How to Look Up Washington Adult Family Home Violations and Inspection Reports

Quick Answer

How do I look up violation and inspection history for a Washington Adult Family Home?

Go to the DSHS Adult Family Home Locator, search for the home, open the listing, and click 'View letters' under 'Reports and Inspection Letters.' There you'll find inspection letters, statements of deficiency, complaint investigations, correction plans, and enforcement actions. If it says 'This facility has none,' that only means no documents are currently displayed, not that the home has a perfect history.

Every adult family home's inspection letters, statements of deficiency, complaint investigations, and enforcement actions for the past three years are public. Knowing where to find them and how to read them is the single most useful thing a family can do before a placement.

Common questions

What does 'This facility has none' mean in the DSHS locator?

Only that no documents are currently displayed. It does not mean the home has a spotless history; records older than three years and records from a previous owner may not appear.

What is a statement of deficiency?

DSHS's written finding from an inspection or complaint investigation listing each violation, the rule it breaks, and what the provider must correct.

About the author: David Stein is a Washington State licensed real estate broker (eXp Realty, license #133972) and a Washington State certified residential appraiser (Stein Appraisal, license #1702080), with more than 20 years of experience in both disciplines. More about David.

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Washington State Certified Residential Appraiser — Stein Appraisal

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