[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6209206,"mediaKeyId","3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff","parentId",3736413,"title","JLARC: Transferring Virginia—s juvenile justice agency to HHR would not guarantee better services, could risk public-safety focus","audioSeconds",2006,"startMs",998000,"endMs",3004000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff&start=998&end=3004","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff/thumbnail_998000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6209206/Virginia/JLARC-Transferring-Virginias-juvenile-justice-agency-to-HHR-would-not-guarantee-better-services-could-risk-public-safety-focus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209206-98730f9289b898c85219bef7abe54e4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775096288&Signature=OEn~LE8JGKDy3SU3NzgV2c8IicmOlQH3oMgIMHtkbHWBeIBUJtTjQ-hUPEjwaB55iRTSsuAsfYdQU83si1NInUye7ODFGW2Jq7uP4Al8k4YSInSEmxuAYgZgsRPbIFQk3ibi1QfwxKa9NWxSuntYXByDPsN4kcsp4gsUnkshAWhDPWeaLH2QGznJvDdhch6Bw8eMGHRKC1TdIFmeMkiu3iscsTS~E9Vo9lFAqSSHInyqSCgBJ2jOuvo4fyUribSiZurOav6l~jIBncmLbu-3iTpvtTw0o0K5ywI8Wd2rQA58n7qqMDAjHUZMi3QFZF7hUPqrMjqMtdXX4JzIE-TDQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-06-04T00:00:00Z","article","The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission staff presented findings that transferring the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice from the Public Safety secretariat to the Health and Human Resources secretariat would not by itself ensure better access to services for court‑involved youth and could compromise DJJs public‑safety mission.

Britney Utz, who led JLARCs study, said, \"DJJ already provides a range of rehabilitative services to youth which are similar to HHR services and reportedly more accessible.\" The study team described DJJs regional service coordinator (RSC) model and said it has expanded provider networks and emphasized timely delivery of services.

Why this matters: the proposal to move DJJ was prompted by advocates who contend alignment under HHR could improve access to behavioral‑health and social services for youth. JLARCs review combined interviews with current and former secretaries and agency directors, DJJ staff, public defenders and commonwealths attorneys, and national experts to weigh feasibility, costs and benefits.

Key findings: JLARC staff said many court‑involved youth already receive similar services through DJJs RSC model, which contracts with Evidence Based Associates to coordinate statewide service providers and requires service delivery timelines (JLARC noted RSC services are typically available more quickly than comparable HHR services). The commissions staff also reported that other states split about evenly on whether juvenile justice sits under public safety or HHR, and there is no clear evidence that organizational placement alone drives rehabilitative outcomes.

JLARC raised concerns that HHRs large and locally operated programs could limit secretarial leverage, and that DJJ could receive less policy focus inside a larger HHR secretariat. The staff also flagged operational dependencies that would remain important regardless of placement, including coordination with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Department of Corrections and the State Police for compliance, case planning and investigations.

Staff highlighted particular operational issues inside DJJ: committed youth are generally confined at Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center, and JLARC noted staffing challenges at Bon Air with a reported vacancy rate of 51% in fiscal year 2024. JLARC also reported that a DJJ evaluation of rehabilitative programming for committed youth (directed by the General Assembly) was in the governors office for final review and not yet publicly released.

Rather than recommending a transfer, JLARC presented alternatives to achieve similar goals, including codifying a childrens cabinet to coordinate child‑serving agencies across secretariats and increasing funding for embedded Community Services Board staff in court service units to speed referrals and crisis response. JLARC also recommended better tracking of services each youth receives (dosage and provider) so outcomes can be tied to interventions.

Process and next steps: the study was presented in a slide package; JLARC did not issue a separate standalone written report. JLARC staff emphasized the options are policy choices for the General Assembly and executive leadership to consider, and noted the commission of youth and the Office of the State Inspector General have ongoing or planned work specifically focused on Bon Air.

