Audit Faults Oversight Of NY Domestic Violence Shelters

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new audit is raising concerns about New York state's oversight of domestic violence shelters.

The report issued by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli this week examined the Office of Children and Family Services to determine whether the agency properly oversees more than 150 shelters around the state, which served 11,000 people in 2016.

Auditors said the agency failed to provide reports on fire safety inspections at shelters, even though such reports are required. The audit accuses agency officials of delaying, restricting and denying access to other records needed for the audit.

The report concluded that the agency doesn't understand its duties or deliberately hid information from state auditors.

In a written response the agency called the findings "erroneous" and said confidentiality rules prohibited the release of some records.