DES—DCYF—CPS—Relative Placement 6 Month Performance Audit Followup

Az Auditor General

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STATE OF ARIZONA
DEBRA K. DAVENPORT, CPA OFFICE OF THE WILLIAM THOMSON
AUDITOR GENERAL DEPUTY AUDITOR GENERAL
AUDITOR GENERAL
March 12, 2010
The Honorable Judy Burges, Chair
Joint Legislative Audit Committee
The Honorable Thayer Verschoor, Vice Chair
Dear Representative Burges and Senator Verschoor:
Our Office has recently completed a 6-month followup of the Department of Economic
Security—Division of Children, Youth and Families—Child Protective Services—Relative
Placement regarding the implementation status of the 6 audit recommendations (including
subparts of the recommendations) presented in the performance audit report released in
September 2009 (Auditor General Report No. CPS-0902). As the attached grid indicates:
 All 6 recommendations are in the process of being implemented.

Our Office will conduct an 18-month followup with the Department on the status of those
recommendations that have not yet been fully implemented.

Sincerely,
Melanie M. Chesney, Director
Performance Audit Division
MMC:sjs
Attachment
cc: Neal Young, Director
Department of Economic Security


th2910 NORTH 44 STREET • SUITE 410 • PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85018 • [phone] • FAX [phone]

Department of Economic Security
Division of Children, Youth and Families
Child Protective Services
Relative Placement
Auditor General Report No. CPS-0902
6-Month Follow-Up Report

Recommendation Status/Additional Explanation

Finding 1: Changes would help staff better comply with relative placement process
1.1 The Division should revise its policy to include Implementation in Process
additional guidance for staff to consider when The Division has been reviewing relevant state
determining whether the adults in a prospective and federal statutes and policies prior to revising
relative caregiver’s household clear their criminal its policy. Division management anticipates
background check. Specifically, the policy should having the revised policy written, approved, and
include a listing of offenses that would automatically implemented by the summer of 2010.
preclude someone from clearing the criminal
background check and additional factors that staff
should consider if an individual requested that CPS
staff reconsider its decision to deny clearance.
1.2 The Division should revise its assessment guidance Implementation in Process
to include common types of safety hazards that The Division is developing a home safety checklist
should be looked for when performing home safety using the Department’s Office of Licensing,
assessments. Certification and Regulation's safety inspection
checklist as a guideline. Division management
anticipates having the home safety checklist
developed, approved, and implemented by the
summer of 2010.
1.3 The Division should enforce the statutory and policy Implementation in Process
requirement that the individual be notified in writing The Division revised the notification letter to
when CPS staff make their final decision to decline ensure all required information is included. To
the individual as a relative placement. The ensure the written notification is provided to
notification is required to include the decision, prospective caregivers as required, the Division
reason(s) for it, and appeals process information. plans to review a random sample of cases every 4
Alternately, if the Division believes that verbal months until consistent compliance is evident.
notification is more effective, it should seek a Division management anticipates implementing its
statutory change to allow the required information to first case review by the summer of 2010.
be communicated verbally, revise its policy to reflect
the statutory change, and develop a mechanism that
will allow supervisors to verify that staff are providing
the required information.




Recommendation Status/Additional Explanation

Finding 2: Staff efficiency may be improved by centralizing relative placement
documentation
2.1 The Division should centralize ongoing information
on staff’s efforts to identify and place children with
relatives, including:

a. Identifying or developing a centralized location, Implementation in Process
preferably electronic; The Division created a new case note type entitled
"relative contact" in its automated CPS case
management system and is developing policy
guidance on the use of the case note. Division
management anticipates completing the policy
guidance by the summer of 2010.

b. Modifying its policies to indicate what information Implementation in Process
staff are required to record in the centralized The Division's policy and training staff are working
location; and together to determine what information will be
required for documenting efforts to identify and
place children with relatives. Division management
anticipates implementing the revised policy by the
summer of 2010.

c. Ensuring staff record the required information in Implementation in Process
the centralized location. The Division plans to monitor compliance with the
policy through periodic reviews of a random
sample of cases. Division management anticipates
conducting the first case review shortly after
implementing the policy in the summer of 2010.

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