Audit of the Department of Youth Services Overview of Audited Entity

This section describes the makeup and responsibilities of the Department of Youth Services.

The Department of Youth Services (DYS) was established under Section 1 of Chapter 18A of the Massachusetts General Laws. It operates within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and provides services to children ages 12 to 22 who have been detained or committed to DYS by the courts. According to DYS’s website, 

Detained youth are those who have been arrested and charged with an offense, and are temporarily placed with DYS until their next court date. Committed youth are those who have been found guilty of a crime, have received a sentence, and are ordered into the custody of DYS.

Additionally, according to an email DYS sent us on October 20, 2025, “recommitted youth are youth who have been committed to DYS as either a juvenile delinquent or Youthful Offender and have reoffended after being released on community supervision.” 

According to its website, DYS “fosters positive outcomes for youth, builds safer communities, and collaborates for an equitable and fair justice system.” DYS maintains a central office in Boston, along with five regional offices, each overseen by a regional director responsible for the administration and oversight of all services and activities within their respective regions.

During the audit period, DYS provided support and services to approximately 2,186 youths between the ages of 12 and 22. DYS had an annual appropriation of approximately $176 million for fiscal year 2023 and an annual appropriation of approximately $183 million for fiscal year 2024.

Assessments and Reassessments of Committed Youths

According to Section 5(a) of Chapter 120 of the General Laws, DYS is required to examine, study, and investigate all relevant aspects of the lives and behaviors of the committed youths in its care. At DYS, every committed youth, regardless of the duration of their stay, undergoes a comprehensive intake process conducted by program staff members and clinicians. According to an email DYS sent to us on October 20, 2025,

Upon a youth’s arrival at a DYS program, a youth undergoes an initial intake where preliminary data is collected about the youth from the youth. After the initial intake, a comprehensive assessment begins, where documentation about the youth is collected from a variety of sources – medical, clinical, education, psycho-social, and family background. 

The objective of these assessments is to develop a tailored support plan that addresses each youth’s needs, both throughout their time in the treatment facility and upon reintegration into their community. 

A full assessment takes 45 days, but shorter, modified assessments are also available, depending on the individual youth’s case. This process involves gathering various risk evaluations to determine the most beneficial services and programs for each youth. During the intake process, behavioral health screenings are conducted to identify mental health needs, including surveys used to assess trauma history, post-traumatic stress disorder, and related factors. Additionally, screenings for brain injuries and evaluations of substance abuse are performed. Information regarding each youth’s caregiver background, hospitalization history, previous incidents of violence, suicide risk, and personal identity is also collected to ensure an appropriate response to each youth’s challenges. Additionally, an evaluation is undertaken to assess the youth’s likelihood of reoffending and to determine the appropriate level of supervision required to ensure seamless reintegration into the community. This risk assessment takes place at the time of commitment, 120 days before the youth is released back into the community, and every six months while they are in the community.

Once the assessment is completed, a report detailing the clinical evaluation and treatment recommendations is stored in DYS’s online document management system and presented to the Regional Review Team. The Regional Review Team, which varies by region, consists of the regional director of operations, the regional director of community services, the regional residential service providers, and the regional clinical coordinator.

Recommitted youths must go through the intake process again but may receive a shortened assessment based on the time elapsed between their release and recommitment.

Section 5(b) of Chapter 120 of the General Laws mandates that DYS conduct periodic reassessments for all individuals under its supervision. While the department is authorized to perform these evaluations as frequently as deemed necessary, these evaluations are required to occur at least once annually for each youth. DYS characterizes assessments as a continuous process and maintains regular interactions with the youth.

Educational Programs

According to Section 7 of Chapter 18A of the General Laws, the Bureau of Educational Services within DYS is responsible for establishing and managing educational programs and curricula for youths under DYS’s jurisdiction. This includes overseeing the educational services provided to youths in custody at various stages of their involvement with the system. The bureau is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of both academic and vocational educational programs, the development of curricula, the implementation of teacher training initiatives, and the provision of library services at each institution managed by the department, as well as for every youth committed to the department’s care.

