Finding #2023-001 – Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance. Major programs: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services:, Assistance Listing #93.243, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance, Contract #5H79TI080624-03, Contract year: 09/30/2...
Finding #2023-001 – Material Weakness and Material Noncompliance. Major programs: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services:, Assistance Listing #93.243, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance, Contract #5H79TI080624-03, Contract year: 09/30/21 – 09/29/22, Contract #5H79TI080624-04, Contract year: 09/30/22 – 09/29/23, Assistance Listing #93.959, Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse, Passed through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Contract #HHS000130500019, Contract years: 09/01/21 – 08/31/22 and 09/01/22 – 08/31/23, Passed through the City of Houston Health Department, Contract #H79SP080300, Contract years: 11/01/21 – 10/31/22, 11/01/22 – 10/31/23 and 06/08/21 – 06/30/23. Other federal programs: U. S. Department of Treasury, Assistance Listing #21.027, COVID-19 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Passed through Harris County, Texas, Contract #220163, Contract year: 12/01/22 – 12/31/24, Assistance Listing #93.788, Opioid STR, Passed through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Contract #HHS000357900001, Contract years: 09/01/21 – 08/31/22 and 09/01/22 – 08/31/23, Passed through the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Contract #HHS000561800001, Contract year: 09/01/21 – 08/31/22. Condition and context: Houston Recovery Center has personnel funded by more than one grant award. The responsibilities for each position are examined and an assessment of time needed to perform each assigned task is made. The time allotment is then converted to a percentage of salary, documented on the personnel action form for each employee, and used to create the personnel section of each grant budget. Each grant is charged based on the percentages documented on the personnel action forms. In fiscal 2022, quarterly time studies were utilized to support that the budgeted estimates per the personnel action forms were reasonable and, if needed, adjustments were made in the general ledger. On July 1, 2022, Houston Recovery Center changed third-party payroll processors and the new processor did not provide the capability to charge time to more than one cost center. Therefore, while allocations are still made in the general ledger based on the percentages documented on the employee’s personnel action form, actual time worked by grant/cost center was not tracked. Additionally, a time study was not performed in the year ended June 30, 2023 to evaluate the reasonableness of time charged to the grants. Recommendation: Houston Recovery Center should establish policies and procedures to ensure that grants are charged based on actual time and effort expended. Planned corrective action: Management believes that the grants were reasonably charged in all material respects although the payroll provider was unable to allow us to use actual time and effort. Comparison of fiscal year 2022 actual time and effort with the fiscal year 2022 time studies revealed very small differences. However, Houston Recovery Center is in the process of changing to a payroll software provider where actual time can be tracked to each grant as supported by a timesheet. In addition, Houston Recovery Center is using Time Distribution Sheets (TDSs) where the employee is required to record their hours worked by grants. Training on the TDSs will be completed by November 1, 2023 for all employees on multiple awards as appropriate. TDSs will be turned in weekly and utilized until the payroll conversion is completed and is working as needed. Responsible officer: Leonard Kincaid, Executive Director. Estimated completion date: November 1, 2023.