Finding Text
2023-002 Significant Deficiency
Grantor U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Federal Assistance Listing Number 93.788
Federal Program Name Opioid STR
Pass-Through Entity State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Award Number 23MHA1041-1
Compliance Requirements Reporting Requirements
Type of Finding Significant Deficiency
Criteria The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS)
requires monthly reporting on mini-grant performance by the 10th of each
month and naloxone training and kit distribution by the 8th of each month.
Condition Of the required 12 monthly reports on mini-grant performance, filed
between January 2023 and December 2023, two reports were filed late by
two days. Of the required 12 monthly reports on naloxone training and kit distribution,
filed between January 2023 and December 2023, four reports were filed
late between one and four days.
Cause RYASAP was not able to finalize the information needed for the required
monthly reports in time to meet the filing deadlines.
Effect or Potential Effect Late reporting to DMHAS.
Questioned Costs None.
Context Out of 24 required monthly reports due between January 2023 and
December 2023, six reports were filed late between one and four days of
the required due dates.
Recommendation We recommend that RYASAP focus on the dates that required reports are
due to the grantor and make every possible effort to file the required
reports within the due dates.
Views of Responsible Official and Planned Corrective Actions RYASAP concurs with the above finding.
Corrective Action:
Effective January 2025, RYASAP has transferred all accounting and
finance responsibilities to an in-house finance/accounting department. The
process of transitioning to this model commenced in October 2023 with the
hiring of a Vice President of Finance (a CFO equivalent) who reviewed the
current accounting/finance reporting model. Shortly thereafter, based on
the VP of Finance’s recommendation, a Controller was hired (March 2024).
Later in the year, an additional Staff Accountant was hired (December
2024). Transitioning of financial report preparation began in very early
2024 with almost all reporting being transitioned for the March 31, 2024
reporting period. As a result of this transition, reporting is handled by a
central group with consistent reporting processes and procedures as well
as improved internal notification tools, including a Grant Cover Sheet in
which the program directors, the Director of Development, and the
finance/accounting team review at or prior to contract receipt and a Grant
Cover Sheet Budgets Report which helps the Finance/Accounting team
track and manage financial reporting.
See RYASAP’s Corrective Action Plan for further responses to the above finding.