Speakers at the presentation included JLARC staff who fielded questions from legislators, including Senator Locke, Senator McDougall, Delegate Tatum and others; those exchanges covered differences in service delivery for youth on probation versus youth committed to Bon Air and requested timing for the DJJ internal report.

Ending: JLARCs analysis concluded that placement under HHR alone would not guarantee better service access, and recommended targeted steps to improve coordination and service tracking instead of a structural transfer.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission Jun 4, 2025 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission staff presented findings that transferring the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice from the Public Safety secretariat to the Health and Human Resources secretariat would not by itself ensure better access to services for court‑involved youth and could compromise DJJs public‑safety mission.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209192,"State audit: 56 IT weaknesses and major financial adjustments at Health and universities highlight reporting and cybersecurity risks",1372,6360000,7732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff&start=6360&end=7732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff/thumbnail_6360000.jpg","/articles/6209192/Virginia/State-audit-56-IT-weaknesses-and-major-financial-adjustments-at-Health-and-universities-highlight-reporting-and-cybersecurity-risks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209192-084a4a256d00617d4757da5d18d531ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1775096288&Signature=AK-EQvJ7-8467lDD0lWWPF9xM0aZ82wG5BNYcz761CTzQ~BLKrf5eJ3TC3h22wQIfaeNvF3kXlNnt3fVS73NPZFlClQU2gS-4CL2wWZyiLJgkQjVhzhc-YaZuL~Dfa07hRYKBswZMB4JPfVAhN2c8M2NPCT1fri79GpLHGrtCjdmOBfAME~Awxp9IA3KCcS2Xi1HPSgGpLdDanF2fo12Z5EUg7Shy7xavU2uTkYzkjfyllYvDTGe5-8PIX3Gu8Aoa6VDS72Ii95eHIytHjxEcJprXxre9aYHfavO4dM-Os5dTk3uUaDIBkVzdpQCpQRHU5XmbbcK9EuIuU2sagtz~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Auditor of Public Accounts staff reported systemic issues across state agencies and higher‑education institutions in their fiscal year 2024 audits, highlighting significant information‑technology weaknesses and large financial statement adjustments at major agencies.

Zach Borgerding, deputy auditor, said the APA identified 107 findings in total and that 56 of those were information‑technology related. \"Cybersecurity risks continue to evolve and bad actors continue to find different ways to attack the Commonwealth's data,\" Borgerding said, noting configuration management, access control and risk assessment as recurring control families with problems.

On non‑IT matters, the APA reported substantial audit adjustments at the Department of Health (over $456 million in adjustments) and at the Department of Human Resources (adjustments totaling over $600 million) driven primarily by turnover in key positions and by gaps in policies and procedures, the auditors said. The APA warned that untimely or inaccurate financial reporting can put the Commonwealths bond rating at risk and repeated a risk alert urging agencies to document processes and plan for succession.

The APA also issued three material weaknesses in its audit of the Department of Social Services, citing the need to reevaluate IT governance, weaknesses in subrecipient monitoring that risk disallowed federal costs, and inaccurate performance reporting to federal TANF sponsors. Borgerding said the agency has since hired a consultant and \"we do feel like the agency heard that message.\"

In higher education, the APA reiterated a material weakness at the University of Virginia (first issued in 2021 and elevated in 2022) that covers financial reporting governance across complex related organizations, and reported a material weakness at Old Dominion University tied to untimely preparation and ongoing adjustments; APA noted ODU used turnover as an opportunity to reengineer reporting processes and that preliminary follow‑up found improvements in timeliness for FY24 work.

The auditors recommended agencies prioritize succession planning, document key reporting processes and remediate IT control gaps. The APA said difficulties filling accounting positions and increased turnover across state government have amplified these problems, and that agencies should consider succession strategies and up‑to‑date policies to reduce audit adjustments and operational risk.

