Lincoln Hall Boys' Haven, an Administration for Children and Families Grantee, Did Not Always Comply With Applicable Federal and State Policies and Requirements

Lincoln Hall did not meet or properly document that it met certain safety requirements for the care and release of children in its custody. Lincoln Hall did not adequately meet employer requirements for 27 of 35 employee files reviewed and did not have evidence of the proper care and release of children in its custody for 70 of the 75 children sampled. We recommended that Lincoln Hall adhere to ORR and State requirements for monthly fire drills, video monitoring systems in common areas, and employee training, background investigations, health screenings, and employment qualification. In its response, Lincoln Hall stated Lincoln Hall had the following comments on our findings: • Fire Drills: Lincoln Hall stated that it continues to comply with New York State regulations and that two individuals are designated to track and schedule fire drills, which are scheduled every 30 days and are documented upon completion. Lincoln Hall also stated that it provided records documenting fire drills it had conducted. • Video Monitoring: Lincoln Hall stated that, for FY 2015, an ORR project officer granted it a waiver from ORR policy requirements for installing video monitoring technology to assist in supervising and protecting children. The video monitoring system has been updated and is now operational. • Training Requirements: Lincoln Hall stated that, during a recent review, ORR identified staff members who did not meet ORR training requirements. Lincoln Hall stated that it has scheduled additional training sessions and will ensure that its employees meet training requirements. • Background Investigations: Lincoln Hall stated that it has implemented a new background investigation policy for employees hired to work under its ORR program. Specifically, employees with direct contact with minors will undergo background investigations a minimum of every 5 years. • Health Screenings: LH stated that it follows State regulations on annual physicals and TB testing, and it described a new strategy that it has implemented to be fully in compliance with these regulations. • Employee Qualifications: LH stated that it follows ORR employment guidelines and that, in some situations, it hires individuals for a probationary period to supervise, train, and evaluate them. • Case File Documentation: LH stated that it was not notified by ORR that LH was required to maintain documentation in a child’s case file to support that it notified DHS of the pending release of the child to a sponsor.