Finding 2023-006: Foster Care Title IV-E - Subrecipient Monitoring (Significant Deficiency) Federal Programs: Foster Care - Title IV-E and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.658 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Prior Year Finding: 2022-003 Criteria: Monitor the activities of the subrecipient as necessary to ensure that the subaward is used for authorized purposes, complies with the terms and conditions of the subaward, and achieves performance goals (2 CFR sections 200.332(d) through (f)). Following-up and ensuring that the subrecipient takes timely and appropriate action on all deficiencies pertaining to the federal award provided to the subrecipient detected through audits, on-site reviews, and other means. Condition/Context: For two of the four providers monitored during the program’s fiscal year, the County Child and Youth Services department’s results and findings were communicated to the providers at the conclusion of the review procedures, however providers did not submit a written corrective action plan. For one of the providers monitored, results of monitoring could not be located of review. Cause: Providers on-site monitoring was completed and the results were communicated to the providers in writing. Notice that a corrective action plan was needed in response was not given to two of the providers. Effect: Lack of written corrective action plan limits the County Child and Youth Services department’s ability to monitor that the providers takes timely and appropriate action to address deficiencies pertaining to the federal award. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: Providers that receive findings as a result of their on-site monitoring should submit a corrective action plan to the County. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The County Child and Youth Services department started requiring a corrective action plan for all subrecipients with findings as a result of their on-site monitoring in 2023 that include the entity’s plan to correct the errors noted, individual responsible and timeline for corrections to be implemented. Finding noted are for monitoring completed in January and March 2023, prior to the requirement of written corrective action plans being implemented.
Finding 2023-002: Block Grant - Reporting (Material Weakness) Federal Programs: Social Services Block Grant, Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.667 and 93.958 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Repeat Finding: 2022-008 Criteria: The county program is responsible for the submission of various annual reports, as detailed in the Annual Instructions for the Income and Expenditure Report. Funds not expended at the end of the fiscal year shall be considered unexpended funds (carryover) available for consideration by PA DHS in the computation of the next fiscal year’s payment (Pa. Code Title 55, Chapter 4300, Section 4300.151). Condition/Context: The block grant reporting re-submission for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022 was not completed as of the year ended December 31, 2023. The block grant reporting submission for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 was not completed as of the year ended December 31, 2023. The block grant report of income and expenditures for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2023 did not agree with the underlying accounting records and required post-closing adjustments and reconciliation. The retained earnings plan of up to 5% of the PA DHS block grant allocation was not completed for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2023 as of December 31, 2023. Cause: Block grant reporting was not completed during the accounting record close process, resulting in expenditures reported in the block grant submission that were not in the accounting detail. Effect: Expenditures reported under block grant reporting are not substantiated by the underlying accounting records. Block grant expenditures were incorrectly stated. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with federal fund expenditures for this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: Block grant reports should be completed prior to the accounting record close process to ensure the expenditures reported are supported by the underlying accounting records. Controls over reporting should include records for the basis of reporting submissions should be reviewed as part of the report approval process prior to submission. Supporting documentation and reconciliations should be filed for reference purposes. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The County Human Services department has requested approval from PA DHS of its 2021-2022 fiscal year re-submission in September 2024. Following approval of the 2021-2022 submission and re-investment the County Human Services department will complete the submission of the 2022-2023 fiscal year report. The County Human Services department will reconcile the underlying expenditure detail in the accounting system to the expenditures reported. Internal approvals prior to submission and underlying records for reports will be maintained by the County Human Services department.
Finding 2023-007: Block Grant – Reporting - Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) (Material Weakness) Federal Programs: Social Services Block Grant, Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.667 and 93.958 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Criteria: The county must follow specific personnel-related regulations and submit a Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) to DHS. The Bureau of Personnel reviews the PW 1171 and provides written notification to the county as to the nature and amount of any disallowances. In addition, the county is directed to disclose this information in connection with the County Single Audit (Pa. Code Title 55, Chapter 4300, Sections 4300.42 through 4300.44; Annual Instructions for the Income and Expenditures Report). Condition/Context: The Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) for Mental Health programs was not submitted for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. Cause: Turnover in personnel resulted in the Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) not being completed. Effect: The Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) was not submitted in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services requirements. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with federal fund expenditures for this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) be submitted for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. A fiscal officer for the County Human Services department should prepare the roster annually, reconciling the actual wages to the approved rates based on the fiscal reporting requirements. Reconciliation should be reviewed by the County Human Services department chief financial officer and submitted annually. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The County Human Services department will complete the Roster of Personnel (PW 1171) be submitted for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 by December 2024 and review the processes and controls to ensure the rosters is completed annually.
Finding 2023-008: Block Grant - Special Tests and Provisions - County Negotiated Fees (Material Weakness) Federal Programs: Social Services Block Grant, Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.667 and 93.958 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Criteria: The allowable cost standards in Pa. Code Title 55, Chapter § 4300.82-4300.108 shall be used by counties/joinders for negotiating rates for unit of service contracts. The Department will not participate in the portion of a rate which contains disallowed costs or exceeds maximum levels of reimbursement established by the Department. Departmental participation in payments based on negotiated rates shall be adjusted for reported or audited actual costs, or both, and compliance with Pa. Code Title 55, Chapter § 4300.82 – 4300.108 and § 4300.158 (relating to revenue). The allowances provided under § 4300.87 (relating to occupancy) and § 4300.108 (relating to retained revenue). Audits shall be conducted under § 4300.161. (See Pa. Code Title 55, Chapter 4300, Section 4300.116 for more detail). Condition/Context: Reconciliation of service providers negotiated rates to reported or audited actual costs has not been completed for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. Cause: Turnover in personnel resulted in controls over service provider costs reports being reconciled to actual costs and reconciling payments being made were not operating. Effect: Errors in the service provider payments would not be detected on a timely basis. Additional discretionary eligible costs incurred under the Mental Health program by the providers were not reimbursed. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with federal fund expenditures for this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: Reconciliation of the services providers to the cost reports in order to check service provider occupancy and payments to date should be completed annually. Additional eligible costs requested be the service provider should be reviewed and approved by the County Human Services department chief financial officer. Service providers payments to date should be agreed to the accounting system to ensure consistent records are maintained. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The County Human Services department noted that the service providers were paid at their negotiated rates agreed upon by contract terms, however no reconciliation was completed for the remainder eligible cost adjustments to the service providers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The County Human Services department will complete the reconciliation of the service providers costs reports for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024 before March 2025.
