Finding 1191631 (2025-003)

2025-003 Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance and Noncompliance – Eligibility Name of Federal agency U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Identification of Assistance Listing number and title: 64.055 Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Federal award identification number and year: AK-SSG-1461-22 Criteria or specific requirement: Per §201(q)(4) of Hannon Act, an eligible individual is a person at risk of suicide who is one of the following: (1) A Veteran as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101, (2) an individual described in 38 U.S.C. 1720I(b), or (3) an individual described in 38 U.S.C. 1712A(a)(1)(C)(i) through (iv). See Section III. Participant Eligibility for details on how Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program grantees determine participant eligibility. Condition: To ensure services are provided only to eligible individuals, the Association uses a review checklist outlining the program’s eligibility requirements. We noted that the Association did not retain documentation of this completed checklist. Cause: The controls in place were not operating effectively to ensure eligibility requirements were met or that documentation of eligibility was retained. Effect or potential effect: The Association is out of compliance with the program eligibility requirements. Questioned Costs: None Context: For this program, a sample of eight individuals who participated was tested for compliance with eligibility requirements. Of the eight individuals tested, six did not have documentation retained to support that eligibility requirements were met. Additionally, six did not have documentation demonstrating the use of the eligibility checklist implemented by the Association. The Association was unable to provide any eligibility documentation for two of the sampled individuals. Identification of Repeat Finding: Not applicable. Recommendations: We recommend that, as part of the Association’s internal control structure over compliance with Uniform Guidance, the eligibility checklist be reviewed by more than one individual to verify that all eligibility requirements are met before an individual is approved to participate in the program. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and has set up a corrective action plan. Refer to Corrective Action Plan.