FAC Explorer

Finding 235117 (2022-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-06
Audit: 255316
Organization: St. Vincent De Paul of Baltimore, Inc. (MD)
Auditor: Ellin & Tucker

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Six participants were allowed into the program without timely income eligibility verification, risking ineligible assistance.
  • Impacted Requirements: Program eligibility mandates verification of income levels and financial hardship prior to entry.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement clear procedures for participant intake, ensuring proper income verification is obtained and reviewed before program entry.

Finding Text

Condition: Income eligibility verification for six participants was dated in December 2022, which was subsequent to the participants? entry into the program. Criteria: Eligibility for the program requires participants to meet certain maximum income levels and to face possible eviction due to financial hardship resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cause: The Organization did not maintain policies and procedures to properly obtain, review, and maintain documentation of income or financial hardship for program participants. Effect: Ineligible participants could have been entered into the program and provided with rental assistance payments under the program. Context: Of 25 selected participants, our testing identified six participants whereby documentation of financial eligibility was dated subsequent to entry into the program. Questioned Cost: Not applicable. Recommendation: The Organization should establish procedures surrounding intake into the program, including, but not limited to, obtaining and reviewing appropriate income verification.

Corrective Action Plan

Views of the Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: During the pandemic, SVDP distributed Emergency Rental Assistance Program funding that was a new, specific response to the COVID pandemic. Due to significant staff turnover with the team administering these services, there was misplacement of participant income verification documentation for six cases. SVDP subsequently confirmed the income eligibility for these six participants and is therefore confident that the participants were in fact eligible for the assistance received. However, we recognize that the income eligibility documentation for these six participants could not be found at the time of the audit and as a result are undertaking quality assurance and compliance measures to ensure participant files are always fully compliant in order to prevent this type of error from occurring again. These measures include: (a) instituting a new compliance scorecard for internal chart reviews, (b) monthly peer chart reviews, (c) frequent case management supervisor chart reviews, (d) spot chart auditing by SVDP?s internal Quality Assurance Specialist, and (e) updated training for case management staff on procedures for participant case files and for the retention of forms and other documents.

Categories

Eligibility

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 811559 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.267 Continuum of Care Program $3.75M
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $1.83M
93.600 Head Start $1.76M
21.023 Emergency Rental Assistance Program $1.06M
14.276 Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program $758,765
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $651,664
10.559 Summer Food Service Program for Children $325,225
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $282,715
14.871 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers $219,543