Finding 2023-003: Child Support Enforcement - PACSES OCSE 157 Data Reliability Validation - Special Tests and Provisions Federal Programs: Child Support Enforcement Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.563 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Repeat Finding: 2022-004 Criteria: Pennsylvania is required to ensure the data posted to the Pennsylvania Child Support Enforcement System (PACSES) is complete and reliable. Complete data means that all reporting elements from the federal Office of CSE reporting forms necessary to compute Pennsylvania’s performance levels, incentive base amount, and maximum incentive base amount have been provided within the time frames established in the instructions to these forms. Reliable data means the most recent data available found by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is to be reliable. Additionally, reliable data is a state that exists when data is sufficiently complete and error free to be convincing for their purpose and contest. State data must meet a 95% standard of reliability beginning in FFY 2001 (45 CFR 305.1(h) (j) and 305.32(f)). Condition/Context: Procedures performed in accordance with PACSES OCSE 157 Data Reliability Validation instructions on the PACSES case sample universe resulted in an error in one of the five tested for children in IV-D cases open at the year end 9/30/2023 who were born out of wedlock (Line #5) in which the child birth date was entered incorrectly. Cause: Turnover in the County Domestic Relations department resulted in vacancies in positions and delays in records being processed. This resulted in an incomplete record for the selection tested. Effect: Data reliability is important in enforcement of child support orders. The County is not in compliance with certain requirements of the PADHS Single Audit Supplement. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The County Domestic Relations department communicate the requirements regarding file documentation and record management to the department staff. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: This finding occurred as a result of a data entry error in the file. The Domestic Relations Department provided semi-annual training to the Intake Unit staff in Case Initiation, record retention, time frame for conversion of applications/petitions to case files and file documentation beginning in November 2023.
Finding 2023-004: Child Support Enforcement - Eligibility (Material Weakness) Federal Programs: Child Support Enforcement Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.563 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Repeat Finding: 2022-005 Criteria: The custodial parent, guardian, or caretaker of a minor child(ren) is eligible to apply for Title IV-D CSE services on behalf of a minor child(ren) necessary to establish paternity and obtain financial and medical support from the noncustodial parent. The applications/petitions are to be established as a case file (for processing purposes) within 20 days of receipt by the County Domestic Relations Section, and ensure mandated child support enforcement services are provided timely. Condition/Context: For twenty seven of the forty applications/petitions tested files were not established as a case file within 20 days. Cause: Turnover in the County Domestic Relations department resulted in vacancies in positions and delays in records being processed. Effect: Applications/petitions not being converted to a case file timely results in delays child support enforcement services. The County is not in compliance with certain requirements of the PADHS Single Audit Supplement. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The County Domestic Relations department will communicate the requirements regarding the required time frame for conversion of applications/petitions to a case file to the department staff. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Turnover and vacancies in positions resulting in applications and petitions not being completed within 20 days of receipt. The Domestic Relations Department filled vacant positions through 2023. In response to the prior year finding, the Domestic Relations Department provided semi-annual training to the Intake Unit staff in Case Initiation, record retention, time frame for conversion of applications/petitions to case files and file documentation beginning in November 2023.
Finding 2023-005: Child Support Enforcement – Location of Absent Parents - Special Tests and Provisions (Significant Deficiency) Federal Programs: Child Support Enforcement Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Entity: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services ALN Number: 93.563 Federal Award Year: December 31, 2023 Criteria: For all cases referred to the IV-D agency (DRS), or in applying for services, the DRS must attempt to locate all absent parents, sources of income, and/or assets when their location is unknown. The DRS is expected to maintain a working relationship with locate resources to ensure optimum and efficient use. All appropriate locate resources must be used within 75 calendar days of determining that location is necessary, or the date the DRS gets new information that permits the use of one or more of the locate resources (45 CFR 303.3(b)). Condition/Context: For one of the forty accounts where attempts to locate all absent parents, sources of income, and/or assets action to contact delinquent parents was not completed within 75 days. Cause: Turnover in the County Domestic Relations department resulted in vacancies in positions and delays in records. This resulted in an incomplete record for the selection tested. Effect: Record of action to contact absent parents was not complete and/or indicated that contact was not attempted timely. The County is not in compliance with certain requirements of the PADHS Single Audit Supplement. Questioned Costs: There are no questioned costs associated with this finding. This is not a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: The County Domestic Relations department communicate the requirements regarding file documentation and record management and requirements regarding time frame for action to contact late payors to the department staff. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: This finding occurred as a result of staff shortages, new employees and increased caseloads. The Domestic Relations Department filled vacant positions through 2023. The Domestic Relations Department provided semi-annual training to the Intake Unit staff in Case Initiation, record retention, time frame for conversion of applications/ petitions to case files and file documentation beginning in November 2023.