District of Columbia: P.L. 94-142 Compliance and Management of Youth Services Administration
GGD-86-131
Published: Sep 12, 1986. Publicly Released: Sep 12, 1986.
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Highlights
In response to a congressional request, GAO monitored the District of Columbia's (D.C.) efforts to comply with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act's requirements relating to juvenile delinquents, specifically aspects of the D.C. Youth Services Administration's (YSA) payroll, contracting, and personnel functions.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| To help ensure that the necessary progress is made to provide special education to all handicapped delinquents, the House Committee on the District of Columbia should require the Mayor of D.C., D.C. Board of Education, D.C. Superior Court, and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to report periodically, directly to the appropriate legislative and appropriations committees, on progress made toward implementing the D.C. corrective action plan and other actions taken to implement prior GAO recommendations. |
Closed – Implemented
|
At House hearings on June 20, 1986, Congressman McKinney requested that quarterly reports be sent directly to him from the Mayor, D.C. courts, public schools, and Education on efforts to comply with P.L. 94-142, with copies of the reports sent to all committees and subcommittees that are involved with D.C. government or appropriations. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services to develop and implement written procedures requiring adequate documentation, supervisory review of hours worked, efficient scheduling of staff, and enforcing adherence to internal controls to reduce the amount and abuse of overtime at YSA facilities. |
Closed – Implemented
New policies and procedures for controlling and monitoring overtime were fully implemented in June 1986.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services to develop and implement written procedures, and establish specific criteria, where necessary, for monitoring YSA contracts and for payment of YSA contractor invoices. |
Closed – Implemented
A consultant developed automated financial controls for procurement and contractual services. Also, DHS established a Quality Assurance Unit to review all proposed contracts.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services to ensure that DHS, Social Service, and YSA managers follow D.C. and DHS contracting and payroll policies and procedures. |
Closed – Implemented
The City Administrator advised GAO that DHS managers are complying with contracting and payroll policies and procedures. The Court monitor has not included this area in his responsibility, but his role precludes further GAO effort.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Deputy Mayor for Operations to exercise sufficient oversight regarding the activities of the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services, by ensuring that the previously mentioned recommendations are implemented. |
Closed – Implemented
The Deputy Mayor for Operations has oversight responsibility for DHS, and as such, he will oversee and monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by GAO and agreed to by DHS. All of the recommendations pertaining to mayoral assurances within the Deputy Mayor's purview have been implemented.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Deputy Mayor for Operations to exercise sufficient oversight regarding the activities of the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services, by ensuring that an independent audit is conducted next year of YSA payroll and contracting functions. |
Closed – Not Implemented
An accomplishment of the independent audit was cut short by the Superior Courts' appointment of a monitor for YSA. No further action is likely while the monitor is in place.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Deputy Mayor for Operations to exercise sufficient oversight regarding the activities of the Director, DHS, and the Commissioner on Social Services, by ensuring that an independent audit of YSA FY 1984 and 1985 contracts is conducted for the purpose of identifying disallowable and unsupportable costs. |
Closed – Not Implemented
No audit has been conducted on these 5- and 6-year old contracts. The role of the Superior Court monitor makes it unlikely that an audit will take place.
|
| District of Columbia | The Mayor of D.C. should ensure that YSA is managed in an effective, efficient, and economical manner by directing the Director, D.C. Office of Personnel, to immediately begin a classification survey of all YSA positions and implement a schedule to review each position at least once in each 3-year period. |
Closed – Implemented
The Superior Court and the consent decree, under which YSA operates, have been, and will be, the control on positions. The Court monitor also is actively involved in positions and staffing.
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Topics
Children with disabilitiesFinancial managementInternal controlsIrregular procurementJob classificationMunicipal governmentsNoncompliancePersonnel managementSpecial educationTeenagersPosition descriptions