According to DYS, the DYS education system is designed to mirror the services provided by public schools. Youths in high school follow studies aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, led by instructional guides in core subjects such as English language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science. DYS provides small classroom settings, individualized attention, coaching, and a cognitive behavioral strategy, all of which contribute to a supportive process for youths involved with DYS. DYS organizes its academic year to consist of 180 days, with 5.5 hours of learning each day. Additionally, DYS offers a 30-day summer school program, providing 4.5 hours of structured learning each day.

DYS provides general educational services to youths in both state-operated and provider-operated residential programs. Special education services are managed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) through its Special Educational Services in Institutional Settings program, alongside the Collaborative for Educational Services. While school districts are ultimately responsible for delivering special education services to their students, the Special Educational Services in Institutional Settings program was established to support and enhance these services for students in DYS’s care or custody. DYS oversees youths who have 504 plans,¹ while DESE is responsible for those with Individualized Education Programs.² This collaboration is intended to ensure that youths receive tailored instruction that meets their academic needs.

Youths in DYS’s custody represent a highly transitional population. After 14 to 21 days of detention, requests are made to each youth’s former school to obtain their academic records. For youths in DYS care for less than two weeks, only basic information is requested, given the absence of formal commitment by the courts. 

According to an email DYS sent to us on October 20, 2025,

DYS conducts a twice weekly detained data match with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This data match allows DYS to identify which youth have either an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, so any special educational services can continue with limited interruption. The detained data match is pursuant to the DYS and DESE Agency Coordinated Plan. 

DYS uses a student information management system to organize a variety of student details, which include schedules, academic records, grades, attendance, health records, 504 plans, and Individualized Education Programs. This system assists teachers and teaching coordinators in developing instructional plans that align with coursework while enhancing communication between caregivers³ and school staff members.

Each education program includes a designated classroom with assigned teachers. Each youth is paired with both a teacher and a teaching coordinator. Teaching coordinators are responsible for organizing the daily class schedule, which includes elective courses. After 30 days of schooling, career counselors are assigned to each youth to determine the necessary graduation requirements and help develop a graduation plan. DYS hosts annual graduation ceremonies, which are open to the youths’ caregivers, to honor committed individuals who have earned diplomas from their respective school districts.

Committed youths are also assigned an education assessment coordinator. These coordinators are trained to work with students to create an education assessment packet and an individual learner profile. An academic growth report is generated each quarter for youths and shared during staff member meetings to assess performance and progress. In cases of new accommodations, the youth support team collects information, then youths are referred to special education services as needed.

Graduated youths are afforded the opportunity to pursue higher education. Additionally, the Skill Up vocational training program is available to committed youths, supporting job seekers in transitioning to new careers regardless of their educational background. This program offers specialized training in various fields, such as electrical work, carpentry, and barbering, with the aim of equipping students with the skills necessary to transform their expertise into sustainable career prospects.

Internal Reviews and Investigations of Child Abuse and/or Neglect

Section 51A(a) of Chapter 119 of the General Laws requires mandated reporters⁴ to notify the Department of Children and Families (DCF) immediately if they believe a child under 18 has suffered emotional or physical harm due to abuse and/or neglect. These reports, known as 51A reports, help DCF evaluate allegations of abuse and assess child safety. DCF screens these reports to decide whether to investigate them (which DYS refers to as being screened in) or dismiss them (which DYS refers to as being screened out). Reports screened in undergo further investigation, known as a 51B investigation, while screened-out reports do not warrant additional action. DCF makes the determination to support or not support the allegation⁵ after completion of its 51B investigation.

