Report 2016-126 Recommendation 28 Responses

Report 2016-126: California Department of Social Services: Its Caregiver Background Check Bureau Lacks Criminal History Information It Needs to Protect Vulnerable Populations in Licensed Care Facilities (Release Date: March 2017)

Recommendation #28 To: Social Services, Department of

To ensure that its procedures are consistent and clear, Social Services should update its arrest-only case procedures and document its process for addressing subsequent arrest-only cases.

1-Year Agency Response

The Arrest Only unit has updated its procedures for addressing subsequent arrest only cases. (Attachment 17) The staff have been provided training on the updated procedures. (Attachment 18)

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

In October 2016, the Investigations Branch fully implemented procedure changes to include information related to subsequent arrest-only cases (see Attachments H, Arrest Only Process, P, Training Tracker, and T, Special Investigator Assistant Staff Meeting Agenda).

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

As we explain in our report, our concern was that Social Services had not yet documented its process for handling subsequent arrest-only cases. We agree that the department has implemented new procedures related to these cases. However, as we explain in our report, the assistant chief of the CBCB agreed that there were slight differences to how subsequent arrest-only cases are handled when compared to initial arrest only cases and therefore it would be beneficial to document the process for subsequent arrest-only cases. We look forward to reviewing documentation, such as a flow chart, that shows the subsequent arrest-only case process.

All Recommendations in 2016-126

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.