Multiple DCS Issues Found in Comptrollers Audit Report

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WDEF News,

Gavel | Courtesy: MGN

An audit by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has found several points that need to be addressed by Children’s Services.

Their report had eight findings, six observations plus some issues the legislature should consider.

The findings are as follows:

Finding 1: A lack of management oversight in the Special Investigations Unit
allowed for insufficient and untimely investigations of child abuse and neglect by
adults in authority roles, increasing the risk that children are not protected from
abuse or neglect (page 19).

Finding 2: Management must strengthen its investigative oversight of Child
Protective Services to ensure staff meet key timelines for investigating child abuse
and neglect (page 30).

Finding 3: Prolonged investigative tasks, delayed supervisory reviews, and the lack
of a physician reviewer impacted the department’s ability to update information on
its website regarding child fatalities and near fatalities (page 39).

Finding 4: Despite recent improvements, the department has not fully met its
oversight responsibilities for hard-to-place children and youth remaining in
transitional housing (page 67).

Finding 5: Management cannot continue to rely on TFACTS as it currently exists,
and as such, management must provide constant and consistent oversight of the
new system development to avoid repeating TFACTS’ history of unmet user needs
that impacted critical child welfare operations (page 76).

Finding 6: The department continues to experience delays in obtaining medical
and dental screenings for children in their care, which increases the risk that
children may not receive prompt care for their health needs (page 85).

Finding 7: The department’s lack of oversight of provider eligibility determinations
resulted in stipend payments that did not comply with program requirements (page
110).

Finding 8: The department must strengthen its oversight of residential facilities and
juvenile detention centers that house custodial youth to ensure safety, compliance,
and accountability (page 124).

The observations are as follows:

Observation 1: The Child Abuse Hotline has improved call abandonment rates and
wait times since they peaked in September 2024; however, further work is needed
to strengthen screening tools and online report monitoring (page 44).

Observation 2: Beyond the issues noted for TFACTS, department management
and Strategic Technology Solutions did not provide adequate internal controls in
one specific area (page 80).

Observation 3: Management has reduced vacancy and turnover rates since 2023;
however, establishing clear benchmarks for turnover, vacancy, and overtime
among case managers and investigative staff would enhance management’s
ability to identify and respond early to staffing challenges and increasing caseloads
(page 96).

Observation 4: Management should develop standardized waitlist procedures and
strengthen provider data collection for waitlists (page 114).

Observation 5: Management should strengthen its internal controls to ensure
compliance with required probation and aftercare services to achieve full corrective
action (page 141).

Observation 6: Management’s risk assessment process has significantly improved
in recent years, but some risks and controls remain unaddressed (page 153).