Department of Youth Services

This is a Massachusetts State Auditor performance audit of the Department of Youth Services covering July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014.

“This report details the audit objectives, scope, methodology, findings, and recommendations for the audit period, July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014.”

Auditors reviewed whether DYS properly provided education services to youths in its custody and whether its new JJEMS system fixed problems found in an earlier audit.

“The purpose of this audit was to determine whether DYS was properly administering educational services to youths in its custody in accordance with applicable state requirements and to determine whether the implementation of DYS’s new Juvenile Justice Enterprise Management System (JJEMS) had adequately addressed deficiencies in its legacy systems that were detailed in our prior audit report (No. 2008‐0512‐4T).”

DYS works with young people in the juvenile justice system and is responsible for services such as education, health care, behavioral health, and substance-abuse support.

“In addition to medical, behavioral‐health, and substance‐abuse services, DYS is responsible for providing youths under its supervision with year‐round educational services, which it does through approximately 35 programs that offer general, special, and limited vocational education.”

For residents, this audit is about whether a state agency spending public money is protecting sensitive youth information, keeping accurate records, and planning for emergencies.

“In fiscal years 2013 and 2014, DYS’s annual appropriations were approximately $155 million and $160 million, respectively.”

The auditor found real weaknesses: some former users still had system access, most sampled intake cases were missing required information, and DYS lacked or had not updated important oversight plans.

“DYS’s internal control plan (ICP) and risk assessment need improvement, and the Internal Control Questionnaire (ICQ) it submitted to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) was inaccurate.”

The report recommends that DYS tighten system access, improve intake data checks, create and test recovery planning, establish the required advisory committee, and update internal controls.

“DYS should update its ICP, beginning with the risk assessment, and ensure that it includes JJEMS.”

The most immediate risk is that missing or unavailable information could affect care decisions for youths and make it harder for staff to respond properly.

“Incomplete youth intake information could result in untimely or inappropriate treatment of a youth’s medical, psychological, or behavioral needs.”

JJEMS is the main computer system DYS uses to track youth cases and outcomes; an intake is the admission screening and assessment process when a youth enters a DYS residential program.

“JJEMS is the system DYS uses to track outcomes and manage cases.”