VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Christ First Church
116 Romans Road
Suffolk, VA 23434
(757) 539-7788

VDSS Contact: Melinda Popkin (757) 802-5281

Inspection Date: Sept. 1, 2021

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

32.1 Report by person other than physician 54.1-3408 Must be MAT Certified. 63.2 Child Abuse & Neglect 63.2(17) License & Registration Procedures 63.2 Facilities & Programs. 22VAC40-191 Background Checks for Child Welfare Agencies

Technical Assistance:

Please forward the results of the Florida background checks for staff #2 to your licensing inspector immediately upon receipt.

Comments:

This inspection was conducted by licensing staff using an alternate remote protocol, including telephone contacts, documents review, and a virtual tour of the program. A monitoring inspection was initiated and concluded on 9/1/2021. The director was contacted by telephone and a virtual inspection was conducted. There were 59 children present, ranging in ages from 8 months to 10 years old, with 11 staff supervising. The inspector reviewed compliance in the areas of administration, physical plant, staffing and supervision, programming, medication, special care and emergencies and nutrition. A total of 4 staff records were reviewed. Information gathered during the inspection determined non-compliance with applicable standards or law and violations were documented on the violation notice issued to the program.

Violations:

Standard #:	63.2(17)-1716-A-4
Description:	Based on a review of the annual documentation submitted to the department and interview, the religious exempt center did not ensure that each person in a supervisory position has been certified annually by a practicing physician or physician assistant to be free from any disability which would prevent him from caring for children under his supervision. Evidence: Physician's Statement forms for 22 staff, submitted as part of the annual documentation for the program, were reviewed. The form for staff #5 was dated more than one year ago (8/27/2020). A more recent document for Health Screening was not available for this staff.
Plan of Correction:	The program director stated that staff #5 has an appointment to get her health screening conducted this week. It was on oversight that the report was outdated.
Standard #:	63.2(17)-1720.1-B-4
Description:	Based on a review of records and interview, the religious exempt program was unable to demonstrate that they had obtained a copy of the results of a sex offender registry check, and a search of the child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry from any state in which any staff person has resided in the preceding five years. Evidence: Four staff records were reviewed. The record for staff #2, whose date of hire is 2/3/2021, contained a Sworn disclosure statement which declared that she had lived in the state of Florida within the last 5 years. The record contained a Criminal History Search for staff #2 but did not contain a copy of the results of a sex offender registry check, and a search of the child abuse and neglect registry or equivalent registry for Florida.
Plan of Correction:	The program director attempted to obtain the sex offender registry check, and search of the child abuse and neglect registry during the inspection when she realized these items were required. She was having difficulty reaching the correct department to obtain these checks but will continue to call and obtain instruction from the State of Florida and will have them completed within 10 days. Results will be forwarded to the Licensing Inspector upon receipt.