VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Alpha House I
4526 Brickwood Meadow Ct.
Petersburg, VA 23803
(804) 861-0596

Current Inspector: Irvin Goode (804) 543-5188

Inspection Date: Oct. 4, 2023 and Nov. 30, 2023

Complaint Related: No

Areas Reviewed:

22VAC40-151 Residential Environment 22VAC40-151 Programs and Services

Technical Assistance:

None

Comments:

Type of inspection: Monitoring Date(s) of inspection and time the licensing inspector was on-site at the facility for each day of the inspection: 10/4/23 ? 1:55 PM ? 8:00 PM The Acknowledgement of Inspection form was signed and left at the facility for each date of the inspection. A self-reported incident was received by VDSS Division of Licensing on 8/6/23 regarding allegations in the area(s) of: Staff Supervision and Prohibitions. Number of residents in care at the beginning of the inspection: 2 adolescent mothers who each have 1 child The licensing inspector completed a tour of the physical plant that included the building and grounds of the facility. Number of staff records reviewed: 1 Number of interviews conducted with residents: 2 Number of interviews conducted with staff: 4 Additional Comments/Discussion: An unannounced monitoring inspection focusing on a self-reported incident was completed by the Licensing Specialist and an accompanying Licensing Specialist. During this inspection, additional information received during the interviews warranted an additional inspection in regard to the residential environment. The following is a listing of the activities for this inspection: One personnel record was reviewed. Staff members and residents were interviewed. Interviews conducted on 10/4/23 were done at Alpha House II. Interviews conducted on 10/5/23 were conducted by phone. The Program Director was available and accessible during the inspection. The Program Director participated in the preliminary findings meeting conducted by phone on 10/16/23. An exit meeting was conducted to review the inspection findings on 11/30/23. The evidence gathered during the investigation did not support the self-report of non-compliance with standard(s) or law. However, violation(s) not related to the self-report but identified during the course of the investigation can be found on the violation notice. The licensee has the opportunity to submit a plan of correction to indicate how the cited violation(s) will be addressed in order to return the facility to compliance and maintain future compliance with applicable standard(s) or law. If the licensee wishes to provide a plan of correction: (i) type the plan on a separate Word document, (ii) identify the standard violation number being addressed, (iii) include the date the violation will be corrected, (IV) do not include any names or confidential information, and (V) return to the licensing inspector by email within five (5) business days of the exit interview. Compliance with all applicable regulations and law shall be maintained and any areas of noncompliance must be corrected. Within 15 calendar days of your receipt of the inspection findings (inspection summary, violation notice, and supplemental information), you may request a review and discussion of these findings with the inspector's immediate supervisor. To make a request for review and discussion, you must contact the licensing supervisor at the regional licensing office that serves your geographical area. Regardless of whether a supervisory review has been requested, the results of the inspection will be posted to the DSS public website within 5 business days of your receipt of the Inspection Summary and/ or Violation Notice. The department's inspection findings are subject to public disclosure. Please Note: A copy of the findings of the most recent inspection are required to be posted on the premises of the facility. For more information about the VDSS Licensing Programs, please visit: www.dss.virginia.gov Should you have any questions, please contact Michele Freeman, Licensing Inspector at (804) 662-7062 or by email at michele.freeman@dss.virginia.gov.

Violations:

