Finding 1237655 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-28
Audit: 412569
Organization: Watonwan County (MN)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Overstated expenses of $28,734 were found in quarterly reports submitted to the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls over compliance with federal regulations were inadequate, risking improper oversight and funding discrepancies.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement stronger controls for accurate reporting and correct previously submitted reports to align with federal guidelines.

Finding Text

2025-001 Reporting Prior Year Finding Number: 2024-004 Year of Finding Origination: 2024 Type of Finding: Internal Control Over Compliance and Compliance Severity of Deficiency: Significant Deficiency and Other Matter Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Program: 93.778 Grants to States for Medicaid Award Number and Year: 2505MN5ADM; 2025 Pass-Through Agency: Minnesota Department of Human Services Criteria: Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations § 200.303 states that the auditee must establish, document, and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the auditee is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Administrative program costs are submitted to the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) on a quarterly basis through the Local Collaborative Time Study Cost Schedule Report (DHS-3220) for the Grants to States for Medicaid program. DHS provides reporting instructions, including information regarding eligible and ineligible costs. Condition: Allocated expenses in the sampled second and fourth quarter DHS-3220 reports were overstated by $28,734. Questioned Costs: $28,734; known questioned costs were determined based on the exceptions noted in the DHS-3220 reports tested. Context: DHS relies on accurate identification and reporting of program costs to ensure grant funds paid to the County are for allowable federal program activities and costs and provide detailed information necessary for maintaining proper oversight over federal programs. Total Grants to States for Medicaid expenditures reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA) are $708,993. The reporting population consisted of four quarterly DHS-3220 reports. The sample was two quarterly DHS-3220 reports. The sample sizes were based on the guidance from Chapter 11 of the AICPA Audit Guide, Government Auditing Standards and Single Audits. Effect: Errors in the identification and reporting of costs on the quarterly reports can impair DHS’ ability to provide required oversight over federal programs and result in the County receiving either more or less federal funds than justified based on the actual underlying activity. Cause: The County’s controls over the preparation and review of quarterly reports were not sufficient to identify these errors. Recommendation: We recommend the County implement controls to ensure activities are appropriately identified and accurately reported to DHS in accordance with federal program guidance and DHS instructions. We also recommend the County correct and resubmit reports submitted with costs allocated incorrectly. View of Responsible Official: Acknowledge

Corrective Action Plan

Finding Number: 2025-001 Finding Title: Reporting Program: 93.778 Grants to States for Medicaid Name of Contact Person Responsible for Corrective Action: Erin Sandbo - Support Services and Accounting Supervisor (Human Services) Corrective Action Planned: The cause of the errors resulted from two issues within the County's cost allocation and the County's Local Collaborative Time Study breakout process. First, the Public Health cost allocation was inadvertently entered using a "dup" (duplicate) key on the keyboard that was also being used for the Income Maintenance cost allocation. As a result, the same account code was used for two separate program allocations. This caused the allocation calculation to be carried forward incorrectly and resulted in Q1-2025 amount not being appropriately included in each subsequent quarterly calculation. The error ultimately affected the accuracy of the annual allocation reporting. Second, an adjustment was made to the County's "LCTS Breakout" spreadsheet that is used quarterly to calculate the line entries on the LCTS Cost Schedule. Following this spreadsheet adjustment, only a portion of the salary and fringe associated with the CHS Supervisor was deducted from the allocation amount. The entire salary and fringe amount should have been deducted. This resulted in an additional error in the allocation calculation and contributed to the overstatement of reported expenses. The County reviewed the affected DHS-3220 reports and corrected and resubmitted them to DHS on September 1, 2026. In addition, the County has reviewed the allocation process and will ensure that: • The appropriate account number/code is used for each program allocation. • Allocation calculations are accurate and consistent from quarter to quarter. • Compare the IFS User Selected Budget Report to the IFS Account Activity Report to verify that the allocation amounts are accurate and recorded in the appropriate program area. The County has revised and strengthened the "LCTS Breakout" spreadsheet developed by the Fiscal Officer. The revised spreadsheet is designed to provide greater assurance that salary and fringe amounts are accurately reflected and appropriately deducted. The Supervisor will continue to review and sign off on quarterly reports to provide a secondary level of verification to ensure that costs are allowed, properly allocated, and accurately reported. Anticipated Completion Date: The County has corrected and resubmitted the 2025 DHS-3220 reports to OHS as of September 1, 2026.

Categories

Reporting Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.557 WIC SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN $158,643
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $113,990
20.509 FORMULA GRANTS FOR RURAL AREAS AND TRIBAL TRANSIT PROGRAM $80,244
93.658 FOSTER CARE TITLE IV-E $70,233
10.561 STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MATCHING GRANTS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $34,974
93.069 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS $27,535
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $21,428
93.994 MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK GRANT TO THE STATES $17,949
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $16,680
93.667 SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT $16,003
93.563 CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES $14,386
93.268 COVID-19 - IMMUNIZATION COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS $13,361
93.967 CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION COLLABORATION WITH ACADEMIA TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH $11,125
20.608 MINIMUM PENALTIES FOR REPEAT OFFENDERS FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED $7,133
93.778 GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID $4,798
93.674 JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD $4,690
93.575 CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT $3,108
93.645 STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PROGRAM $3,047
93.472 TITLE IV-E PREVENTION PROGRAM $2,749
93.590 COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION GRANTS $2,460
93.556 MARYLEE ALLEN PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES PROGRAM $2,036
93.566 REFUGEE AND ENTRANT ASSISTANCE STATE/REPLACEMENT DESIGNEE ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS $661
93.767 CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM $84