VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Alleghany Highlands Young Men's Christian Association - West
515 E. Pine Street
Covington, VA 24426
(540) 965-9622

Current Inspector: Monique Anderson (540) 309-2397

Inspection Date: April 2, 2021 , April 5, 2021 and April 20, 2021

Complaint Related: Yes

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-185 ADMINISTRATION. 22VAC40-185 STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING. 22VAC40-185 STAFFING AND SUPERVISION. 22VAC40-185 PROGRAMS.

Comments:

This inspection was conducted by licensing staff using an alternate remote protocol, necessary due to a state of emergency health pandemic declared by the Governor of Virginia. A complaint inspection was initiated on April 2, 2021 and concluded on May 4, 2021. A complaint was received by the department regarding allegations in the areas of supervision, medication, COVID protocols, and staff interactions. The director was contacted by telephone to conduct the investigation. The inspector emailed the director a list of documentation required to complete the investigation. The evidence gathered during the investigation supported the allegations of non-compliance with standards or law and violations were issued. The violations related to the complaint found during the course of the investigation can be found on the violation notice.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-185-340-F
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Based on review of camera footage and interviews with staff, the center failed to ensure that children under 10 years of age were within actual sight and sound supervision of staff. Evidence: 1. A review of camera footage from the morning of March 31, 2021 revealed that three children left the toddler classroom on the first floor of the building and wandered up three flights of stairs alone and unsupervised. The children's ages were 22 months (one child) and two years of age (two children). The children were observed to leave the classroom, and out of sight and sound supervision at approximately 8:36 am. The children were supervised as of approximately 8:39 am when a staff person goes up one flight of steps, and notices the children returning from the third flight of steps to the second flight of steps. The children were out of sight and sound supervision for more than three minutes. 2. During the time that the children were observed on the camera, one child stopped at the door leading to the outside of the building, and looked out the window on the door while holding onto the crash bar/handle of the door. The door in which the child looked out of the window is the main entrance door to the center, and is locked from the outside due to COVID protocols. The door leads directly to a side street and then to the parking area for the center. Neither the side street, the parking area, nor the entrance door to the center are regularly supervised by staff. The general public and/or parents use this door to enter the center. 3. The doors to the second floor were closed and locked. There were no other open doors observed, and no access to any hazardous conditions/materials observed. 4. All three children were out of sight of the camera system for approximately two minutes when they begin to climb the third set of steps before they are seen again on the camera coming down the steps. The third floor doors are reported to be unlocked but likely too heavy for two year old to open with ease (double doors with a pull handle approximately three feet from the floor). 5. There were eight children with two staff in the classroom when the incident occurred.
Plan of Correction:	This was corrected when the staff person found the children on the steps and provided supervision at that time. Reminders and retraining of staff has occurred since the incident.
Standard #:	22VAC40-185-350-E-2
Complaint related:	Yes
Description:	Based on a review of records and interviews with staff, the center failed to ensure that the ratio for children ages 16 months to two years was maintained. Evidence: 1. A review of sign in records of children, electronic timecard records of staff, and staff interviews verified that the toddler classroom was out of ratio on January 25 and 26, 2021 and March 8 and 9, 2021. The required ratio is one staff to five children. There were six children from 19 months through two years of age with one staff person as of 8:10 am on January 25, 2021. There were seven children with one staff person as of 8:15 am on January 25, 2021. The second staff person arrived at 8:26 am on January 25, 2021. There were seven children from 19 months through two years of age with one staff person as of 8:15 am on January 26, 2021. The second staff person arrived at 8:29 am on January 26, 2021. There were six children from 21 months through two years of age with one staff person as of 8:45 am on February 8, 2021. The second staff person arrived at 8:48 am on February 8, 2021. There were six children from 21 months through two years of age with one staff person as of 8:20 am on February 9, 2021. The second staff person arrived at 8:31 am on February 9, 2021.
Plan of Correction:	Staff hours were adjusted for the morning time to ensure that ratios are met.