Finding 505470 (2024-007)

Information on the Federal Program: Federal Agency: United States Department of Veteran Affairs Program Name: SSVF CFDA: 64.033 Federal Award Identification Number: 14-MA-209 Federal Award Year: 2024 Specific Requirement: In accordance with the SSVF Program Guide dated December 2020, an organization must maintain adequate eligibility documentation. Grantees must implement policies and procedures that ensure appropriate documentation is obtained and is included in each participant’s file. Condition Found: During our testing of participant eligibility, we noted the following: 1. Documented approval by either the Program Coordinator or the Case Manager was missing for documentation related to 6 participant files out of the 37 selected for testing. 2. 90-day eligibility recertifications were not performed or not documented appropriately for 10 participants out of the 37 requiring recertification. Context: We sampled 37 participants out of 239 total participants, using a nonstatistical sample, who were provided support from the Organization’s SSVF program. Questioned Costs: N/A Cause and Effect: The Organization is aware of the eligibility requirements under the SSVF program and the importance of retaining all of the required documentation set forth in the SSVF Program Guide. Under the terms of the SSVF grant, grantees with insufficient case file documentation may be found out of compliance with SSVF Program regulations. The Organization also is at risk for providing services to ineligible participants. Identification as a Repeat Finding, if Applicable: A repeat finding; See finding 2023-007, 2022-007, 2021-008, 2020-010 and 2019-011 Recommendation: We recommend the Organization implement a system of controls that would properly document the eligibility requirements of participants under the SSVF program and compliance with the eligibility requirements set forth under the SSVF program. Participants’ documented eligibility should be properly reviewed, evidenced by appropriate supervisor signatures. All eligibility forms, recertification forms and other required forms should be maintained in a file for each participant. Views of a Responsible Official and Corrective Action Plan: Management agrees with the finding and the recommendation. See Corrective Action Plan attached.