SECTION 377:3-13-1. General purpose, legal basis and authority

(a)   Unit Purpose. The Office of Public Integrity (OPI) is a unit established within the Oklahoma State Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) and is directly responsible, organizationally and administratively, to the OJA Executive Director. The unit is composed of three sections: (1) Internal Affairs/Employment Discrimination Investigations; (2) OJA Licensing and Programs Assessment Section; (3) Financial Contract Monitoring/Reviews Section and other duties as assigned by the Executive Director. The unit conducts investigations, performs on-site assessments, licensing visits, and financially monitors OJA state contracts, functions and activities to ensure compliance with, state statutes, OJA policies/procedures, contractual provisions, and other applicable professional rules and standards.

(1)   Internal Affairs/EEO Investigations Section may among other activities and functions include investigations of:

(A)   Allegations of serious misconduct and/or criminal violations committed by OJA personnel as assigned to the unit by the agency's Executive Director;

(B)   Allegations of discrimination (Equal Employment Opportunity) either by or against OJA employees as received and assigned by the agency's Executive Director, affirmative action officer, or the agency's grievance manager; and

(C)   Specifically assigned Caretaker Conduct Reviews (CCR) that are returned to the OJA operated juvenile institutions by the state Department of Human Services' Office of Client Advocacy (OCA) or other entity as prescribed by law for administrative review, as well as major incidents (i.e. serious assaults, riots, escapes) that occur at the OJA operated institutions.

(2)   OJA Licensing and Programs Assessment Section includes the licensing and assessing of the following:

(A)   On-site licensing and unannounced monitoring visits to OJA state contracted juvenile detention centers, community intervention centers (CIC) and municipal juvenile detention facilities, See OJA Rule 377-3-13-6;

(B)   Announced and unannounced assessments of contracted residential care, non-residential services and shelters as directed by the OJA Executive Director.

(C)   On-site assessments and licensing of a Secure Juvenile Facility;

(D)   On-site assessments of the OJA Juvenile Services Unit (JSU) offices located throughout the state;

(E)   Assessments of State Office units as directed by the OJA Executive Director;

(3)   Financial Contract Monitoring/Review Section includes the financial monitoring of the following:

(A)   Secure Juvenile Facilities;

(B)   OJA contracted detention centers and community intervention centers;

(C)   OJA contracted residential care and shelter services as directed by the OJA Executive Director;

(D)   OJA contracted non-residential services provided by designated youth services agencies; by performing

(i)   On-site contractor visits to reconcile claims against supporting documentation with a documented recommended corrective action, if appropriate;

(ii)   Reviews of reimbursed claims for payment by OJA, to include: compliance with contract requirements; applicable laws, rules and regulations; and adequate supporting documentation.

(E)   In addition to the above duties, the financial contract monitoring/review section shall perform in-depth financial audits as directed by the OJA Executive Director.

(b)   Legal Basis/Authority. Authorization for the monitoring/assessment functions of the Office of Public Integrity is found in 10A O.S., § 2-7-301. Authorization for detention certification is found in 10A O.S., § 2-3-103. Authorization for certification of community intervention centers (CIC) is found in 10A O.S. § 2-7-305.

(c)   Unit Independence. The Office of Public Integrity is organizationally and administratively independent from the other units and divisions of the agency that actually provide, or contract for, programs and services. Communication and coordination with agency and contractor personnel is necessary and desirable during the investigative, assessment, and monitoring procedures.

(d)   Frequency of Assessments/Monitoring

(1)   OPI shall conduct announced certification assessments of contracted facilities, i.e. detention centers and community intervention centers, and municipal juvenile detention facilities on a bi-annual basis, with announced annual inspections during the interim year. OPI may conduct unannounced assessments at the direction of the OPI administrator. OPI shall conduct announced assessments of its Juvenile Services Units (JSU) in each county of the state on a bi-annual basis and unannounced assessments as requested by the Juvenile Services Division Director with approval of the OJA Executive Director. OPI shall conduct program assessments of OJA institutions, State Office units, contracted residential care facilities, non-residential services and shelters as directed by the OJA Executive Director.

(2)   OPI shall financially monitor the OJA contracts with the youth services agencies at a minimum of twice per fiscal year. OPI shall financially monitor other contracted facilities and services, OJA institutions, and State Office units at the direction of the OJA Executive Director.

[Source: Added at 14 Ok Reg 1863, eff 6-2-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 2661, eff 7-1-98; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 3202, eff 7-18-00 (emergency); Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2625, eff 7-1-01; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1364, eff 7-1-08; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 2182, eff 7-15-10]