Ending: APA staff said they will continue follow‑up work, start the FY25 audit cycle, and return to the commission with updates on remediation efforts for the material weaknesses and IT findings.","The Auditor of Public Accounts reported 107 fiscal year findings including 56 IT findings; material weaknesses were issued for Social Services (three material weaknesses), significant audit adjustments at the Department of Health and large university reporting weaknesses at UVA and ODU. APA urged stronger succession planning, updated policies and",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209196,"Auditor warns of municipal reporting delays; Tangier accepts review after missed payments and reporting gaps",1027,4878000,5905000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff&start=4878&end=5905","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff/thumbnail_4878000.jpg","/articles/6209196/Virginia/Auditor-warns-of-municipal-reporting-delays-Tangier-accepts-review-after-missed-payments-and-reporting-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209196-c3fa3fe6c2608b9bd86d63a15d1f8f6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775096288&Signature=Z~-6mvHSnXmgAAWgv3a8QrWnX2zs028ZNt-0~Tk9mUUhj5CVfceXQaHF~lkogVPj4qu9xYVLAafvNwi1m9QBiHf2YiT2JZHSpbyg-JT5T20902VBbh~PsVAeAW~stbVmC7R0gxh6wsIhvGoVxom7vVkUoyqvbRfMRrUmTaWlLAG8ZgVYukfwEMNX6dTUW2pC5Q85eAbBs2xyb1yodMhIHdVAY~VMJGJp6Wj4V8pa7k2YElRxPY-PA8Ppy8eVrtwmBNrTl~MI-e30yD0xO1Bv7yih-GjG1INJf2wEayGm8Dl6KJskk~67Y9vxP0L3VnvW6iC8x~MQtkUgBPVs1ICkAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stacy Henshaw, Auditor of Public Accounts, told the commission that many Virginia localities missed statutory reporting deadlines for the APAs annual comparative local government report and that the office is actively monitoring local fiscal health.

Henshaw said the APA published a draft comparative report on Feb. 15 and the final in April, and that 30 localities remained missing as of the final draft. She described common reasons for late submissions including accounting vacancies and difficulty procuring auditors.

On fiscal distress monitoring, Henshaw explained APAs two‑part process (financial ratio analysis and qualitative assessment) and said the office has begun 2025 monitoring using FY 2024 data. She identified several localities that the APA continues to track, and described a specific case: Tangier.

Henshaw said Tangier had not had a full financial audit since February 2018, reported that a vendor had not been paid after DEQ had reimbursed the town for shoreline work, and that Tangier later missed a debt payment to the Virginia Resources Authority and had not submitted required COVID federal reporting. The town council later provided information to the APA and agreed to participate in the APAs voluntary review; Henshaw said Tangier has since paid the vendor and the debt payment, and that \"we felt like this did qualify for an area of potential fiscal distress.\" She added the towns near‑term cash flow for these payments came in part from a loan from a local church.

Henshaw also noted media reports that Tangier and Virginia Beach would receive federal shoreline grants (a $10 million award was reported) and said the APA will seek to understand whether a state agency or the town itself will manage any large federal grants and to ensure the town has the fiscal capacity to manage them.

The APA told the commission it is required by law to receive audits when localities voluntarily have them and that small towns are not uniformly required to have audits. Henshaw urged better local reporting and said APA can consider limited, lower‑burden technical assistance or diagnostics but lacks authority to initiate audits of localities without JLARC approval in the narrow statutory circumstances that allow it.

