A January legislative audit identified seven care facilities for children that failed to adequately protect those in their care, with complaints ranging from children self-administering medication to substance abuse issues. 

Nevada Homes for Youth, Aurora Center for Healing, Shannon West Homeless Youth Center and four Advanced Foster Care Homes, run by Nevada’s Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), all fell short of state standards, and were riddled with health, safety and civil rights concerns. At Nevada Homes for Youth, rotten food and food wrappers were found in a child’s room, while at Shannon West Homeless Youth Center, children were not assessed for sexual victimization or abusiveness.

The other 22 facilities in the state that were evaluated did not have “significant issues,” according to the audit.

Nevada Homes for Youth and Shannon West Homeless Youth Center are both located in Las Vegas, while Aurora is based in Hawthorne and Advanced Foster Care has multiple locations throughout the state. 

Many legislators expressed frustration with the issues revealed in the audit, which was presented Sept. 10 during a meeting of the state’s Audit Subcommittee of the Legislative Commission — especially since many of these facilities have been evaluated in the past. 

“If you went to a restaurant that had trash and graffiti and dirty bathrooms, we would close it,” State Sen. Dina Neal (D-North Las Vegas) said. “So why would we have a child go back to a facility and just say ‘oh we’re doing a remodeling?’”

In the past five years, Nevada Homes for Youth has been visited four times, while Advanced Foster Care Homes and Shannon West Homeless Center have both been visited twice. From July 2022 to June 2023, the state received 1,261 complaints regarding 34 facilities across Nevada. That year, 101 children were placed out-of-state because Nevada’s facilities didn’t offer “adequate services to meet their needs.” 

In May 2023, Aurora Center for Healing had a ban on admissions following an inspection and, as of December, DCFS reported it will no longer place children at the center. Meanwhile, Advanced Foster Care Homes reported that as of late 2023 one of its foster homes was no longer licensed.  

The audit also noted that Shannon West Homeless Youth Center failed to comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), which includes guidance related to zero tolerance of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, as required by its contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice Services. In September 2023, a child in the facility’s care complained that an adult touched their neck, thigh and hair multiple times, and that there were shared common spaces, including bathrooms, between adults and children. 

In a statement, Shannon West Homeless Youth Center commented that “as an Independent Living Program and Emergency Shelter we don’t believe PREA is appropriate for SWHYC as we are not a detention or lock-up facility.” 

Currently, the state’s Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance does not require its licensed health facilities to screen employees for child abuse or neglect. It also does not require most facilities to have training specific to dealing with children, save state-operated psychiatric hospitals.  

Marla McDade Williams, a DCFS spokesperson, said that although the division is responsible for the placement of children, the Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance is ultimately responsible for licensure and oversight at these types of facilities.

“There are multiple parties involved in this system,” McDade Williams said. “When you make a placement in a facility you look at their license and trust that their license is in good standing.” 

Aurora Center for Healing commented that it works “closely with state agencies to ensure we are compliant with all regulations.”

Nevada Homes for Youth and Advanced Foster Care Homes did not respond for comment. 

Updated on 9/20/24 at 12:00 p.m. to clarify that the auditors are affiliated with the legislative branch.

Updated on 9/20/24 at 2:39 p.m. to correct that audit addresses youth facilities.