Unqualified Social Services Director Without Defined Qualification Policy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that social services were provided by a qualified full-time social worker in a facility with more than 120 beds. The Social Services Director (SSD), interviewed on 2/4/26, reported she began working in the role in October 2025 and confirmed that her bachelor’s degree was in criminal justice, not in a qualifying social work field. She stated that when she had questions, she reached out informally to a social worker at another facility, but she did not have any regular scheduled meetings or formal supervision with that individual. In a separate interview on 2/5/26, the Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) stated he assumed the SSD had someone she consulted with from her hire date to the present, but he did not verify this. He further acknowledged that the facility did not have a policy outlining the required qualifications for the social worker position, contributing to the hiring of an SSD who did not meet the regulatory educational requirements.
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