Finding Number: 2024-007 Finding Name: Failure to Follow Established Program Subrecipient Monitoring Procedures Finding Condition(s): The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) did not follow its established program monitoring policies and procedures for subrecipients of the Temporary Assistan...
Finding Number: 2024-007 Finding Name: Failure to Follow Established Program Subrecipient Monitoring Procedures Finding Condition(s): The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) did not follow its established program monitoring policies and procedures for subrecipients of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Development Fund Cluster (CCDF), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse (SAPT) programs. Further, the auditors noted that the IDHS did not have adequate policies or procedures to ensure fiscal and administrative reviews were completed timely to detect potential non-compliance. Name of Contact Person(s): • Kasey Reagan, Interim Director – Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Community Services (FCS) • Christina Miller, Fund Disbursement Manager – Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (IDHS-SAPT-Program) • Maureen Bilek, Audit Compliance and Programmatic Monitoring Administrator – Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood (DEC) • Brian Bond, Director – Illinois Department of Human Services, Office of Contract Administration (OCA) Corrective Action(s): The IDHS has completed or will take the following actions within four of its divisions/offices: Division of Family and Community Services (FCS) The FCS (1) has worked to identify the late subrecipient monitoring reviews and created a plan to address the backlog, (2) will utilize the plan to eliminate the back log of subrecipient monitoring reviews, (3) will meet with staff to reinforce the importance of adhering to the agreed upon monitoring processes and timeframes, (4) will update and circulate to staff the revised monitoring standard operating procedure, and (5) will review staff adherence to monitoring SOP timeframes during weekly meetings with staff who conduct monitoring. Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (IDHS-SAPT PROGRAM) The IDHS-SAPT PROGRAM will (1) hire an administrative assistant to assist with compliance monitoring tracking activities to maintain communication about important deadlines, (2) hire compliance monitors to engage in conducting compliance reviews, (3) meet weekly to track monitoring activities to ensure deadlines are met, (4) review policy and procedures to assess timelines associated with the monitoring process, and (5) train all monitors to use the updated tool, templates and updated policies and procedures and the new electronic system. Division of Early Childhood (DEC) The DEC will (1) develop and implement a standardized deadline tracking tool to monitor review completion dates and required subrecipient notifications, including documented supervisory review and management oversight to ensure timeliness, (2) establish and implement internal Corrective Action Plan (CAP) procedures that outline standardized processes for CAP tracking, documentation, and escalation efforts and define protocols when subrecipients fail to submit required CAPs within established timeframes, (3) initiate and implement a CAP tracking tool to monitor review dates, findings issuance, subrecipient notification dates, CAP receipt, and implementation follow-up activities, with documented management oversight and approval to ensure timeliness, accountability, and consistent monitoring, and (4) conduct formal staff training on procedures for accurately completing and maintaining the CAP tracking tool, including documentation standards, required data elements, and supervisory review expectations to ensure consistent and compliant use. Office of Contract Administration (OCA) The OCA (1) has formally briefed leadership and management the issues noted in the finding and initiated a cross-division review of current subrecipient monitoring execution to identify gaps, inconsistencies, and needed revisions, (2) will complete a structured validation of monitoring expectations to ensure programmatic on-site reviews and expenditure/performance report reviews are occurring at the required frequency and depth, consistent with pass-through monitoring responsibilities, (3) will review minimum documentation standards and supervisory quality control checkpoints for review workpapers, expenditure/performance report review evidence, and monitoring report issuance, to strengthen internal controls over compliance, (4) will standardize and revise the data tracking definitions to ensure program findings from subrecipient monitoring are issued, tracked, and followed through to corrective action completion, including defined escalation steps when responses are delinquent or incomplete, (5) will align enforcement actions with the Statewide Grantee Compliance Enforcement System (GCES) framework (e.g., stop-payment status triggers, notices, objection windows, and resolution and closure steps), and ensure staff understand how and when to apply GCES in response to unresolved monitoring deficiencies, (6) finalize recommendations to streamline Fiscal Administrative Review (FAR) production triggers (pre-draft and post-draft), clarify program engagement in special condition processing post-FAR, and reduce reliance on informal technical assistance in CAP in favor of documented compliance correction and closure, (7) revised procedures and controls will be implemented for FARs scheduled on/after August 1, 2026 (target), with interim guidance applied as feasible to active cases prior to that date, and (8) will conduct structured database integrity review and update process aligned with official guidance and source documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability of all FAR database records. Proposed Completion Date: December 31, 2026