Report 2015-502 Recommendation 2 Responses
Report 2015-502: Follow-Up—California Department of Social Services: Although Making Progress, It Could Do More to Ensure the Protection and Appropriate Placement of Foster Children (Release Date: July 2015)
Recommendation #2 To: Social Services, Department of
To improve its review process, preserve institutional knowledge, and ensure that staff consistently implement registered sex offender reviews in the future, Social Services should better document its review procedures. For example, Social Services should better document its screening process by identifying criteria for determining when it is acceptable to exclude certain address matches from investigation and by providing an explanation to staff for why it is safe to remove address matches that meet those particular criteria.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2016
As part of CDSS' continuous quality improvement process, the Department has updated the written instructions based on analysis of relevant information. Those responsible for implementing the changes are the staff capturing changes for incorporation into the manual. This includes the process for removing matches and the programmatic reasons why matches may be removed. Moreover, the manual now provides additional instruction about the tracking process after matches are sent to the counties for review.
- Completion Date: July 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
As part of CDSS' continuous quality improvement process, the Department has updated the written instructions based on analysis of relevant information. Those responsible for implementing the changes are the staff capturing changes for incorporation into the manual. This includes the process for removing matches and the reasons why matches may be removed.
- Estimated Completion Date: July 31, 2016
- Response Date: June 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
In a follow-up discussion, Social Services indicated that its new procedures will not be ready until July 31, 2016. Therefore, the status of this recommendation is pending the completion of the procedures.
6-Month Agency Response
The Community Care Licensing Division has updated its Registered Sex Offender (RSO) written procedures with updates that include, but are not limited to, recommendations made by the California State Auditor. These updates have been shared with all involved and are posted to a common resource site. The Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) completed the full procedures manual on November 30, 2015. The CFSD staff who are responsible for the RSO project have been trained according to those procedures.
- Completion Date: November 2015
- Response Date: December 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Based on our review, the Community Care Licensing Division has fully implemented this recommendation, however the Children and Family Services Division needs to further develop its procedures. Specifically, the Children and Family Services Division's procedures do not adequately explain why it's safe to remove certain matches, as we recommended.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
60-Day Agency Response
In order to preserve institutional knowledge, maintain the integrity of the process, and to ensure consistency, the Department has updated its written review procedures and staff training for the Community Care Licensing Division. The Children and Family Services Division is still on-track to develop procedures by Fall of 2015 and will train staff upon completion.
- Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2015
- Response Date: September 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
All Recommendations in 2015-502
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.