Nevada legislative audit details problems with Las Vegas foster care agency
CARSON CITY — A review of a privately operated foster care agency in Las Vegas released to state lawmakers on Wednesday found that the business, which hasn’t been operational since August, required “substantial improvements” to ensure the safety of children in its care.
The review of ART Homes by legislative auditors identified concerns with its administration of medications, treatment plans and personnel records, among other issues. The report was reviewed by the Legislative Commission’s Audit Subcommittee.
Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said ART Homes has not been a provider since August 2016 and is not currently operational in Clark County.
The county was “in the process of rescinding ART Homes’ contract and had begun notifying all of ART Homes’ foster parents of the situation so that they could transfer to other agencies” that month, Pappa said via email.
The agency’s contract expired, and the foster parents were successfully transferred to other agencies, he added.
Nevada law requires the review of government and private facilities for children, including correction and detention facilities, child welfare facilities and group homes.
Auditors reviewed four facilities in the latest report of 56 facilities statewide. The others examined were the Caliente Youth Center, the Desert Parkway Behavioral Healthcare Hospital and St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.
The review of the other three facilities found “reasonable assurances” that they adequately protect the health, safety and welfare of the children they serve.
But on an unannounced site visit, auditors found a filing cabinet at ART Homes’ office that was filled with expired and unexpired psychotropic medications. All nine treatment plans reviewed were incomplete. A number of other issues were identified.
ART Homes did not respond to the survey of its facilities, but it reported having a maximum capacity of 22 youths in a 2015 review. No population information was provided in 2015, however.
Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3820. Follow @seanw801 on Twitter.
