306001736-2-15-2024-22-AS-LMOA-D2W4NK-20240228181516

Community Care Licensing

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 306001736
Report Date: 02/15/2024
Date Signed: 02/15/2024 12:25:52 PM

Unsubstantiated

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
ORANGE COUNTY RO, 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
09/02/2022 and conducted by Evaluator Jessica Cho

PUBLIC

COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 22-AS-20220902162151

FACILITY NAME:	VOCATIONAL VISIONS		FACILITY NUMBER:	306001736
ADMINISTRATOR:	MERCY GORDON		FACILITY TYPE:	775
ADDRESS:	23612 ALAMBRE		TELEPHONE:	(949) 837-7280
CITY:	MISSION VIEJO	STATE: CA	ZIP CODE:	92691
CAPACITY:	160	CENSUS: 89	DATE:	02/15/2024
		UNANNOUNCED	TIME BEGAN:	11:45 AM
MET WITH:	Laura Martinez- Director of Operations		TIME COMPLETED:	12:45 PM

ALLEGATION(S):

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Staff sexually abused clients in care.

INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:

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Licensing Program Analyst (LPA) Jessica Cho made a subsequent unannounced visit to deliver the findings into the above allegation. LPA Cho met with Director of Operations (DOP) Laura Martinez and stated the purpose of the visit. On September 7, 2022, LPA initiated the complaint investigation to obtain pertinent records. A subsequent follow-up visit was conducted on September 9, 2022 to obtain additional records and conduct an interview. The investigation revealed the following:

It is alleged that the staff sexually abused clients in care. On September 2, 2022, the Orange County Adult and Senior Care Regional Office received a notification via a media release reporting the arrest of Staff #1 (S1) for lewd and lascivious acts onto a dependent adult client. The alleged assault took place in a residential care home licensed by the Department of Public Health. S1, who was also employed with this facility, was arrested on September 1, 2022, and placed on immediate suspension pending investigation. The conduct inimical for S1 was substantiated, and therefore, S1’s employment was terminated effective November 30, 2022, as documented on the facility’s Personnel Action Form.

Unsubstantiated

Estimated Days of Completion:

SUPERVISORS NAME: Lourdes Montoya
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Jessica Cho
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 02/15/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 02/15/2024

This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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Control Number 22-AS-20220902162151

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
ORANGE COUNTY RO, 770 THE CITY DR., SUITE 7100
ORANGE, CA 92868

FACILITY NAME: VOCATIONAL VISIONS	FACILITY NUMBER: 306001736
	VISIT DATE: 02/15/2024

NARRATIVE

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After the public announcement was made, Client #1 (C1) came forward during the facility’s internal investigation and identified S1 touching him inappropriately. The licensee reported this via a Special Incident Report (SIR) dated September 7, 2022, and completed the Report of Suspected Dependent Adult Abuse. It was reported that the alleged assault took place prior to the facility closure (due to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic) on March 17, 2020. C1, who is diagnosed with Moderate Intellectual Disability and Cerebral Palsy, requires a two-person assist in the bathroom as documented as per the Emergency Information form dated September 9, 2022. In C1’s disclosure to the facility, C1 alleged that S1 touched his penis on two occasions while he was not receiving bathroom assistance. C1 also indicated that there were no witnesses and could not recall the specific timeline. In C1’s interview conducted by the Department’s investigator and the detective with the Orange County Sherrif’s Department, C1 could not recall the conversation he had with his father about the alleged assault and the disclosure that was made to the facility. The client has a well-documented history of embellishing stories. Two out of the two staff who confirmed working with S1 indicated that S1 was kind to everyone and denied witnessing or having knowledge of S1 behaving inappropriately or speaking with suggestive comments or dialogue. Both indicated that per facility protocol, no staff would be left alone with one client, clients would be assisted by their respective gender staff, and if a client is a one-person assist in the bathroom, the second staff would always be present by the bathroom door.

Based on the Department’s investigation, due to the inconsistent statements made by C1, no additional victims being identified, and no additional information or statements were raised by the facility staff and the DOP regarding clients being sexually abused by S1, the evidence obtained did not corroborate with the allegation.

Therefore, although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove or refute the alleged violation occurred; therefore, this allegation is deemed UNSUBSTANTIATED.

An exit interview was conducted with Director of Operations Laura Martinez, and a copy of this report including the LIC9099C, and the LIC811 were provided at the end of the visit.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Lourdes Montoya
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Jessica Cho
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:	DATE: 02/15/2024

I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.

FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 02/15/2024

LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)

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