Silvia Acosta

AAC R9-3-301.N. When the premises of a child care group home are left unoccupied during hours of operation or the child care group home is temporarily closed due to an unexpected event, a certificate holder shall ensure that a staff member notifies the Department before leaving the child care group home unoccupied or closing the child care group home, stating the period of time during which the child care group home will be unoccupied or closed.

“Findings: The Provider told the Compliance Officers that the group home would be closed for a month and that they had forgotten to notify the Compliance Officer prior to the closure.”

AAC R9-3-202.D. D. A certificate holder shall ensure that each individual who is a staff member or an adult resident submits to the certificate holder a copy of the individual’s a valid fingerprint clearance card each time the fingerprint clearance card is issued or renewed every six years.

“Findings: The Primary Compliance Officer verified the fingerprint clearances cards and found that Resident 1 did not have a valid fingerprint clearance card. The fingerprint clearance card for Resident 1 expired on 10/30/24 and the verification from the DPS website said not valid.”

AAC R9-3-301.N. When the premises of a child care group home are left unoccupied during hours of operation or the child care group home is temporarily closed due to an unexpected event, a certificate holder shall ensure that a staff member notifies the Department before leaving the child care group home unoccupied or closing the child care group home, stating the period of time during which the child care group home will be unoccupied or closed.

“Findings: The Compliance Officers arrived at the group home and found that the Provider was not home. The Provider did not notify the Compliance Officer of the temporary closure.”

AAC R9-3-506.5. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 5. Each bathroom used by an enrolled child at the child care group home has the following within the reach of enrolled children: a. Mounted toilet tissue, b. Soap contained in a dispenser, and c. Singly dispensed paper towels;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that there were no paper towels or dispenser in the bathroom used by enrolled children.”

AAC R9-3-505.D.5. D. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 5. Except as provided in R9-3-503(C)(4) and subsection (D)(6)(d), the following are stored in a labeled container separate from food storage areas and are inaccessible to an enrolled child: a. Materials and chemicals labeled as a toxic substance, and b. Substances that have a child warning label and may be a hazard to a child;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed a container of disinfecting wipes with a warning label on a shelf accessible to enrolled children.”

AAC R9-3-504.A.5. A. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 5. Each electrical outlet in an area of the child care group home approved for providing child care services is covered with a safety plug cover or insert when not in use;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed 4 outlets that were not covered in the child care room.”

AAC R9-3-502.C.1.a. C. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 1. A staff member: a. Keeps the gate in the fence surrounding an outdoor activity area closed while enrolled children are in the outdoor activity area, and

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the gate in the outdoor area that is blocking the stairs up to the top floor had a broken latch.”

AAC R9-3-406.F. F. A certificate holder shall ensure that a staff member: 1. Prepares a weekly menu specifying the foods to be served at each meal and snack on each day, 2. Dates each menu, and 3. Writes food substitutions on a posted menu no later than the morning of the day of the meal or snack to which the substitution applies.

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the posted menu was dated for the week of August 19, 2024 and not for the current week.”

AAC R9-3-310.A. A. A certificate holder shall ensure that a child care group home has a first-aid kit on the premises that contains at least the following items, in a quantity sufficient to meet the needs of the enrolled children at the child care group home: 1. Sterile bandages including: a. Adhesive bandages of assorted sizes, b. Sterile gauze pads, and c. Sterile gauze rolls, 2. Antiseptic solution or sealed antiseptic wipes, 3. Single-use non-porous gloves, 4. Reclosable plastic bags of at least one-gallon size, 5. Scissors, and 6. Adhesive or self-adhering tape.

“Compliance Officer 2 observed that the first aid kit was missing tape and gauze rolls.”

AAC R9-3-301.A.4.d. A. A certificate holder shall: 4. Ensure that the provider: d. Prepares a dated attendance record for each day and ensures that each staff member records on the attendance record the staff member’s start time and end time of providing child care services for the child care group home;

“Compliance Officer 2 observed that the Provider had not signed in or out for 9/3/24 and 9/4/24.”

AAC R9-3-407.A.16. A. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 16. A refrigerator at the child care group home maintains a temperature of 41° F or below, as shown by a thermometer kept in the refrigerator at all times;

“Compliance Officer 1 observed that the refrigerator did not have a thermometer.”

AAC R9-3-305.A.2. A. A certificate holder shall ensure that: 2. The individual signing the enrolled child into or out from the child care group home: a. Records the time of the enrolled child’s arrival or departure, and b. Signs the attendance record with at least the first initial of the individual’s first name and the individual’s last name; and

“Per allegation: Based on an interview with the Provider, the Provider acknowledged that the parents were not signing-in and out on a regular basis and had them fill out the log at the end of the month for April 2024.”

AAC R9-3-303.B. B. Except as required in A.R.S. § 36-309, before a child is enrolled at a child care group home, a certificate holder shall require the individual enrolling the child to complete a Department-provided Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record card containing: 1. The child’s name, home address, city, state, zip code, sex, and date of birth; 2. The date of the child’s enrollment; 3. The name, home address, city, state, zip code, and contact telephone number of each parent of the child; 4. The name and contact telephone number of at least two individuals authorized by the child’s parent to collect the child from the child care group home or to be contacted if the child’s parent cannot be contacted; 5. The name and contact telephone number of the child’s physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse practitioner; 6. Written authorization for emergency medical care of the child; 7. The name of the individual to be contacted in case of injury or sudden illness of the child; 8. A written description provided by a child’s parent of the nutritional and dietary needs of the child; 9. A written description provided by the child’s parent noting the child’s susceptibility to illness, physical conditions of which a staff member should be aware, and any individual requirements for health maintenance; and 10. The dated signature of the individual completing the Emergency, Information, and Immunization Record card.

“Compliance Officer 2 requested to see the emergency cards for all of the enrolled children and found the following: * The Provider acknowledged that she did not have an emergency card on file for Child 1 and Child 2. * The emergency card for Child 3 was missing the name and phone number for one additional emergency contact and the name of the health care provider.”

AAC R9-3-205.D. A certificate holder shall not implement any change in subsection (B) until the Department issues an approval or amended certificate.

“Per allegation: Based on an interview with the Provider, the Provider acknowledged that she was offering overnight services to a family and did not notify the Department in order to change her hours of operation.”