Ending: APA staff said they will continue fiscal distress monitoring this summer, pursue voluntary assessments with flagged localities and notify the governor and relevant legislative committees if localities exceed statutory delay thresholds or meet distress criteria.","Auditor of Public Accounts staff reported local reporting delays and highlighted the town of Tangier as under fiscal review after missed vendor payments and missed required federal reporting; APA said many small towns lack audits or timely reporting and encouraged voluntary assessment and technical assistance.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209201,"JLARC review: VJIP widely used; recommends local wage thresholds and more review of small industry tax exemptions",1504,3292000,4796000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff&start=3292&end=4796","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736413-9409c48556e2bd8c76cea03d6189e2ff/thumbnail_3292000.jpg","/articles/6209201/Virginia/JLARC-review-VJIP-widely-used-recommends-local-wage-thresholds-and-more-review-of-small-industry-tax-exemptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209201-9f9d3d762d654c7ba3fbb4d62afcf562/orig.mp4?Expires=1775096288&Signature=hgxpj4LNjETh12E~s6HrHEt2HBnSYl1TTakhI1e1vQO8WJ91ueAgXEMWPR-SWpiCivZXKnQPnD0Juy5G~tf9XTi-VXN3pefWthPcZZk~ve8LxwfTD79o6iibubN1qJdaTct6jh4zkP9r6W1sI00Kd0JVOPaYR1-DDHclVzgfRE1j2mOUhJONFav5-LRHEozWnONjeQrzUK~zU~b5E2aukXIdj01qhfvMfvBbRXrWQB3oXOerVo4fqU5jZK0UD1xsgQxHHrNlqZwz7-F4Hdbd2bvBEtm6RH1rzxtxtUXJbyjfljbwMPNcCMuleQ-iBd6V5~6mLRRYIDznS3vh6XhNSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission presented an in‑depth evaluation of Virginias workforce and industry incentives, covering ten programs including the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), the Virginia Talent Accelerator (also called the talent accelerator program), a worker training tax credit, and seven smaller industry sales‑tax exemptions.

Ellen Miller, JLARCs chief economic development analyst, said VJIP is \"one of the states most widely used incentives and projects met their job creation goals.\" Over the 10‑year study period, JLARC staff reported nearly $50 million in VJIP grants and about $7 million in awards per year. The staff found VJIP produces moderate economic benefits and a moderate fiscal return but recommended two changes to increase effectiveness: tie VJIPs wage eligibility threshold to local prevailing wages rather than 120% of the state minimum wage, and reduce eligibility thresholds in distressed localities.

On the Virginia Talent Accelerator, JLARC described the program as a turnkey, in‑kind service that helps employers recruit, screen and onboard workers and build relationships with community colleges. The staff found most early projects would have proceeded without the program, but stakeholders prefer the program and it meets most design criteria JLARC uses; total program spending to date was reported as about $17 million through fiscal year 2023. JLARC recommended setting a reasonable minimum capital investment threshold and codifying the program in statute if continued.

JLARC reported the worker training tax credit has low take‑up and negligible economic impact; the credit will expire July 2025 and JLARC suggested a grant framework might be a more effective approach if the Commonwealth wants to incentivize apprenticeships.

Seven small industry sales‑tax exemptions reviewed by JLARC have negligible to low economic benefits overall and were often adopted for purposes other than out‑of‑state attraction (for example parity with other industries or local social policy). JLARC recommended applying expiration dates to exemptions that lack them, updating revenue estimates and referring the exemptions to the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Preferences for a holistic review.

Speakers included JLARC analysts present to answer members questions; legislators asked about prevailing wage settings and whether incentives move projects that would otherwise locate outside Virginia. JLARC noted geographic tailoring (higher thresholds in high‑wage areas; lower in distressed localities) could improve program targeting.

Ending: JLARC framed its recommendations as options for the General Assembly to adopt; no immediate statutory changes were enacted during the meeting.","JLARC presented an in‑depth evaluation of 10 workforce and small industry incentives, finding the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) widely used with moderate economic benefits, the Talent Accelerator generally well designed but early in implementation, low use of the worker training tax credit (set to expire July 2025), and negligible gains","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

JLARC: Transferring Virginia—s juvenile justice agency to HHR would not guarantee better services, could risk public-safety focus

State audit: 56 IT weaknesses and major financial adjustments at Health and universities highlight reporting and cybersecurity risks

Auditor warns of municipal reporting delays; Tangier accepts review after missed payments and reporting gaps

JLARC review: VJIP widely used; recommends local wage thresholds and more review of small industry tax exemptions