Finding 503068 (2022-003)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2024-10-17
Audit: 325040
Organization: Hope Toledo Services (OH)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There are significant deficiencies in internal controls over compliance, particularly in record retention for provider payments and payroll.
  • Impacted Requirements: The organization failed to implement necessary controls to ensure accurate calculations of provider payments and payroll, leading to potential overpayments.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should prioritize recruiting qualified staff for the finance department to establish formal policies and procedures for compliance and record retention.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Treasury Federal Program Name: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Assistance Listing Number: 21.027 Award Period: July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance with respect to record retention Specific requirement-criteria: The Organization is required to provide support that internal controls over compliance are in place. Condition: Internal controls over compliance of allowable costs were not in place to support that the organization had implemented controls to prevent, detect, or correct errors in calculating provider payments or payroll that were allocated to the federal program. Questioned costs: None Context: Provider Payments Providers payments calculations are not reviewed for errors by a separate individual. In a sample of 20, the amount used in the calculation for 7 providers was higher than the maximum award amount per the provider agreement. A copy of the signed provider agreement was not consistently retained by the Organization. In a sample of 20, 1 attendance sheet did not support the attendance number used in the provider payment calculation. The lack of controls over the calculation resulted in an overpayment to the provider of less than $1,000. Payroll In a sample of 2, there was no record of timesheet approval by a supervisor or of the overall approval of the associated payroll register. There was no record of the approved pay rate for 1 of the 2 items selected. Cause: The Organization is in the startup phases and the Uniform Grant Requirements are new as 2022 was the first year federal funding was received. Formal policies and procedures over record retention were not yet in place when getting the Organization's operations started. Effect or potential effect: The amounts paid to providers, employees, or vendors could be improperly calculated resulting in an error in the funds covered under the federal grant. Repeat finding: No Recommendation: We recommend that management continue to recruit for staff to fill the needed positions in the finance department as they continue to grow. Management response: We agreed with the above comment and are actively recruiting for positions in the finance department.

Corrective Action Plan

Other- Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance with respect to record retention Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds – Assistance Listing No. 21.027 Recommendation: We recommend that management continue to recruit for staff to fill the needed positions in the finance department as they continue to grow. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action planned in response to finding: The Organization is actively seeking to hire additional staffing for the finance department. It has currently been operated on a parttime basis and our growth has exceeded that capacity. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: John C. Jones, President and CEO Planned completion date for corrective action plan: December 31, 2024 If the U.S. Department of Treasury has questions regarding this plan, please call John C. Jones at 419- 720-4281.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles HUD Housing Programs Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 503066 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 503067 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079508 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079509 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1079510 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $613,591
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $49,041