http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08346.pdfResidential Facilities: Surveys of State Child Welfare, Health and Mental Health, and Juvenile Justice Directors (GAO-08-631SP, May 2008), an E-supplement to GAO-08-346
Read the Full Report: Residential Facilities: Improved Data and Enhanced Oversight Would Help Safeguard the Well-Being of Youth with Behavioral and Emotional Challenges (GAO-08-346)
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Background
This product lists the questions asked and the summary results from three GAO surveys of state child welfare or protective service, health and mental health, and juvenile justice and rehabilitation agency directors.
The Web-based surveys asked questions about the extent to which state agencies licensed and monitored residential facilities for youth. These facilities included government-operated facilities, private facilities that serve youth under federally funded state programs, and other private facilities that serve only youth placed and funded by parents or other private entities.
These surveys were administered to state child welfare, health and mental health, and juvenile justice directors in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. We received at least one completed survey from 50 states and the District of Columbia. We received completed surveys from 44 child welfare agencies, 45 health and mental health agencies, and 44 juvenile justice agencies. In 32 states and the District of Columbia, all three agencies completed the survey. We received at least one survey back from each state, except Puerto Rico. We invited Puerto Rico to participate in the survey but did not receive any response from its offices.
Names and the email address for officials at the surveyed agencies were obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, and relevant national associations. GAO began the surveys in May 2007 by emailing unique survey ID numbers and passwords; followed up with nonrespondents by e-mail and telephone; and closed the surveys in September 2007.
We conducted all of our work in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. A more detailed discussion of our scope and methodology, and a discussion of our results, is contained in our report Residential Facilities: Improved Data and Enhanced Oversight Would Help Safeguard the Well-Being of Youth with Behavioral and Emotional Challenges, GAO-08-346 (Washington, D.C.: May 13, 2008).
