Review of the Adequacy of State Procedures for the Oversight of Douglas House and Youth Continuum, Inc.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

This final report points out weaknesses in Connecticut's licensing and monitoring of child care facilities. The State's inspection and reporting process needs improvement, especially in the areas of performing quarterly visits required by State law, reporting results, and documenting supervisory reviews. In one case a facility was inspected only four times from October 1995 to October 1999, when 17 inspections should have been performed. We noted instances where inspectors reported that certain licensing requirements had been met when the documented evidence suggested otherwise. In other cases operating licenses were issued and reissued to certain facilities in spite of serious deficiencies identified by license inspectors in current and previous inspections. Recommendations call for improvements the State needs to take in its licensing and oversight responsibilities. The State concurred and is in the process of taking corrective actions.

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