Facility Evaluation Report

Licensing Program Analysts (LPAs) Jessica Cho and Eboni Bentley made an unannounced case management visit for the purpose of following up on an incident report submitted to the Orange County Regional Office on November 14, 2023. LPAs were greeted and granted entry and explained the reason of the visit to Program Manager (PM) Patrick O'Connell.

The facility self-reported an incident of sexual abuse where Staff #1 (S1) was intentionally pursuing an intimate relationship with Client #1 (C1) during their residency at the facility. The incident is as follows: On November 11, 2023, C1, Client #2 (C2), and Client #3 (C3) went to a hair salon for a haircut. C2 and C3 went inside the salon while S1 and C1 stayed behind in the vehicle. It was reported that C2 and C3 witnessed S1 and C1 kissing after their haircut. S1 bribed C2 and C3 not to report and purchased a tall can of beer for C2. After arriving to the facility, C3 reported S1 to management in which S1 made an admission kissing C1 and purchasing alcohol for C2 in order to prevent C2 from reporting what they had witnessed.

On November 16, 2023, the Department conducted an unannounced health and safety check on the clients present and observed no health and safety issues. During the course of the investigation, five clients and six staff interviews were conducted and pertinent records were obtained which includes the Personnel Report, Summary of Discharge, Client House Guidelines, Admission Agreement, Physician's Report, Appraisals, Needs and Services Plans, S1's Resume, Sexual Harassment Policy, Code of Conduct, Employee Confidentiality Agreement, Criminal Records Statement (LIC508), Employment Offer, and Job Description. Two out of the two witness clients confirmed observing the kissing between S1 and C1. S1 also had made an admission during the facility's internal investigation and confirmed kissing C1.