* Man, when an Illinois Auditor General report summary begins this way, you know there’s big trouble afoot…

Because of the significance and pervasiveness of the findings described within the report, we (the accountants) expressed an adverse opinion on the Department’s compliance with the specified requirements which comprise a State compliance examination. The Codification of Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (AT-C § 205.74) states a practitioner “should express an adverse opinion when the practitioner, having obtained sufficient appropriate evidence, concludes that misstatements, individually or in the aggregate, are both material and pervasive to the subject matter.”

The department, in this case, is DCFS.

* More…

* The Department did not immediately communicate the investigation reports of child abuse and neglect for a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance to the State’s attorneys’ offices for 17 (28%) of 60 reports tested. Specifically, we noted the State’s attorneys’ offices were notified between 218 to 920 days from report date.

* The Department notified the Directors of DPH and HFS of the report of suspected abuse or neglect of a child alleged to have been abused or neglected while receiving care in a hospital 34 days to 885 days from the investigation date for 15 of 15 (100%) reports tested. […]

* The Department did not timely notify the children’s school of its final findings from an indicated report of child abuse and neglect within 10 days of completing an investigation of alleged physical or sexual abuse for 40 of the 40 (100%) indicated reports tested. Specifically, we noted the schools were notified 129 to 890 days late.

* The Department did not timely notify the local enforcement personnel and the office of the State’s attorney of the involved county for 5 of 25 (20%) reports tested. Specifically, we noted the local enforcement personnel and the office of the State’s attorney were notified of a report alleging the death of a child, serious injury to a child, torture of a child, malnutrition of a child, and sexual abuse to a child 5 to 43 days after the required 24-hour timeframe. (Finding 5, pages 27-32) This finding has been reported since 2012.

* But wait, that’s not all…

During our testing of 25 alleged incident of sexual abuse investigations, we noted that for 24 of 25 (96%) indicated investigations tested, the Department did not timely notify the relevant schools when an investigation of an alleged incident of sexual abuse was completed. Specifically, we noted the notifications were sent to relevant schools between 431 to 908 days from the investigation report date. […]

The Department could not provide documentation demonstrating it had conducted monitoring of its non-substitute care service provider agencies. The non-substitute care provider agencies provide services which include, but are not limited to, counseling, habilitation, advocacy centers, system-of-care grants, and other child specific services. Specifically, we noted the Department was unable to provide documentation it had conducted monitoring, as specified in the contracts, for 12 of 60 (20%) contracts tested. Total grants expended for the 12 contracts during fiscal years 2021 and 2022 totaled $15,593,544. Due to the Department being unable to provide documentation to demonstrate it had conducted monitoring, we cannot determine whether annual reviews required to be submitted by 9 of 12 grantees were performed by Department staff. (Finding 11, pages 47-48) This finding has been reported since 2012.

Unreal.

* CBS 2…

In the most serious cases involving child death, injury, torture, malnutrition, and sex abuse, it is DCFS’ job to notify - within 24 hours - local authorities like the state’s attorneys of credible cases.

DCFS failed to do so 20 percent of the time - in some cases waiting five to 43 days.

“The fact that they’re waiting more than almost five days to almost month out before they’re coordinating is highly concerning,” [Cook County Chief Deputy Public Guardian Alpa Patel] said, “because a lot of info on the wellbeing and safety of those children is lost during that period of time.”

The report says this has been happening since 2012.

“A huge sense of in terms of lack of urgency in terms of what the department needs to be doing,” Patel said.

* The pervasive misstatements were about internal financial statements. The department’s response…

The Department agrees with the recommendation and has implemented a corrective action plan. Due to unprecedented vacancies in the Division of Budget & Finance, review procedures in place were not able to be followed to catch the misstatements identified in the auditor’s review of our financial statements. The Department uses a consulting firm to assist with compiling their financial statements and has since been able to fill its CPA position. To further ensure the accuracy of future financial statements, the Department added senior management positions to its approved headcount to provide duplicity and support to be better able to manage the ebbs and flows of staffing levels and add expertise to ensure the accuracy of Departmental financial statements.

…Adding… Leader McCombie…

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement after the Illinois Auditor General issued a scathing report on the Department of Children and Families Services:

“Under this DCFS Administration, children continue to be at risk and workers are still not safe. Protecting children in the state’s care should be the most important job we have. Unfortunately, children continue to suffer due to perpetual mismanagement by this agency. Billions of dollars have not fixed the problems; the agency needs to take into account the common-sense proposals pushed by House Republican lawmakers, to give this the attention it demands.”

Click here for the rest of it.