Standard #:	22VAC40-151-540-C
Description:	Violation: Based on observation, interviews with residents, and interviews with staff, the facility failed to keep the building free of vermin. Findings: 1) This Licensing Specialist and an accompanying Licensing Specialist conducted interviews on 10/4/23 in regard to a self-reported incident, the residents disclosed other issues in regard to vermin: a. Current resident, CR1- i. She stated the following ? ?My mother killed a snake!? She stated her mother who visited her on 9/11/23, killed a black snake, which was in the facility. She stated that staff, S4, saw the snake after she heard CR2 scream from the bathroom while holding her child. CR1 stated her mother grabbed the snake, which was stuck on a sticky mouse trap in the bathroom and took it outside to kill it. ii. CR1 also stated the facility had been experiencing an issue with mice for at least 45 days or more. She stated the last time she saw a mouse was on 10/1/23 at midnight while making a bottle in the kitchen for her newborn baby. She also stated a mouse entered her room two weeks prior to this interview. CR1 stated in the beginning that she would see three to four mice per day in the house, particularly near the kitchen. She also stated that staff had seen them in the office. b. Current resident, CR2 ? i. She stated the following ? ?I saw a snake in the bathroom.? She stated she was holding her child, a one-year-old male, who is walking and crawling throughout the facility. She also stated the following ? ?The snake was stuck on a mouse trap on the (bathroom) floor, which came through the hole for the dryer. CR1?s mom killed the snake.? ii. CR2 confirmed the facility had an issue with mice. She stated that she caught a few of them and threw them outside. She also stated seeing at least two mice per day. CR2 also stated that one mouse came into her room and she caught it. 2) This Licensing Specialist and the accompanying Licensing Specialist walked through the facility on 10/4/23 to assess the conditions and noticed the following: a. Staff, S5, accompanied the Licensing Specialists through the facility. b. Multiple sticky traps, including in the kitchen. i. A sticky mouse trap in the pantry with peanut butter on it, which was surrounded by mouse droppings. A picture was taken of this. c. Mice droppings in the kitchen i. The cabinet beneath the kitchen sink contains pots and pans. Mice droppings were noticeable in the pots, pans, and on the shelf. A picture was taken of this. 3) Interviews were conducted by phone on 10/5/23 by this Licensing Specialist with the following staff members in regard to the facility?s issues about the mice and the snake: a. Staff, S4 ? i. S4 stated the issue with the mice began in July 2023 or before then. ii. S4 confirmed a snake was in the facility. She stated the following ? ?The snake was on 9/11/23 at approximately 6:30 PM. It came through the dryer vent because the mice were there as well.? In addition, ?the snake was in the front of the washer on top of the rug with the sticky thing (trap) attached to it.? iii. S4 stated that when she saw the snake that she told CR1?s mother about the snake in the bathroom. After the snake was removed from the house, S4 called S2 three times but was unable to reach her. She then called S3 who came to the facility immediately according to S4. S2 returned S4?s call about five minutes after the third call. S4 told S2 that CR1?s mother killed a snake in the facility. *Due to a limited number of characters in this field, the findings for this violation are documented in its entirety on a separate document. These findings are available for review by submitting a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request.
Plan of Correction:	The clothes dryer vent that discharges under the house detached from the dryer, upon be made aware the dryer vent had detached, a new dryer vent and clamps to securely attached the vent was installed. It is theorizes that mice and a snake enter the house through the hole left by the detached dryer vent. Mouse traps, sticky type as well as cardboard folded traps were set throughout the facility, bait stations were also set under the house and the center for disease control was contacted to determine best practice for sanitation and clean up. Documentation with specific information from the CDC has been posted at the facility. Two pest control companies were contacted to determine what else should or could be done to eliminate vermin if any remained in the facility. All the recommendations provided by the pest control companies were done. There have no further vermin siting or captures since before the Oct. 4, 2023, inspection. Staff have been instructed to monitor the vent hose on the back of the dryer when doing room checks to ensure it does not get pulled loose again and if it is off or loose to notify the Director immediately. Staff and residents have been instructed that food is not to be stored in resident bedrooms. Food eaten and stored in the kitchen only. Kitchen surfaces, floors, and food pantry are to remain free of food particles, improperly stored food items, and dirty dishes that might attract vermin. Staff are to check for this daily during room checks and chore checks. Traps remain in place throughout the facility and are checked regularly. Information reportedly shared with the licensing specialist and included in this violation notice by staff and residents was not in its entirety shared with the Director of the program. Staff and residents have been reminded that the Director of the program is grateful for information regarding program operations, concerns, needs, celebrations, etc. All have been encouraged to notify the director at any time of such.