michael Almaraz
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 05/05/2022
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 3 of 3