Rhode Island's Monitoring Did Not Ensure Child Care Provider Compliance With State Criminal Background Check Requirements at 18 of 30 Providers Reviewed

Submitting OIG:

Department of Health & Human Services OIG

Report Description:

The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG Act) of 2014 added new requirements for States that received funding from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) to conduct comprehensive criminal background checks on staff members and prospective staff members of child care providers every 5 years. Criminal background check requirements apply to any staff member who is employed by a child care provider for compensation or whose activities involve the care or supervision of children or unsupervised access to children.

Date Issued:

Monday, August 17, 2020

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

Department of Health & Human Services

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

A-01-18-02505

Component, if applicable:

Administration for Children and Families

External entity, if applicable:

State of Rhode Island

Location(s):

United States

Type of Report:

Audit

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
A-01-18-02505.pdf	2.86 MB

Additional Details Link:

https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region1/11802505.asp

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
269223	Open	No
We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services conduct or renew all required criminal background checks for the 108 individuals we reviewed who did not have all required checks or who had expired background checks at the time of our data request and site visits
269224	Open	No
We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services determine whether it is feasible to develop a centralized process to monitor both family homes and childcare centers.
269225	Open	No
We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services determine whether it is feasible to increase the ratio of State licensing inspectors to child care providers to meet industry standards so that it can review all employee criminal background checks at all child care providers
269226	Open	No
We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services require the State licensing agency to increase the number of current employees it reviews at all child care centers to ensure child care provider compliance with criminal background check requirements

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

269223

Open

We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services conduct or renew all required criminal background checks for the 108 individuals we reviewed who did not have all required checks or who had expired background checks at the time of our data request and site visits

269224

Open

We recommend that the Rhode Island Department of Human Services determine whether it is feasible to develop a centralized process to monitor both family homes and childcare centers.

269225

Open