Complaint Investigation Report

It was alleged a resident sustained injuries while in care, based on interviews conducted with staff and residents there is a client at the facility who is very aggressive towards staff and other residents. Based on interviews with staff sometimes the client will injure their arm by scratching. On 1/13/2021, Client #1 got up from his seat abruptly and aggressively approached Client #4 and asked if the other client wanted to fight. Client #4 immediately punched Client #1 on the side of the face. Per staff interviews, they immediately intervened and separated the clients. The injury was not from a staff rather from another client and they immediately separated them. On that day (2) staff were present. On another occasion sometime in April of 2021, it was alleged that Staff #4 had hit Client #1 with a chair, based on interviews conducted it revealed the client was not hit a chair. Staff #4 denies being the person who picked up the chair and stated the client is the one who picked up the chair. Staff #5 stated that Staff #4 did pick up the chair but did not hit the client with it but was using it as away to lure the client back into their room.

It was alleged that staff make inappropriate comments towards clients, such as cursing at them. Based on interviews with clients the staff do not curse at them. Two (2) out of (7) seven staff stated they have heard staff curse at residents. Five (5) caregivers stated they have never been told by any of the clients that staff have made inappropriate comments or cursed at them and they also have never witnessed it.

Allegedly a staff encouraged a client to engage in a physical altercation with another client . Based on interviews conducted all the clients at the facility are aware that Client #1 can be aggressive towards staff and they always try to defend staff. Per interviews with staff, the staff at the facility do not allowed them to intervene and ask the clients to step aside and away from the area when Client #1 is having an episode. Sometime in April of 2021, it was alleged that Client #1 became aggressive with Staff #4 and the staff member started calling Client #4 for help. It is alleged that Client #4 came and hit Client #1 with an open hand in the back. Client #1 stated that Client #4 socked the client in the eye and gave the client a black eye. Based on interviews with the other two (2) clients they did not witness Client #4 hitting Client #1. Staff #4 denies calling Client #4 for help and stated the staff was telling Client #1 that they were going to call another staff member. Client #1 is known to lie about injuries that are self inflicted.

Based on LPA's interviews conducted, observations and records reviewed, investigation revealed: Although the allegations may have happened or are valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove the alleged violations did or did not occur, therefore the above allegations are unsubstantiated.

No Deficiencies cited under California Code of Regulations Title 22. An exit Interview was conducted with the Administrator and a hardcopy was provided.