Ariz. Admin. Code § R6-5-7417 - Complaints; Investigations

A. If the Licensing Authority receives an oral complaint about a licensee, agency, or facility, the Licensing Authority shall ask the complaining party to submit the complaint in writing, but shall investigate complaints as prescribed in this Section even if the complaining party does not put the complaint in writing.

B. The Licensing Authority shall refer all complaints involving allegations of child maltreatment to CPS as required by A.R.S. § 13-3620 for investigation as prescribed in A.R.S. § 8-546.01(C).

C. The Licensing Authority shall investigate complaints about a licensee through one or more of the following methods:

1. Telephone contact with the licensee,

2. Interviews with the complaining party,

3. Interviews with the licensee's staff,

4. Interviews with the licensee's clients,

5. Interviews of witnesses to the matters at issue,

6. Inspections of records and documents related to the issues raised in the complaint,

7. Announced and unannounced inspections of the agency or a facility,

8. Evaluation of a law enforcement or CPS report for evidence of a licensing violation, and

9. Any other activity necessary to validate or refute the allegations.

D. A licensee shall cooperate in any Department investigation as prescribed in R6-5-7416(C).

E. Upon completion of an investigation as described in subsection (C), the Licensing Authority shall:

1. Find that the complaint is invalid, document the findings in the agency's licensing file, and close the investigation;

2. Find that the complaint is valid and take disciplinary action against the licensee as prescribed in R6-5-7419 and R6-5-7420, or require corrective action as prescribed in R6-5-7418; or

3. Find that the complaint cannot be validated or refuted based on the available evidence and document the finding in the licensing file.

F. The Licensing Authority shall provide the licensee with an oral report of any findings made under subsection (E) and, upon the licensee's request, a copy of the written findings placed in the licensee's file. At the time of giving the oral report, the licensing representative shall advise the licensee of the opportunity to obtain a copy of the written findings.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R6-5-7417

Adopted effective July 1, 1997; filed with the Secretary of State's Office May 15, 1997 (Supp. 97-2).