Background:
Rule 5101:2-13-03 of the Administrative Code requires family
child care providers to notify the county agency in the Ohio Child Licensing
Quality System (OCLQS) when a Serious Risk Non-Compliance (SRNC) occurs. Until
now, county agencies have been able to set their own policies on how to utilize
this information once submitted. This new procedure will help ensure consistent
use of inspection type in an inspection report for the citation of
non-compliances.
Updated Process:
Effective the date of this letter, the following procedures are
to be used by county agencies, which are aligned with the state for centers:
- If the information submitted is determined to be
a serious incident or injury as defined by rule 5101:2-13-16 of the Administrative
Code, the County Agency Reviewer:
- Contacts the program within three business days,
or sooner if instructed by the County Agency Approver, to obtain the details of
the incident.
- If the serious incident is not a SRNC or a child
fatality the case is closed, and no report is generated.
- If the serious incident report is of a child
fatality, regardless of whether it is a SRNC, a serious incident/injury/illness
inspection report must be created from the Serious Incident case in OCLQS.
- If the information submitted is determined to be
a six-point SRNC as defined by rule 5101:2-13-03 of the Administrative Code,
the County Agency Reviewer:
- Notifies the appropriate region email box if the
program is currently SUTQ rated.
- If a complaint case is not received within 10
days, a serious incident/injury/illness inspection report must be created from
the Serious Incident case in OCLQS with a corrective action date.
- If a complaint on the same issue is also
received, the County Agency Reviewer conducts an onsite complaint inspection to
investigate the allegations reported.
- If a complaint is received after the serious
incident/injury/illness inspection report is created, the serious
incident/injury/illness inspection report must be deleted so there is only one
inspection report associated with the incident.
- The County Agency Reviewer must contact the
County Agency Approver within 24 hours of the notification of the Serious
Incident case if the reported serious incident includes the suspicion of child
abuse or neglect, a child fatality, or if there is known media involvement.
- If the Serious Incident case that is reported is
the result of a suspicion of child abuse or neglect, the County Agency Reviewer
must also contact the Public Children Services Agency (PCSA) within 24 hours of
the notification.
If you have questions, please contact the Child Care Policy Help
Desk at 1-877-302-2347, option 4 or CHILDCAREPOLICY@jfs.ohio.gov.