Cornerstones acknowledges that our files were incomplete. It is our position that the COVID-19 pandemic created immense need to which Cornerstones responded by expanding rapidly and mobilizing funding and program requests that did not receive the benefit of comprehensive planning; the focus was on h...
Cornerstones acknowledges that our files were incomplete. It is our position that the COVID-19 pandemic created immense need to which Cornerstones responded by expanding rapidly and mobilizing funding and program requests that did not receive the benefit of comprehensive planning; the focus was on health prevention, isolation and quarantine activities, and temporary shelter for homeless and other low-income, vulnerable seniors and disabled persons. We served those in need and our intake processes and recordkeeping did not keep pace. Additionally, given the time that has passed since the services in question, it is possible that records that did exist were misplaced. Staff turnover, resulting from the pandemic burden, made it challenging to go back to the work that had been done. In the time since these events Cornerstones has further emphasized the compliance and documentation needs of the case management process, and we have filled turned-over positions with experienced staff that also understand intake and documentation requirements. We have also hired a Senior Director, Finance with over 20 years of federal contracts experience that is an integral part of increased program compliance and operational oversight responsibilities within the Finance/Operations function. This Senior Director and Cornerstones’ Chief Financial & Operating Officer, Executive Vice President of Housing and Community Programs, and other program leaders and staff, will all work together to ensure that the file construction process is complete and timely for all participants. Due to timing of receiving this finding, remediation processes began in fiscal year 2024 and will be applied fully to the fiscal year 2025, beginning 7/1/2024, files.