Lonestar Social Services, LLC

Two service plans for children in care were not completed by their due date of 05.01.2023.

No documents provided by the agency note a specific time frame on when the foster parents are to be reimbursed by the agency.

During the walk through of the home, a loaded BB gun was observed unsecured on the back porch.

The foster home's license documents the home is only licensed for female placements. However, during the sampling visit, it was determined there is a male placed in the home.

Two prescription medications and other non-prescription medications were unlocked during the inspection. This was corrected at inspection. It was also reported that an epinephrine injector is kept in the foster parent's purse to use for in case of an emergency, which is unlocked. Foster parent reported this will be corrected and locked up.

During the inspection, it was found that one regular/frequent visitor did not have a background check completed.

There were no signatures/dates on the foster parent rights and responsibilities the foster parents provided during inspection. The agency provided a separate copy of the rights and responsibilities via email after the inspection, which had an electronic signature for foster parent, but no date of when it was signed. Along with this, the foster home developer's signature was dated 5/23/22. The foster parent rights/responsibilities reviewed in the home on the agency record keeping system showed the date for the form as 5/21/23. It was reported that foster parent completed this on 5/21/23 and had yet to receive a signed copy as of today, 3.29.23.

It was found that the operation is not maintaining a true and accurate service plan for the child in care. A service plan was completed on 3/25/23 for the child when a meeting was not held on this day. There has not been a service plan meeting as of yet. A notification was sent on 3/24/23 to foster parent for a meeting to be held on 4/7/23.

During the inspection, it was reported that one CM left the agency in January 2023, but is still showing as "active" in background checks.

The agency was cited for the child's right standard on 2.14.23. The agency was reminded to send the parent notification but has still not completed it as of 3.6.23.

One regular/frequent visitor who comes to the foster home approximately 4 times in a 30 day period did not have a background check completed.

2 out of 2 children indicted that physical discipline was used in the foster home. Both were consistent when interviewed as well in a DFPS case.

The acknowledgement of Child's Rights was signed 7 months after the child was placed in the foster home.

When reviewing child files, it was observed that 1 child?s medication dosage increased for a prescribed medication during the middle of June but was not updated on the medication log to show the dosage change.

When reviewing files, 2 children in care medication logs showed 5 out of 8 prescribed medications not listing the prescribing physician and 3 medications did not provide a reason for the medication (reference 749.1541(c)(3)).

When reviewing child files, 1 child file showed missing dates for the 31st for May and July medication logs. When reviewing files, it was also observed that 1 child file was missing 5 signatures for medicine being administered for 2 prescribed medications (reference 749.1541(c)(6)).

Child in care acted inappropriately towards another child in care due to foster parents not following safety plan initiated by agency. Safety plan was put in place due to child having inappropriate behaviors and foster parents still placed the child in the same bedroom which led to child exposing themselves to another child in care.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined a child in care did not receive medical care until at least 12 hours after the child swallowed an object. The child was taken to the Emergency Room and was admitted for a medical procedure to retrieve the object from his stomach.

During the course of the investigation it was determined the caregiver did not intervene appropriately when the child obtained a penny, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it. As a result the child of this action, the child had medical procedure to retrieve the object from his stomach.

A child in care suffered from a broken nose and contusion on her head when she swam into the side of the concrete pool face first. The child was taken to the ER on 5-7, the day of the injury. The incident was not reported within the required 24 hour time-frame for reporting, but was reported on 5-10-22.

A child in care contracted a communicable disease on 01.27.2022 and licensing was not made aware within the required timeframe.

An adult caregiver contracted a communicable disease on 01.27.2022 and licensing was not made aware.

Two children in care contracted a communicable disease on 1/11/22 and it was not reported to licensing until 1/17/22, which is not within the required 24 hour time-frame for reporting.

The agency changed administrators on 12.22.21 but failed to notify Licensing within the 2 day timeframe. Licensing was notified of the change 1.13.22.

The foster parent tested positive for covid on 1/6/22 and the incident was not reported to the hotline until 1/11/22 when HHS employee called the foster parent to get clarification regarding the information in the self- report.

It was found during the course of the investigation a foster parent tested positive for COVID but did not report for 10 day.

From documentation reviewed, the hotline report was received three days after the child's positive covid test result.

During the course of the investigation it was found caregivers have yelled and cussed at children in care.

COVID test results verify that a child in care tested positive on 11.2.21 and again on 11.6.21. The child's DFPS caseworker and Statewide Intake were not notified of the test results until 11.10.21, eight days after the first positive test result for the child. The SIR for this incident was not completed until six days after Lonestar became aware of the positive COVID results on 11.9.21.

After reviewing documentation, a child in care tested positive for COVID-19 and this was reported two days after receiving positive results.

In reviewing background checks it was found an active employee was inactived in August 2020.

10 charts were reviewed and 9 all had items missing. Licensing Affidavits, Reporting A/N, Job Descriptions, proof of qualifications, Drug Screen, proof of age, etc.

It was identified an individual regularly/frequently present at a verified agency home, while children were in care, did not have an eligibility determination by CBCU allowing this person to be present at the agency home.

It was identified during the course of this investigation that law enforcement responded to an incident at a foster home, the caregiver acknowledged being aware that law enforcement responded to their residence, and a report was not received by Licensing within 24 hours of the caregiver becoming aware of law enforcement's presence at the foster home.

It was identified during the course of this investigation that a child in care was threatened with corporal punishment by at least one adult household member, who acknowledged being an approved caregiver for children in care.

During the walk thru chemicals were found in the on the laundry room floor, a unlocked closet, and a unlocked cabinet.

During the walk-thru it was found that the floor was dirty and cluttered. Small objects were on the floor.

During the walk through bugs were found on the bed springs and floor of bedroom.

During the walk thru there was a tub of water with at least 18 inches of water in it. The tub was located in the backyard.

During the walk thru medication was found out in a room out in the open.

A child was hospitalized and it was not reported by the foster parent or agency until a month later.

It was observed that the cleaning supply's were not locked. The cabinet, under the sink in the kitchen where the cleaning supply's are kept had a magnetic lock that was broken and was not working.

During interviews with household members, it was found that foster parents have spanked the children in care as a form of discipline.

During interview with foster parent, it was found that children in care are transported around the property on a motorcycle.

The foster child's grandmother at a kinship home did not inform licensing of the altercation on the bus as soon as she became aware of it.

During the wallk through medication was found unsecured in a room the biological daughter sleeps in.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined a child in care was allowed to be alone with an adult family friend and was not checked on by the foster parents.

During the course of the investigation, it was found an adult family friend was visiting the home and allowed to be left alone with the child.

During the walk through it was observed that a foster parent smokes on the back porch.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined a child was left unsupervised allowing them to get injured.

In reviewing the Safety Disaster Plans, all required information was not present.

During the review of training, it was found that some of the training requirements for Pre-Service and Orientation were either missing or done during the wrong requirement.

In reviewing the home charts, it was found a foster family had their TB test two years before being verified as a foster home.

In reviewing background checks, several active people could not be associated as a foster parent, frequent visitor, or child 14 and older. Response from the facility showed that several of the backgrounds should have been activated and one should have been active that was inactive.

In reviewing the documentation there was no consistency to the documentation of training, leaving some of the required information missing.

During the course of the investigation, a child received an injury and the parents were advised to take the child to be seen by a medical professional, but waited until the following day.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined that a child injured themselves and it was not reported by the agency or the foster family.