An audit of the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure over a 2 1/2 year period found no evidence that required criminal background checks had been conducted for more than 66% of licensed applicants. Sex offender record checks had not been conducted for more than 40% of applicants. The report also found that the Office of Public Safety and Inspections, overseen by DPL, did not have criminal record information on 99% of licenses issued. DPL had indicated that they'd established a central unit to handle criminal record and sex offender record checks in December 2020 before the audit. The report also urged the agency to determine which license types under the Office of Public Safety and Inspections serve vulnerable populations and should be required to undergo criminal record checks.
September 16, 2021
