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July 8, 2026 CERTIFIED MAIL Megan Stackhouse 509 North Huron Avenue Spring Valley, MN 55975-1117 License Number 1130578 FCC (In Application) ORDER OF LICENSE DENIAL Dear Ms. Stackhouse: Based on the recommendation of Fillmore County Social Services (Fillmore County), the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is denying your application for a family child care license. Details of our findings are provided below. Our next steps and your options are also detailed. REASON FOR LICENSE DENIAL 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 who would be served by your program, available evaluations from consumers of your program, and information about the qualifications of caregivers who would be working in your program. Specifically, because you have repeatedly failed to respond to Fillmore County, because of conditions in your proposed program, because you are disqualified from FCC licensure under Minnesota Rule 9502.0335, subpart 6, , and because you have not demonstrated the ability to provide for the health, safety, and rights of children in your care, DCYF has determined that denial of your license application is appropriate based on the violations identified below and the program evaluation. Legal Authority: Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.10, subdivision 13. 2. Failure to submit a substantially complete application On April 23, 2024, you contacted Fillmore County about becoming licensed for family child care. Fillmore County requested you come into the office for an orientation however, you wanted Fillmore County to review the licensing requirements over the phone. Between May 2024, and September 2024, Fillmore Count received the following documents from you: · Vaccination records for your dog · Three of three references · A screenshot of a doctor’s note that you are able to provide care. · Family child care application · CPR and first aid certification On December 12, 2024, Fillmore County emailed you asking if you were still interested in becoming licensed as a family child care provider. On January 6, 2024, Fillmore County sent you the next steps to becoming licensed and informed you that once those were complete, a pre-licensing inspection would be scheduled. You failed to respond to Fillmore County. On February 19, 2025, after receiving concerning reports, Fillmore County requested you sign a release of information and obtain a mental health evaluation. Fillmore County requested you return the release by March 15, 2025. You failed to respond. On March 3, 2025, Fillmore County received a report concerning your mental and chemical health. Additionally, at that time your own children were removed from your care. On January 22, 2026, Fillmore County submitted the document to DCYF so you and a household member could submit background studies as required. Fillmore County attempted to reach you by phone, but your phone was no longer in service. Fillmore County emailed the required documents to you and the household members emails. You failed to respond. Legal Authority: Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.15, paragraph (a), subparagraph (1). 3. Disqualification Factors Fillmore County determined that you are disqualified from FCC licensure due to your children having been placed into foster care within the past 12 months. Legal Authority: Minnesota Rules, part 9502.0335, subpart 6. E. Due to the conditions in the proposed program, because you have repeatedly failed to respond to Fillmore County, because your children were removed from your care, and because you have not demonstrated the ability to provide for the health, safety, and rights of children in your care, your application to provide licensed child care services is denied. YOUR RIGHT TO APPEAL You have the right to appeal the denial. 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. The timeline to appeal began when you received this order. If you are mailing your request, it must be sent by certified mail and postmarked within 20 calendar days from when you received 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 20 calendar days from when you received 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. If you do not appeal or if the order is affirmed by the Commissioner following a hearing, DCYF is prohibited from issuing you a license for two years. 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. Prohibition against providing legally unlicensed child care If the action is not reversed on appeal, you will not be allowed to provide legally unlicensed child care to unrelated children. Operating an unlicensed family child care home is a misdemeanor offense. Legal authority in this licensing action · This action is taken under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.15, paragraph (a), which describes under which conditions DCYF may deny a license. · “Applicant” is defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.01, subdivision 4. · Applicants 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. · Minnesota Statutes, section 245.095 defines which programs administered by DCYF are included in the exclusion provision, and further defines “excluded,” “individual,” and “provider.” · Under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.10, subdivision 14, paragraph (d), clause (2), the commissioner shall not issue or reissue a license if the applicant, license holder, or controlling individual has been denied a license under this chapter or chapter 245A within the past two years. · Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.05, subdivision 4, provides that an applicant for licensure who has received a license denial that has not been reversed on appeal may not provide unlicensed child care to non-relatives. Operating a prohibited unlicensed family child care is a misdemeanor under Minnesota Statutes, section 142B.05, subdivision 5. Questions If you have any further questions regarding this matter, you may contact me at 651-431-6565. Sincerely,
Beth Donahue, Supervisor Licensing Division Office of Inspector General cc: Shelby Antoff, Fillmore County Social Services
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