I disagree. I used to be employed by a private agency and was the one who waited for the prints.
When an applicant had a misdemeanor on record, even if it took place 20+ years ago, the prints took many months to clear. I am not surprised that these prints have taken 10 months. It
is ridiculous that DOJ, FBI and the Child Abuse Index take this long to review past offenses, but it is not the agency's fault. And if the agency proceeded with the applicant without the proper clearance, they could lose their license. Their hands are tied until the clearance comes through.
In my job, I did notice that the slower response time on prints where the applicant had offenses often meant that they were going to be denied. However, you may be able to appeal. They will send paperwork directly to you and also to the agency if an appeal is an option.
Since you are in California, you should know that Community Care Licensing maintains a site where you can look up your last name. It will tell you if your prints have cleared DOJ within the last 30 days. It is updated daily. Note that FBI and CAI are also needed, but as far as I know, there is no public site to find clearance information for them.
If this link doesn't come through, you can PM me for the Community Care Licensing link.
California Background Clearance Listing (Community Care Licensing handles fingerprinting for private agencies, but not for those going through the county.)
I realize none of this matters for the original post writer now that she is pregnant and will not be placed. But I thought I'd chime in for anyone who reads with similar concerns in the future.
And, I guess I felt compelled to vindicate private agencies. The staff at our agency are sharp and committed to the children and families they serve. We are 100% glad that we are foster parenting through an agency.