Finding 29606 (2022-002)

-
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-29
Audit: 30614
Organization: Montgomery County Va (VA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a significant lack of segregation of duties in key financial processes, increasing the risk of fraud.
  • Impacted Requirements: Failure to verify social security numbers for all household members in SNAP applications violates federal guidelines.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement measures to separate conflicting duties and ensure all social security numbers are verified during eligibility checks.

Finding Text

FINDINGS ? FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT 2022-001: Segregation of Duties (Material Weakness) Condition: A fundamental concept of internal controls is the separation of duties. No one employee should have access to both physical assets and the related accounting records, or to all phases of a transaction. A proper segregation of duties has not been established in functions related to payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash disbursements, and financial reporting. This exposes the County and School Board to a heightened risk of misappropriation. Recommendation: Steps should be taken to eliminate performance of conflicting duties, where possible, or to implement effective compensating controls. Management?s Response: Management concurs. The County and School Board have taken all steps deemed practical and cost beneficial to minimize conflicting duties. C. FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS ? MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAMS AUDIT 2022-002: SNAP Cluster ? State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program ? ALN #10.561, Eligibility Condition: Social Services did not verify the social security number for a household member in one out of twenty five applications selected for testing which were used to determine eligibility and benefit levels. Criteria: Under the requirements in the Uniform Guidance, social security numbers for all household members are required to be verified when applying for SNAP benefits. Cause: Social Services typically verifies all social security numbers for all household members included in the application for benefits, however, one household member was overlooked during the verification process. Effect: The lack of proper social security number verification could result in improper use of Federal funds on an ineligible individual. Perspective Information: One individual was not verified on one application out of twenty-five household applications selected. Recommendation: Management should implement a procedure to ensure that social security numbers for all household members are properly verified. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action: Social Services will put into place a procedure to ensure that all social security numbers are verified during the eligibility determination process.

Corrective Action Plan

CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN March 29, 2023 Montgomery County, VA respectfully submits the following corrective action plan for the year ended June 30, 2022. Name and address of independent public accounting firm: Brown, Edwards & Company, L.L.P. 3906 Electric Road Roanoke, VA 24018 Audit period: June 30, 2022 The findings from the June 30, 2022 Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs (the ?Schedule?) are discussed below. The findings are numbered consistently with the number assigned in the Schedule. FINDINGS ? FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT 2022-001: Segregation of Duties (Material Weakness) Condition: A proper segregation of duties has not been established in functions related to payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash disbursements, and financial reporting. Criteria: A fundamental concept of internal controls is the separation of duties. No one employee should have access to both physical assets and the related accounting records, or to all phases of a transaction. Cause: The size of the County?s account staff and cost/benefit to minimize conflicting duties prohibits complete adherence to segregation of duties. Effect: A lack of segregation of duties exposes the County and School Board to a heightened risk of misappropriation. Recommendation: Steps should be taken to eliminate performance of conflicting duties, where possible, or to implement effective compensating controls. Corrective Action: The County and School Board have taken all steps deemed practical and cost beneficial to minimize conflicting duties. FINDINGS AND QUESTIONED COSTS ? MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAM AUDIT 2022-002: SNAP Cluster ? State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program ? ALN #10.561, Eligibility Compliance Requirement impacted ? Eligibility Condition: Social Services did not verify the social security number for a household member in one out of twenty five applications selected for testing which were used to determine eligibility and benefit levels. Criteria: Under the requirements in the Uniform Guidance, social security numbers for all household members are required to be verified when applying for SNAP benefits. Cause: Social Services typically verifies all social security numbers for all household members included in the application for benefits, however, one household member was overlooked during the verification process. Effect: The lack of proper social security number verification could result in improper use of on an ineligible individual. Questioned Costs: None Perspective Information: One individual was not verified on one application out of twenty-five household applications selected. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: Management should implement a procedure to ensure that social security numbers for all household members are properly verified. Corrective Action: Social Services will put into place a procedure to ensure that all social security numbers are verified during the eligibility determination process. If the Federal Audit Clearinghouse has questions regarding this plan, please call Lisa Rayne, Finance Director at (540) 382-6960 for finding 2022-001 and Kelly Edmonson, Social Services Director at (540) 382-6990 for finding 2022-002. Sincerely yours, Lisa Rayne Finance Director Kelly Edmonson Social Services Director

Categories

Eligibility Internal Control / Segregation of Duties HUD Housing Programs Material Weakness Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.010 Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies $1.60M
10.553 School Breakfast Program $1.22M
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $942,377
32.009 Emergency Connectivity Fund Program $887,165
93.659 Adoption Assistance $688,031
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $546,413
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $503,434
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $472,288
93.658 Foster Care_title IV-E $424,795
84.367 Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $357,599
14.228 Community Development Block Grants/state's Program and Non-Entitlement Grants in Hawaii $350,802
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $201,733
84.048 Career and Technical Education -- Basic Grants to States $200,344
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $157,728
10.555 National School Lunch Program $154,402
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $117,540
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $106,505
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $84,568
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $76,521
84.196 Education for Homeless Children and Youth $64,908
84.424 Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program $60,532
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part B_grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $49,393
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $43,607
93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families $41,346
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $35,786
45.310 Grants to States $35,092
84.365 English Language Acquisition State Grants $30,072
10.665 Schools and Roads - Grants to States $26,328
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $26,197
84.425 Education Stabilization Fund $25,915
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $24,643
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $18,317
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $14,757
84.173 Special Education_preschool Grants $11,738
84.013 Title I State Agency Program for Neglected and Delinquent Children and Youth $9,132
93.599 Chafee Education and Training Vouchers Program (etv) $7,557
93.472 Title IV-E Prevention and Family Services and Programs (a) $6,437
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $4,842
93.747 Elder Abuse Prevention Interventions Program $3,061
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_state Administered Programs $2,371
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $1,884
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $1,158
93.590 Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Grants $1,000
93.090 Guardianship Assistance $509