Finding 3497 (2022-005)

Material Weakness
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-12-06

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Financial reports for the Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services showed discrepancies between reported and actual expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Non-federal entities must have policies to ensure accurate financial reporting for federal grants.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement stronger internal controls, including independent reviews of financial reports before submission.

Finding Text

Assistance Listing Number: 93.958 Name of Federal Program: Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services Name of Federal Agency: Department of Health and Human Services Name of Pass-through Entities and Award Periods: Wisconsin Department of Health Services – October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022, April 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022, October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division – January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, and Milwaukee County Department of Health Services – January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 Criteria or Specific Requirement: Non-federal entities must establish policies and procedures to comply with financial reporting requirements for grants within the federal program. Condition: During testing of required financial reports, we noted differences in the amounts of expenses reported to grantors compared to actual expenses incurred during those periods. Cause: Sufficient internal controls for reimbursement requests have not been implemented to ensure expenses reported to grantors agrees to actual expenses incurred during the period. Effect or Potential Effect: Noncompliance with grant reporting requirements may occur. Context: A sample of 6 financial reports was selected for testing from a population of 10 financial reports. The testing found 1 financial report that reported expenses for the period incorrectly. In addition, we noted 2 grant reimbursement requests that reported expenses for the period incorrectly. Repeat Finding: No Recommendation: Additional internal controls for reimbursement requests should be implemented, including having another individual outside the process review and approve financial reports prior to submission or require detailed accounting expense transactions be included with financial reports to ensure expenses reported to grantors agree to expenses actually incurred. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and the Organization and outsourced accounting rep will meet monthly to review cost reports and correlating invoices together before approving and submitting to the funder to ensure proper expense reporting.

Corrective Action Plan

• Condition: During testing of required financial reports and invoices, we noted differences in the amounts of expenses reported to grantors compared to actual expenses incurred during those periods. • Response Response MHA relies on our accounting representative to ensure that the invoices submitted to the accountant each week are added to the appropriate GL account to ensure the cost report reflects the correct amounts being reported to the grantors match the actual expenses incurred. • Planned Corrective Action: Again, monthly meetings reviewing the cost reports and GL together will reduce mistakes like this from MHA and the Accounting Rep. moving forward. MHA and the Accounting Rep will review the expenses being submitted for reimbursement together to ensure expenses incurred match the expenses being reported to the grantor.

Categories

Cash Management Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 3488 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 3489 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 3490 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 3491 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 3492 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 3493 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 3494 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 3495 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 3496 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 3498 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 3499 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 579930 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 579931 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 579932 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 579933 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 579934 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 579935 2022-003
    Material Weakness
  • 579936 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 579937 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 579938 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 579939 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 579940 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 579941 2022-005
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $187,335
93.665 Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Substance Use Disorders During Covid-19 $146,781
93.243 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services_projects of Regional and National Significance $33,660
93.958 Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services $21,916
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $16,243
93.658 Foster Care_title IV-E $1,342
93.959 Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse $836