State Auditor Lydia York

10/16/2026

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10/14/2026

Today the State Auditor's Office (AOA) issued a Special Report on the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families (DSCYF).

This engagement examined allegations received through the AOA Fraud Hotline that the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families (DSCYF) that due to a lack of other suitable options, youth under the care of DSCYF’s Division of Family Services (DFS) are sometimes required to sleep in DFS office space under poor conditions. Additionally, the complaint alleged that DSCYF regularly placed juveniles in out-of-state facilities at a high cost to the State.

AOA performed an evaluation in response to the allegations to evaluate the following for youth in DFS custody:

- The cost and process for sending youths to out-of-state facilities during the fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025
- The causes and risks of youth in-office stays
- The availability of other DSCYF facilities to house the youths

The report found systemic challenges facing DSCYF's ability to place youths in foster families and in-state facilities, rising costs for placements in out-of-state facilities, and some youth stays in office space without suitable accommodations. Auditors also found that DSCYF is working to address these issues internally and with new facilities, but often with limited resources. The report made recommendations to create formal policies and procedures for youth care, strengthen oversight, and improve facilities housing youth.

Read the full report on the State Auditor's website: https://auditor.delaware.gov/2026/10/14/delaware-dscyf-youth-care-and-placement/

10/14/2026

NEWS: State Auditor Reviews In-Office Stays, Out-of-State Placements for Youth under State Care in Special Report

“This report shows that Delaware has more work to do to build a holistic system that addresses all of the needs of youth in State care,” said State Auditor York. “Our State relies on dedicated civil servants to advocate for each individual child in a challenging environment without enough foster families or in-State beds. As a result, our government spends millions to place children outside of Delaware, and some children sleep in State offices, often without showers or other necessary facilities.

“These are nationwide issues that DSCYF is working hard to address with limited resources. I thank them for their cooperation with auditors for this engagement and commend them for their commitment to caring for these youth. I hope this report serves as the beginning of a larger conversation about how our State can better serve youth in our care, and how we must think bigger about long-term solutions.”

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10/12/2026

Today, in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the culture, history, and impact of indigenous people in Delaware and across our country. We celebrate your strength, resilience, and continuing contributions to our State.

10/05/2026

Why does almost every audit report or audit finding from the State Auditor's Office reference "internal controls?" That's because internal controls are the policies, procedures, and practices that government agencies must enact to ensure efficiency and effectiveness and prevent fraud. When the State Auditor evaluates agencies and programs, the questions we ask almost always lead back to whether or not the right internal controls are in place.

Internal controls start with written policies that govern process and accountability, but they are only effective when those policies are followed and when those actions are documented. These controls can be simple: does an expenditure require secondary approval? Are bank accounts being regularly reconciled? Are all State procurement laws being followed when purchasing goods and services? However, the result of these policies being created, followed, and documented is a more efficient government and the protection of your tax dollars.

When reading a report from the State Auditor's Office, look out for our evaluation of internal controls and how it reflects on government performance. When audit findings appear and repeat, that means there is a documented deficiency in controls. When audits are clean and findings are resolved, that demonstrates progress towards a more efficient, effective, and accountable State government.

10/01/2026

This morning the Delaware State Auditor's Office sent all State Employees a survey as part of our efforts to collect information on government efficiency and effectiveness. If you received this email, we encourage you to complete the anonymous survey.

If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected] and we will make sure to get back to you.

09/30/2026

Do you have knowledge of potential waste, fraud, or abuse in State government? The Delaware State Auditor operates a confidential fraud hotline where you can report potential fraud to qualified Fraud Examiners and Auditors.

Your confidential tips help our office target risk and plan audit engagements across State government - so your tax dollars are protected.

The fraud hotline webpage is newly updated and easier to use than ever. Call 1-800-55-FRAUD (1-800-553-7283) or visit https://reportfraud.auditor.delaware.gov/

09/28/2026

Last Friday I once again joined Dace Blaskovitz on Delaware Public Media to discuss the role of the State Auditor, federal spending audit findings, volunteer fire companies, and more.

Listen in here: https://www.delawarepublic.org/show/money-politics-delaware/2026-09-26/money-and-politics-in-delaware-september-26-2026

09/24/2026

Thank you so much to the Delaware League of Local Governments for inviting me to speak about common internal control issues facing our State’s towns and municipalities. In government, we are all in this together, and establishing and keeping strong fiscal controls is the first step towards protecting taxpayer money from waste, fraud, and abuse.

I also want to thank all of our State’s dedicated municipal officials for doing the work that keeps our towns and counties going every single day.

09/22/2026

I was happy to join the Goldey-Beacom College Business & Accounting and Civics club with Sen. Laura Sturgeon for a spirited discussion about civic engagement in the legislative process, fiscal accountability in Delaware, and government accounting as a career.