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Riverside County audit of six foster-care providers' finances finds
possible violations http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/s...0.42c6f76.html 10:00 PM PDT on Monday, May 19, 2008 By KIMBERLY TRONE The Press-Enterprise Riverside County's auditor-controller has asked the state to investigate six Inland foster- care providers for potentially misusing at least $3 million in foster-care funding to make improper payments on extra homes, luxury vehicles, credit cards, alcohol and lingerie. An audit of the six providers identified several violations of rules that allow foster-family agencies and group homes to qualify for county, state and federal money that is supposed to pay for the children's housing, transportation, clothing, food and for programs for them. The three foster-family agencies and three group homes were not identified in the audit report, which is heading to the Board of Supervisors today. Before identifying the providers publicly, county officials said they want to give them a chance to respond to Auditor-Controller Robert Byrd's findings. Byrd said his small sample of the 97 group homes and foster-family agencies that serve children in Riverside County's custody revealed "significant noncompliance" with state and federal regulations. His office examined financial records of $20.2 million paid to the six providers for the care of neglected and abused Riverside County children in 2005 and 2006. The payments represent more than 20 percent of the overall $97.8 million that county social services received in foster-care funding for the two-year period reviewed. "This is something that has been of concern to me for a long time, as a private citizen and as an auditor," Byrd said of the noncompliance his audit found. The agencies audited also receive money for housing children from other counties, but the audit report gives no details on how much the providers are receiving overall. The providers were selected for a review of their compliance with the regulations governing foster-care programs based on total funding and upon suggestions from managers in the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services, the audit report said. The state is responsible for oversight of the providers but has insufficient resources to monitor the foster system adequately, Byrd said. He wants Riverside County to gain more financial oversight of the foster-care providers. Susan Loew, the county Department of Public Social Services' director, said children are placed with the foster-family agencies and group homes when no relative or member of their support network is able to provide them a place to live. The Findings The audit found: Five of the agencies' boards of directors approved the use of corporate assets for purposes unrelated to the mission of foster care. The improper expenditures of all six had improper expenditures total more than $1.6 million. One agency's bank records did not reflect the deposit of more than $326,000 of the $2.6 million it received over the two-year period. Two agencies had cash reserves of more than $1 million -- most of it held in uninsured bank accounts -- despite rules that say agencies must spend almost all their money on children's services. Four of the agencies were paid under multiple vendor names, making it harder to track charges and reimbursements. One agency purchased a building for $1.5 million, putting one-third down and financing the balance over 15 years. The agency said it bought the building with approval and funding from Los Angeles County, but LA County officials denied they gave the approval, which is required under funding rules. Unsupported or inadequately supported expenditures including $66,500 in credit card advances and $206,000 in credit card purchases. Unapproved interest payments of $37,800 on five vans and two luxury sport utility vehicles. The audit also found $66.73 in purchases at a lingerie store for a boys group home and $21.27 in purchases of alcoholic beverages. Shirley Washington, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Social Services, said Monday that Byrd's audit is being handled as a complaint. The findings are under review by the financial and licensing arms of the state Social Services Department because of potential violations, said Washington, who declined to elaborate because of the ongoing investigation. On Monday, 180 children in Riverside County custody were living in a group home or a foster-family agency facility, but the number fluctuates, said Loew, the county Social Services Department director. Despite the seriousness of the findings, the children in the homes were well-cared-for and regularly visited by social workers, she said. An immediate inspection was undertaken after the audit, and social workers would not have hesitated to intervene if problems were found, Loew said. None were, she added. "It's troubling to see the findings, but on the surface, we need to make sure each agency is given an opportunity to respond and not draw inappropriate conclusions at this stage," she said. Board of Supervisors Supervisor John Tavaglione said the audit caused him "great concern." He plans to address the findings at today's Board of Supervisors meeting in Riverside. "Whenever you see this, and there are such flagrant violations and mismanagement, it causes concern for the bigger picture. These services are dealing with kids that we place there," Tavaglione said. Tavaglione said his initial reaction would be to suspend any more business with the agencies until the issues are understood and addressed. But he said there is a shortage of places for children in the county's custody to live, he said. Christina Riehl, a staff lawyer for the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego's Center for Public Interest Law, said the group home and foster-family agencies are paid "exponentially more than foster parents." A foster family is eligible to receive $425 to $597 a month to provide a child food, housing and transportation, Riehl said, adding that group homes and foster-family agencies can get as much as $6,000 more per month than a foster parent. The nonprofit advocacy group has sued the state in federal court to try to win more money for foster parents. "Reimbursement rates are so low it is almost financially impossible for a middle-class Californian to become a foster parent," Riehl said. "We have an undersupply in foster parents because they can't afford it, but (it's) a lucrative enterprise for group homes." Reach Kimberly Trone at 951-368-9456 or Foster CARE Riverside County's audit identified multiple expenditures, including: $785,000-plus in interest paid on a building bought by a foster-family agency that did not get the required approval of the payments. $195,000 spent on two HUD homes not used for foster care. $91,400 spent to open and run a thrift store for a purpose unrelated to foster care. $43,000 spent on penalties and fines, including IRS penalties. Source: Riverside County Auditor-Controller CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CONSTITUTIONALLY GUARANTEED LIBERTIES & CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAMS.... CPS Does not protect children... It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even killed at the hands of Child Protective Services. every parent should read the free handbook from connecticut dcf watch.. http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US These numbers come from The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN) Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS *Perpetrators of Maltreatment* Physical Abuse CPS/Foster care 160, biological Parents 59 Sexual Abuse CPS/Foster care 112, biological Parents 13 Neglect CPS/Foster care 410, biological Parents 241 Medical Neglect CPS/Foster care 14 biological Parents 12 Fatalities CPS/Foster care 6.4, biological Parents 1.5 Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per 100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a bunch of social workers. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON... BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION... |
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Last edited by JeanSaunders : May 7th 13 at 05:22 AM. |
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