For DYS to file a 51A report, DYS employees (whom DYS refers to as reporters in this situation) are required to complete and submit incident report forms for each incident that occurs by the end of their shift. These incident reports are then reviewed and summarized by a supervisor (whom DYS refers to as a submitter in this situation) before being entered into DYS’s online document management system, which generates a Serious Incident Report (SIR).⁶ The DYS Investigations Unit is responsible for reviewing SIRs, and a paralegal is assigned the task of reviewing the individual SIR list each business day. Each individual SIR includes important details about the incident, such as the reporting program, the location, the incident date, the submission date, whether DCF was notified, and if so, who the 51A report is against (which means that it identifies whether it involves a DYS staff member, a caregiver, or a non-DYS individual). The report also contains information about the reporter, the submitter, the youth involved, everyone’s roles in the incident, and an incident narrative. After retrieving and reviewing an SIR from DYS’s online document management system, the paralegal distributes it to one of the investigators. The investigator then assesses potential policy violations and determines whether further inquiries are necessary.

DYS is required to conduct internal investigations for all suspected cases of child abuse and neglect, as well as for serious incidents that may impact the health and safety of children in DYS care. Therefore, DYS must investigate every reported incident, regardless of whether it has been screened out by DCF. In cases involving DYS employees where a 51B investigation is initiated, DCF notifies DYS, then both agencies carry out simultaneous investigations. After DYS’s investigation is completed, the investigator prepares an investigative report detailing the findings and any identified policy violations. This report is then reviewed by the DYS executive team.⁷ According to an email DYS sent to us on October 20, 2025,

The Deputy Commissioner for Operations, the Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Finance, and the General Counsel meet to review investigation reports and determine, along with the Regional Director of the region where the program is located, the DYS [Human Resources] liaison, and a Labor Manager from [the Executive Office of Health and Human Services] determines whether and what discipline may be warranted for any involved state employees. 

These actions may include issuing formal warnings, suspensions, or terminations.

In our prior audit of DYS (Audit No. 2019-0512-3S), it was recommended that DYS take measures to more effectively manage its 51B report resolution process. To minimize the chances of future incidents and promote early intervention, DYS has integrated preventative programming into its operational framework. One initiative is the formalized mentorship program, which was piloted in 2021 and officially established in June 2023. While this program is not specifically aimed at employees involved in 51A reports or 51B investigations, it serves as a preventative measure against future incidents by improving communication between employees and youths. The mentorship program is a permanent part of the DYS onboarding process for all DYS employees. There are five mentors, one for each DYS region, who rotate their schedules to provide around-the-clock support.

Upon hire, each employee is assigned a mentor who guides them during their first year of service and offers field support to enhance collaboration and foster relationships with both youths and colleagues. All employees, including part-time employees, have access to mentoring services at their discretion. DYS officials informed us that, through this mentoring program, DYS has been able to identify behavioral trends and deliver training to help lessen the likelihood that employees become involved in situations that may result in the filing of 51A reports and 51B reports.

1.    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act established 504 plans. These plans aim to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities. They require the development of a 504 plan to ensure that students with disabilities receive necessary accommodations, allowing them equal access to education and program services.

2.    An Individualized Education Program identifies a student’s special education needs and describes the services a school district must provide to meet those needs.

3.    For the purposes of this audit report, we use the term caregiver to refer to an adult who cares for a child or children, including, but not limited to, parents, foster parents, stepparents, grandparents, and guardians (unless stated otherwise).

4.    A mandated reporter is a person who is legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families. These individuals include people who hold positions such as teacher, doctor, or police officer.

5.    A supported allegation means that DCF does have a reasonable cause to believe that the incident of abuse and/or neglect did occur, while an unsupported allegation means that DCF does not have a reasonable cause to believe that the incident of abuse and/or neglect did occur.

6.    It is DYS policy that employees report all serious incidents that take place at any DYS state or contracted location immediately to the DYS communication information center. These serious incidents include both youth- and nonyouth-related incidents. Any serious incident of alleged abuse or neglect of a youth is reported to DCF as a 51A report. DCF then determines whether the 51A report requires further investigation, which would then lead to a 51B report.

7.    According to an email DYS sent us on October 20, 2025, “the DYS executive team is comprised of the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, the Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Finance, the Chief Administrative Officer, the General Counsel, and the Assistant Commissioner for Program Services.”

Date published:	April 24, 2026