Presented by Jackie Wood

Research has shown the long term critical importance of adult interaction on children's development. This webinar will explore the why and how of what needs to occur for states to have consistent, clear enforcement of regulations related to adult/child interaction.
 

Presented by Barbara Sorrels

What does child development have to do with the regulatory process? This webinar will highlight the many ways an understanding of children informs the regulatory process and can help the licensing specialist be a more insightful observer and more effective regulator of child care facilities.

Licensors are human beings first – they bring their own perceptions and passions to the work.  These perceptions and passions can and often do impact their work.  These differences or inconsistencies create challenges for the licensing operation.  This session will focus on tools that can be used to increase the consistency in the perceptions of the licensing staff and their interpretation (or enforcement) of licensing rules. 

Presented by Toby Edelman (Center for Medicare Advocacy) & Alissa Eden Halperin (PA Health Law Project)

Presented by Jackie Wood

Death investigations are different from other complaint investigations for children, adolescensts, and adults while in care. Thus they require a specialized investigative focus often not considered fully by regulatory agencies. This session will address the organizational policies, supervision, training and field supports that need to be in place to aid staff in conducting through and objective investigations during sensitive and emotional conditions for children, adolescensts, and adults while in care.

Presented by Jackie Wood

Documenting noncompliance and monitoring its correction-- while a very critical regulatory responsibility--uses staff resources, takes time, and can result in negative licensing staff /licensee relationships.

Explore how licensing agencies can focus resources to help prevent violations from occurring in the first place, while building stronger relationships with licensees.

Presented by Ralph Cordell

This presentation will include a description of the events leading up to the start of the H1N1 pandemic in spring 2009, the public health response in the spring and fall. It will try to answer the following questions:

What is flu?
Why are there pandemics?
What happened to bird flu?
Why the confusion about closure?
Why the change in numbers?
What about the vaccine?
What might be next?
What can regulators get from this experience?
 

Presented by Mikiko Stebbing  (US Department of State) & Jayne Schmidt (COA)

Presented by Etta Lappen Davis  (MA)

Hague is raising the bar for many US providers, and states are beginning to revise their adoption licensing regulations to be consistent with federal requirements.  Current state regulatory requirements will be explored and states' regulations will be compared to Hague standards to identify potential regulatory revisions to promote consistency with federal regulations in the areas of ethical practices, complaints, interagency collaboration, home studies, staffing, post-placement and post-adoption services and outgoing cases. 

Mr. Akin will discuss some of the important issues an agency should consider before taking enforcement action in the form of license denial or revocation. Some of the subjects to be covered include familiarization with the legal and regulatory framework governing enforcement actions; assessment of case facts in conjunction with the valid bases for enforcement; matching case facts to the selected grounds for enforcement; consideration of regulatory history in revocation cases; factors to consider in the decision to suspend or revoke; special considerations in denial cases such as consistency, agency discretion, and reliance on registry databases; consultation with and preparation of agency legal counsel; in-depth case preparation, including enforcement team meetings, preparation of witnesses, consideration of the application (or non-application) of legal rules of evidence such as the "hearsay" rule and the "business records exception" to the rule, preparation of exhibits, and the possible need for "rebuttal" witnesses; whether a case calls for the testimony of an "expert", and the preparation of the expert; special considerations when the agency is not represented by counsel but the applicant/licensee does have legal representation; procedural pitfalls in preparing for hearings; advance knowledge about the hearing officer in the case; physical preparation of an effective hearing room.