NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 200-page audit released Tuesday by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury revealed significant shortcomings by management of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
The audit, which examined programs and activities of DCS from Sept. 1, 2022, through Sept. 20, 2025, resulted in nearly 10 findings, six observations and two matters to be considered for legislative consideration.
Read the full report here
One of the findings stated there was a lack of management in the department’s Special Investigations Unit, which allowed for “insufficient and untimely investigations of child abuse and neglect by adults in authority roles.”
Although two conditions with SIU investigators improved since the prior audit, officials said the unit still failed to complete essential tasks, including:
- conducting initial face-to-face visits with alleged child victims to ensure their safety
- notifying Child Protective Investigative Team members of new allegations involving sexual or severe abuse
- completing safety assessments within required timeframes
- making substaniation decisions in a timely manner
- providing timely justifications and obtained approvals for case closure extensions
In addition, the audit found the department has not publicly disclosed any information regarding child near fatalities on its website since October 2023. In fact, the report stated at the time of review, “all 58 preliminary near-fatality cases from October 2023 through May 2025 remained pending physician review.”
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Management reportedly said the department’s Deputy Commissioner of Child Health conducted the reviews, but left the department in 2023. However, the position was reportedly filled in August 2025, and the physician reviewer had just begun reviewing the backlog of cases…