OLYMPIA -- The state Department of Social and Health Services has stopped admissions to Memory Lane Home, located at 1724 West 9th Street, Spokane.

The boarding home is licensed to Memory Lane/Oak Hill Inc.

The state took the action after finding numerous violations that jeopardized the safety and well-being of residents. The violations include but are not limited to the facility's failure to:

• Properly store food and keep the kitchen and cooking equipment clean and in good repair. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008, Jan. 29, 2007, and Sept. 13, 2007.
• Ensure an unsupervised caregiver had completed required training. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008.
• Ensure a caregiver, who worked alone and unsupervised, had completed required, specialty training to handle mental health issues. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008.
• Repeat background checks every two years for two employees. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008, and Dec. 1, 2006.
• Ensure a staff member had tuberculosis skin test screening within three days of hire as required. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008.
• Have a plan in place so residents and staff could summon on-duty staff assistance from resident's rooms and from a separate, small house also located on the property. This left residents vulnerable if an emergency takes place. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 22, 2008.
• Keep bathrooms, rugs and furnishings clean and in good condition, keep exterior grounds clean and safely store cleaning chemicals. This is a repeat or uncorrected deficiency previously cited on Dec. 28, 2008, Jan. 13, 2006, May 19, 2006, Dec. 1, 2006, Jan. 29, 2007, Sep. 13, 2007, and March 18, 2008.

While the home is in stop placement, licensee may not admit residents.

The provider has the right to contest the stop placement by requesting an administrative hearing within 28 days of state notification. Current residents may stay in the home. If a resident chooses to remain, DSHS will continue to monitor the home for resident safety.

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DSHS does not discriminate and provides equal access to its programs and services for all persons without regard to race, color, gender, religion, creed, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, age, veteran's status or the presence of any physical, sensory or mental disability.