Federal Reports

The Unaccompanied Alien Children ProgramThe UAC program funds temporary shelter care and other related services for unaccompanied children in ORR custody. For project periods with services beginning during FYs 2014 and 2015, ORR awarded grants totaling $2.1 billion to providers for the care and placement of children. The UAC program is separate from State-run child welfare and traditional foster care systems.By law, HHS must provide for the custody and care of a UAC, defined as a child who has no lawful immigration status in the United States, who has not attained 18 years of age, and with respect to whom there is no parent or legal guardian in the United States available to provide care and physical custody (6 U.S.C. § 279(g)(2)). The Flores Settlement Agreement established a nationwide policy for the detention, treatment, and release of UAC and recognized the particular vulnerability of UAC while detained without a parent or legal guardian present (Flores v. Meese—Stipulated Settlement Agreement (U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1997)).Under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Congress transferred the care and custody of UAC to HHS from the former Immigration and Naturalization Service to move toward a child welfare-based model of care and away from the adult detention model. In the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, which expanded and redefined HHS’s statutory responsibilities, Congress directed that each child must “be promptly placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child” (8 U.S.C. § 1232(c)(2)).Care ProcessYFT, a nonprofit entity, is an ORR funded, faith-based shelter care provider in Bristow, Virginia. YFT also serves other adolescents in a separate residential program at its main campus and provides behavioral health services to the general public at various locations throughout the region. Since 2012, YFT has participated in ORR’s UAC program and served approximately 1,000 children. During our audit period, YFT’s ORR funded program received $9.2 million in Federal funds for the care and placement of 266 children.

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Making accurate and consistent decisions on disability compensation claims is vital to ensuring eligible veterans receive their benefits. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) uses the Quality Review and Consistency Program (consistency study program) to ensure accurate and timely claims processing. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) examined whether VBA managed the consistency study program to improve uniformity in processing disability benefits claims. This review is one in a series of five reports regarding VBA’s quality assurance program. The consistency study program identifies error trends in quality reviews to develop consistency studies for claims processors. The program completed 60 consistency studies from October 1, 2015, through April 30, 2019, and conducted required training. However, the OIG found VBA missed opportunities to drive nationwide uniformity in claims processing. For example, the Compensation Service could have shared more accessible information with regional offices on their claims processors’ knowledge and performance. VBA’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) also did not ensure all claims processors participated in required studies, nor did staff follow up on study results to ensure improvements were made. The office was reported to have prioritized productivity over accuracy. The OIG concluded OFO should require regional office managers to take corrective action on consistency study results to improve accuracy and staff performance. Overall, VBA lacked strong processes for sharing and monitoring study results and could capitalize on information it already collects to help close knowledge gaps and improve the consistency of claims decisions. Recommendations include that the Compensation Service ensure detailed consistency study reports go to OFO and all regional office managers. OFO should also develop a process to monitor regional offices to increase employee participation in consistency studies and require regional managers to review study results to address performance issues.

In June 2016, the Postal Service developed the Enterprise Transportation Analytics (ETA) system which uses GPS technology to provide near real-time visualizations and reports of Highway Contract Route (HCR) vehicles and thus enabling management to evaluate HCR compliance with contract requirements. The Postal Service also replaced its existing GPS program with a new GPS technology solution covering HCRs, Postal Vehicle Service, and leased trailers. The Postal Service planned to use the GPS program to measure HCR trailer usage, provide location visibility, estimate time of arrival, optimize travel routes, and improve service. Our objective was to assess the Postal Service’s management of Highway Contract Route (HCR) compliance with the Global Positioning System (GPS) program.