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Shelter provider for immigrant children to pay $73K fine

Posted at 5:37 PM, Oct 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-24 20:37:40-04

The nation's largest provider of shelters for immigrant children has surrendered two of its licenses in Arizona.

It follows a state investigation that found the organization didn't have fingerprint records for some employees.
    
The investigation by the Arizona Department of Health this summer began when several reports of abuse at shelters in the state became public.
    
In an agreement announced Wednesday, Southwest Key surrendered its licenses for shelters in in Youngtown and in Phoenix and will pay a $73,000 fine.
    
The Texas-based organization has 13 licenses to operate shelters in Arizona.
    
The health department issued notices of intent to revoke the licenses in September when Southwest Key missed a deadline to update it on fingerprint clearance cards, which are part of the background check process.