Joshua Allen Online

Hey, wait, we have a new complaint: Trinity Youth Services

The Business of Child Abuse

By Joshua Allen

Trinity Youth Services, is the latest agency flirting with disgrace.  In the latest fiscal review, Auditor-Controller Wendy Watanabe noted, “…significant issues,” and ominously, she recommended a reevaluation of the need for the county to, “…continue doing business with Trinity.”

The Controllers report can be found here. here.

A summary of the fiscal audit noted almost $500,000 in unallowable costs.  The breakdown includes, credit card and loan interest charges, Internal Revenue Service penalties, almost $90k in bank overdraft fees, and even parking tickets.  It is good to know our foster care dollars are being spent so wisely.

“Trinity had loaned approximately $2.3 million in LA County foster care funds to three organizations affiliated with the agency.”.. about $1.6 million has been paid back, but “… the comingling of foster care funds, indicate that Trinity was not managing foster care funds appropriately.”  Said Ms. Watanabe.

In an interview with the Daily News, CEO John Neiuber is quoted;

“During the period in question, program audits were conducted but no findings were issued that call into question a lack of services, nor the quality of services, provided by Trinity.”  “The issues contained in the original audit are procedural and accounting issues that we’ve addressed and taken care of.”

Uh, so no children were tortured or killed.  Move along, nothing to see here…

CEO Neiuber gallantly noted, “Those are all mistakes that were made in the past by the previous administration.”  

As of June 30, 2011, Trinity still owed $2.4 million in delinquent payroll taxes, penalties and interest, and the county wonders how they are going to pay it back, and do so, without compromising the care of the children.

It is amazing that Daily News reporter Christina Villacorte, managed to get the CEO to say anything.   Cheers!

The CEO scoffed all this stuff was 4 years ago, and that things have been fixed.  Said Neiuber; “All these tax liabilities have been removed, and loans have been repaid.”

Well, except for anywhere between $100,000 to $500,000, but who’s counting.

These guys misallocated hundreds of thousands, went millions into debt, but don’t worry, it’s all good.  And don’t stress about that kid who didn’t get a decent Christmas gift, or extra services, that was ages ago, it’s fine and dandy now.

The controllers report begs the question, how was this state of irresponsibility, misuse of taxpayer dollars, and utter incompetence, allowed to continue for so long, and with so much money? Exactly what type of oversite was there?  And who is responsible?

What has happened to those kindly folks from the “old administration?”  What about the old CEO’s company car?  You know, the $67k Lexus LS 430?  Just saying…

It would be interesting to know what other gifts these individuals are bestowing to the taxpayer, as well as to those decent folks, who were kind enough to donate monies to help abused and neglected children?  It is hard to believe charity givers had delinquent payroll taxes, bank overdraft charges, and other assorted unallowable costs in mind, when they donated money to a genuinely worthy cause.

Because as usual, this is another example of the public trust, and specifically, foster children, being once again violated.

Joshua Allen