The Department of Human Services (DHS) has generally done a good job supporting county licensors. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement, especially given upcoming structural changes at the state level.
The staff of county licensing agencies—“county licensors”—rely on support from DHS for numerous reasons, such as training, guidance on new licensing policies, or assistance in emergent situations. DHS supports county licensors through trainings, optional meetings, newsletters, and by responding to county licensor questions submitted via telephone or e-mail (known as “triage”).
DHS has provided a range of supports to county licensors across programs, but has provided less support targeted to those who license Community Residential Settings (CRS). (pp. 14-15)
Recommendation ► DHS should improve the support it provides for CRS licensors. (p. 22)While most county licensors who responded to our survey noted that DHS’s triage responses were timely, some CRS licensors reported that it took significant time to receive responses from DHS. (pp. 18 19)
Recommendations ► DHS should (1) develop a formal policy and establish a timeframe in which staff must respond to triage inquiries, and (2) track how long it takes staff to respond to inquiries. (p. 22)DHS has not put certain guidance in writing, making it difficult for county licensors to obtain consistent and timely information. (pp. 20-21)
Recommendation ► DHS should provide written guidance that is easily accessible to all county licensors. (pp. 22-23)The county-delegated licensing system requires DHS and county licensors to work together to license service providers and perform other licensing functions. Significant changes, however, are on the horizon. In 2023, the Legislature created a new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and DHS’s licensing of child care and child foster care services will be transferred to DCYF once the new department is operating.
DHS has sometimes been slow to issue licensing actions when providers do not comply with program requirements, which can negatively impact the department’s relationship with county licensors. (pp. 29-31)
Recommendations ► DHS should (1) establish timeframes for processing licensing actions that are uniform across programs with county-delegated licensing, and (2) ensure that it addresses all recommendations for licensing actions within those timeframes. (p. 31)While most county licensors indicated that DHS had provided clear guidance on the division of licensing roles, some licensors expressed frustration about the delineation between those roles. (pp. 27-28)
Recommendation ► DHS and DCYF should take extra care to provide clear and consistent guidance on the respective roles of state agencies and county licensors, especially in light of the upcoming division of licensing oversight between the two departments. (p. 38)Recommendation ► DCYF should adopt the recommendations from this report that are relevant to its activities. (p. 38)
In a letter dated February 15, 2024, Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said that DHS appreciated OLA’s review and is “pleased that the recommendations align with our plans for improvement, which we are working to implement thanks to the investment of resources by the governor and 2023 Legislature.” She stated that DHS is already using the additional resources to hire staff, and that filling those positions is “likely to help address many of the concerns about support” for CRS licensors. She said that as DHS prepares to transition programs to DCYF, the two departments are working closely to “ensure that licensing functions will continue without interruption, and that all partners, including county licensors, will have clear guidance on the respective roles of DHS and DCYF.”
