New HHS OIG report anons should see…

The Tornillo Influx Care Facility: Concerns About Staff Background Checks and Number of Clinicians on Staff

https://www.oversight.gov/sites/default/files/oig-reports/121920000.pdf

This memorandum follows up on the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) recent meetings with you and your staff at which we provided information about two significant vulnerabilities identified during our site visit to the influx care facility in Tornillo, Texas (Tornillo), a grantee of the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Program operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). First, we found that Tornillo is not conducting required Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint background checks for staff working at Tornillo. Instead, Tornillo is using checks conducted by a private contractor that has access to less comprehensive data, thereby heightening the risk that an individual with a criminal history could have direct access to children in ORR care. Second, we found that Tornillo does not employ a sufficient number of staff clinicians to provide adequate mental health care for UAC. These issues warrant ORR’s immediate attention because they could significantly compromise the safety and well- being of UAC. We understand that ORR has already begun working with Tornillo to remedy the background check issue. We will follow up to ensure ORR has sufficiently addressed both vulnerabilities.