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June 26, 2026 CERTIFIED MAIL Carol Harder 965 Jorgenson Street Southeast Hutchinson, MN 55350-3234 License Number 1128961 FCC ORDER OF INDEFINITE SUSPENSION Dear Ms. Harder: Based on the recommendation of McLeod County Human Services (McLeod County), the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is indefinitely suspending your license to provide family child care services at 965 Jorgenson Street Southeast, Hutchinson, MN. Details of our findings are provided below. Our next steps and your options are also detailed. Because your license is currently suspended due to a Temporary Immediate Suspension Order as explained below, this indefinite suspension is effective immediately. You are also prohibited from operating as a legally unlicensed child care provider at this time. REASON FOR INDEFINITE SUSPENSION 1. Commissioner’s evaluation of program In determining whether a licensing action is warranted, DCYF evaluated the facts, conditions, and circumstances concerning your program’s operation. This includes consideration of the well-being of children served in your program, available evaluations of your program, and information about the qualifications of caregivers working in your program. Specifically, because there is an ongoing investigation related to your family child care program. DCYF has determined that suspension of your license is appropriate based on the violations identified below and the program evaluation. Legal Authority: Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.10, subdivision 13. 2. Open ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings On March 10, 2026, McLeod County received a report regarding your family child care program. The report alleged you committed a criminal act. As a result of this determination, DCYF issued an Order of Temporary Immediate Suspension on your family child care program license on March 13, 2026. You did appeal the Temporary Immediate Suspension but then later withdrew your appeal. The Commissioner of DCYF issued a final order affirming the immediate suspension of your license on April 9, 2026. The immediate suspension of your license remains in effect. There is a related, ongoing investigation by law enforcement. Due to the open investigation, no additional information can be released in this order. The outcome of the related, ongoing investigation is necessary to determine if a final licensing sanction will be issued. DCYF cannot ensure the health and safety of the children served by your program at this time. DCYF has determined that the health, safety, and rights of children in your care continue to be in imminent risk of harm. Therefore, DCYF is indefinitely suspending your license to provide family child care services. Legal Authority: Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.18, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), subparagraph (2); and subdivision 4, paragraph (a), subparagraph (7). Nature, history and severity of violations Previous licensing actions The following violations summarize the nature of your previous licensing violations. Because these violations are now conclusive, the individual violations are not within the scope of your appeal rights. Please refer to the previously issued order for further details on these violations. If you do not have copies of these orders, contact your McLeod County licensor for assistance. DCYF also considered this history as a factor when it determined that an indefinite suspension is appropriate. · March 13, 2026, Temporary Immediate Suspension, which determined children were at an imminent risk of harm. Severity of violations Due to the serious nature of these violations and the conditions in the program, which impact the health and safety of children served in your care, your license to provide family child care services is suspended. YOUR RIGHT TO APPEAL You have the right to appeal the indefinite suspension. Your request must be in writing and clearly state that you are requesting a contested case hearing for this matter. Your request must be made before the deadlines provided below. If you do not meet this deadline, you lose your right to an administrative appeal. Your response time starts when you receive this letter. If you are mailing your request, it must be sent by certified mail and postmarked within 10 calendar days from when you receive this order. Please send it to: Commissioner, Department of Children, Youth, and Families Office of Inspector General Legal Counsel’s Office Attention: Licensing Legal Unit PO Box 64953 St. Paul, MN 55164-0953 If your request is being personally delivered, it must be received by DCYF within 10 calendar days from when you receive this order. Please bring it to: Commissioner, Department of Children, Youth, and Families Office of Inspector General Legal Counsel’s Office Attention: Licensing Legal Unit 444 Lafayette Road North St. Paul, MN 55155 Upon DCYF’s receipt of your timely appeal, your case would be scheduled for a contested case hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge. Following this hearing, the Commissioner of DCYF will issue a final order. Legal representation at the contested case hearing: You do not need a lawyer to appeal. However, a lawyer can help you with your appeal. The state or county will not get you a lawyer and will not pay for a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may be able to get free legal advice or help with your appeal. To find out if free help is available, contact: Volunteer Lawyers Network at 612-752-6677; Central Minnesota Legal Services at 612-332-8151; Southern Minnesota Legal Services at 651-222-4731; or go to www.lawhelpmn.org to find a local legal services program that may be able to help you. You can also find information on contested cases from the Office of Administrative Hearings website at https://mn.gov/oah/self-help. Click on Administrative Law Overview, then click on Administrative Law Contested Case Hearing Guide for a list of frequently asked questions. Operating the program pending the outcome of the appeal: As discussed above, because the immediate suspension of your license remains in effect, if you appeal the indefinite suspension, you continue to be prohibited from operating pending a final order from the Commissioner of DCYF. Questions about CCAP If you are a provider registered to receive Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) payments, this [revocation/suspension/decertification] order could impact your ability to receive CCAP funding. If your CCAP registration is closed or denied as a result of this Licensing action, you will get a separate notice(s).
If you have questions about: · Your CCAP registration, and you get a notice telling you your registration is being closed or denied, contact the DCYF Provider Support team at CCAP.Providers.DCYF@state.mn.us or 651-431-4848. · Billing or payments for specific children, contact the county or CCAP agency where the children get CCAP. Posting of this Licensing Action You are required to place this Order of Indefinite Suspension in a place that is clearly noticeable to the people receiving services and all visitors to the facility for two years, even if you appeal. Prohibition against providing legally unlicensed child care On March 13, 2026, DCYF issued an Order of Temporary Immediate Suspension to your family child care program, which disqualified you from providing legally unlicensed child care. You remain prohibited from providing legally unlicensed child care even if you appeal this order. Legal authority in this licensing action · This action is taken under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.18, subdivision 4, which describes under which conditions DCYF may suspend a license. · Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.18, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), which describes under which conditions DCYF may immediately suspend a license. · When a report remains under investigation, additional information is considered “confidential data” under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.46, subdivision 3. · A license holder that has received a final order immediately suspending a license continues to be prohibited from operating a program upon receipt of an order to indefinitely suspend the license under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.18, subdivision 3, paragraph (c). · Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.05, subdivision 4, provides that a child care provider who has received a sanction under section 142B.18 that has not been reversed on appeal may not operate as a unlicensed child care provider to non-relatives. Operating a prohibited unlicensed family child care is a misdemeanor under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.05, subdivision 5. · Minnesota Statutes, section 245.095 defines which programs administered by DCYF are included in the exclusion provision, and further defines “excluded,” “individual,” and “provider.” · License holders have a right to appeal licensing actions and request a contested case hearing, under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14 and Minnesota Rules, parts 1400.8505 to 1400.8612. · The requirement to post this order in a clearly visible location is required under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.18, subdivision 6. Questions If you have any further questions regarding this matter, you may contact Beth Donahue, Supervisor, at 651-431-6565. Sincerely,
Alexandra Keys, Family Child Care Unit Manager Licensing Division Office of Inspector General cc: Amy Berry, McLeod County Human Services
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