Complaint Investigation Report

LPA interviewed CEO and 5 staff who provided the following information: on 10/17/22, Participant #1 (P1) was found with a bottle of alcohol at the program; when the bottle was discovered, it was empty; staff did not see P1 or any other participant drink from the bottle; when asked, P1 stated they drank from the bottle during lunch and shared some with one other participant to try; P1 told staff they had brought the bottle from home and that it was half full when P1 brought it to the program; and after the incident a meeting was held with P1’s interdisciplinary team and P1 was removed from the program. LPA interviewed the staff who supervised P1’s group of participants and discovered the bottle who stated: they became suspicious when they saw P1 and another participant laughing and noticed a bulge in P1’s pocket; that prior to the discovery, there was nothing out of the ordinary that would have alerted staff to what was happening; that neither P1 nor any other participant appeared intoxicated that day; and that P1’s group of participants was being supervised with the proper staffing ratio of 6 participants to 1 staff. Per staff interviewed, the program does not provide food for participants. Instead, participants bring their own lunches from home, fast food restaurants and other restaurants, or purchase items from vending machines. Participants control what they bring to eat and drink, the food comes in a variety of homemade or commercial packaging, staff do not inspect the food or drinks, staff do not search participants or their bags, and participants eat independently. One staff interviewed stated that the alcohol bottle looked like a soft drink bottle that P1 could have obtained at a convenience store or vending machine. LPA inspected the facility and observed staff supervising participants in groups of 2 staff to 12 or fewer participants in small areas called classrooms while in larger common rooms staff were spread throughout the room supervising the participants in a ratio of 2 staff to 12 or fewer participants. LPA inspected the 2 lunch areas during lunch and observed sufficient staff spread throughout the areas supervising the participants. LPA reviewed the participant handbook which states that alcohol is not allowed. 9 out of 9 participants interviewed stated that they had not seen alcohol, vapes, or drugs at the program and that facility staff do a good job supervising and watching over the participants. While a participant did bring an alcohol bottle to the program, staff do not search participants’ bags or control what foods and drinks participants choose to bring and consume and the investigation did not reveal any lapses in care and supervision relating to this isolated incident.

Based on the information gathered during the investigation and review of all documents obtained, the Department is unable to ascertain if the allegation occurred as reported. Although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of evidence to prove or refute the alleged violation occurred; therefore, this allegation is deemed Unsubstantiated. An exit interview was conducted and a copy of this report was left at the facility.