Finding 1240861 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-10-22
Audit: 415180
Organization: West Liberty Care Center, INC (OH)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Community failed to get HUD's approval before reducing licensed beds, violating compliance requirements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Written approval from HUD is mandatory before making changes to collateral related to HUD-insured mortgages.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Ensure adherence to the Regulatory Agreement by obtaining HUD's approval for any future bed reductions.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Federal Program Name: HUD Insured Mortgage Assistance Listing Number: 14.129 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: The Community was required to obtain written approval from HUD prior to surrendering 13 licensed beds to the State of Ohio that were collateral for the HUD-insured mortgage. Condition: The Community did not obtain HUD’s approval prior to requesting and obtaining approval from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to reduce the licensed beds from 87 to 74 for the nursing facility during April 2023. Questioned costs: None Context: Finding was identified in prior year and remains unresolved. Cause: The Community requested a bed reduction from ODH for the nursing facility to reduce monthly expenses for unoccupied licensed beds. Effect: The collateral of the mortgaged property was changed prior to HUD’s written approval and HUD has identified this as a Tier 2 flag. Repeat Finding: Yes, 2024-001 Recommendation: The Community should adhere to the Regulatory Agreement and obtain HUD’s approval prior to taking any actions specifically precluded in the Regulatory Agreement. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Management is working with HUD to obtain the necessary approval.

Corrective Action Plan

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development West Liberty Care Center, Inc. respectfully submits the following corrective action plan for the year ended December 31, 2025. Audit period: January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025 The findings from the schedule of findings and questioned costs are discussed below. The findings are numbered consistently with the numbers assigned in the schedule. FINDINGS—FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAMS AUDITS SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2025-001 Section 232 HUD Insured Mortgage Note Payable - Assistance Listing No. 14.129 Criteria or specific requirement: The Community was required to obtain written approval from HUD prior to surrendering 13 licensed beds to the State of Ohio that were collateral for the HUD-insured mortgage. Condition: The Community did not obtain HUD’s approval prior to requesting and obtaining approval from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to reduce the licensed beds from 87 to 74 for the nursing facility during April 2023. Recommendation: The Community should adhere to the Regulatory Agreement and obtain HUD’s approval prior to taking any action specifically precluded in the Regulatory Agreement. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: The Community is working with HUD to obtain the necessary approval. Amber Swords is responsible for corrective action Planned completion date for corrective action plan: December 31, 2026

Categories

HUD Housing Programs Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.129 MORTGAGE INSURANCE NURSING HOMES, INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES, BOARD AND CARE HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES $8.03M