Finding 502576 (2023-006)

Material Weakness
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-10-12
Audit: 324580
Organization: Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare (WA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a material weakness in internal controls over compliance related to payroll costs for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.
  • Impacted Requirements: Proper tracking of time and effort is necessary to ensure payroll costs are accurately charged to the correct grants.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a unique project code for the SABG program to accurately track and allocate time spent on the program.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Name: Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG) Assistance Listing Number: 93.959 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: K6103.01 – 2023, 1009592.16 - 2023 Pass-Through Agency: Washington State Health Care Authority; Beacon Health Options, Inc. Pass-Through Number(s): K6103.01 and 1009592.16 Award Period: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023 Type of Finding: Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance – Allowable Costs and Activities; Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Proper internal controls over time and effort are to be in place in order to enusre payroll costs are properly charged to grants. Condition: Time sheets did not indicate the project/grant the employee worked on for the pay period to support allocation to the grant. For July 2022 through January 2023 payroll costs were charged 100% to either ALN 93.959 or ALN 93.788 and were not allocated based on the employee's time spent working in the programs. For February 2023 through June 2023 payroll costs were allocated to the grants based on the amount of expenses paid on behalf of program participants during the month for items such as rent, groceries, utilities, etc. Questioned costs: None. Context: For the payroll transactions selected for testing, all eight of the SABG payroll transactions were not supported by time and effort records. Time and effort was not properly tracked during the audit period between the SABG and SOR program, however, based on the effort expended providing services to program participants, costs meet the allowable costs and activities requirements. Cause: Time and effort between the SOR and SABG programs was not tracked during the audit period to accurately allocate time between the programs. Effect: Payroll costs were not charged to the program based on time and effort. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend time spent on the SABG program be coded to a unique project code in order to ensure time and effort is properly identified and tracked for the program. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding

Corrective Action Plan

Action taken in response to finding: OBHC implemented new payroll software in March 2023. During FY24, staff were trained to directly allocate their time to programs in their electronic timecard. Effective Feb 2024, time and effort reporting was used to allocate salaries to the SABG program. Additionally, the OBHC team is currently working with the HCA in restructuring the rate schedule to incorporate the payroll costs into the direct service rates for the SOR/SABG grants. This effectively removes this issue going forward in FY25 once approved by the HCA. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Patty Brandt Planned completion date for corrective action plan: Feb 2024 & Sep 2024

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 502571 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 502572 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502573 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502574 2023-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502575 2023-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502577 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502578 2023-008
    Material Weakness
  • 502579 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502580 2023-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502581 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502582 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502583 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 502584 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502585 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 502586 2023-008
    Material Weakness
  • 1079013 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1079014 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079015 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079016 2023-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079017 2023-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079018 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 1079019 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079020 2023-008
    Material Weakness
  • 1079021 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079022 2023-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079023 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079024 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079025 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 1079026 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079027 2023-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079028 2023-008
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.788 Opioid Str $407,550
93.498 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (arp) Rural Distribution $130,992
14.267 Continuum of Care Program $75,071
93.665 Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Substance Use Disorders During Covid-19 $60,429
93.958 Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services $42,000
93.959 Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse $36,000