Finding 1216267 (2025-010)

Assistance Listing, Federal Agency, and Program Name - 93.045/93.053, Department of Health and Human Services, Aging Cluster Federal Award Identification Number and Year - N/A Pass through Entity - Area Aging on Aging 1C Finding Type - Material weakness Repeat Finding - Yes 2024-15 Criteria - Per 2 CFR 200.303, nonfederal entities must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonfederal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Per 2 CFR 200.318(b), recipients must maintain oversight to ensure contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts. Per the “Minimum Nutrition Program Standards” issued Commission on Services to the Aging, individuals receiving certain nutrition benefits to undergo a periodic reassessment of eligibility that includes obtaining confirmation of medical necessity for certain benefit levels. Condition - The County engaged a third party contractor to perform certain eligibility reassessments, including obtaining verification of medical necessity, when required. While the County had a process in place to properly identify when reassessment was required and to follow up with the contractor about the status of reassessments, controls did not ensure the third party contractor followed through on reassessments on a timely basis. Questioned Costs - None If questioned costs are not determinable, description of why known questioned costs were undetermined or otherwise could not be reported - N/A Identification of How Questioned Costs Were Computed - N/A Context - The County is responsible for ensuring participants who receive meals are eligible under the terms of the grant. The County did not have a control over home delivered meal participants that ensured the third party contractor timely reassessed participants every six months. 3 of the 43 samples selected did not have updated assessment forms within six months of receiving meals and 17 of the 43 samples did not have updated assessment forms. Cause and Effect - The County's controls were not adequate to ensure that the third party contractor was reassessing participants every six months. The lack of controls could result in the County providing meals to ineligible participants. Recommendation - We recommend the County update its policy on the reassessment process, including actions to be taken when participants refuse to complete the reassessment or cannot be contacted. This plan should also include a schedule for actions to be taken when participants do not complete reassessment submissions timely. The County should also implement the appropriate controls to monitor the third-party contractor and ensure reassessments are being performed timely. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Action Plan - The Department of Senior Services would like to clarify that the third-party contractor is contracted through The Senior Alliance, the Area Agency on Aging for region 1 C and not Wayne County. Wayne County Senior Services will continue to monitor the third-party vendor for timely assessments and reassessments through the existing controls which include: • Providing the third-party contractor monthly lists of clients in need of assessment/reassessment • Generating monthly lists of outstanding reassessments (clients not reassessed from the monthly list) • Reminding clients of the requirement for six-month reassessments • Obtaining updated information (phone numbers, emergency contacts, etc.) twice per year • Providing updated information to third-party contractor • Documentation of communicated information regarding third-party contractor’s performance to The Senior Alliance