State Auditor Doug Hoffer today announced that his office has initiated four new audits. The Auditor’s Office has completed the first three audits since Hoffer took office (State Workers Comp Program and two AOT contracts) and plans to issue two more audit reports shortly. Hoffer said, “After consulting with my Deputy Auditor and the senior staff, and reviewing preliminary risk assessments, I have selected four new audit topics.” They include the following:
· Designated Agencies: Designated agencies (DAs) are community mental health and developmental disability organizations responsible for providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities, adults with mental illness or significant behavioral health needs, and children with, or at risk of, severe emotional disturbance or behavioral health needs. DAs are designated by the Commissioner of Mental Health and Commissioner of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living.
The objectives are to 1) summarize how the Agency of Human Services funds the Designated Agencies under the master grant agreements and ensures that payments for services provided to program recipients are not duplicated, and 2) determine the extent to which Designated Agencies met selected performance and outcome measures in the master grant agreements. Hoffer stated that, “the 13 DAs do important work and collectively received $300 million in funding in FY 2013. It’s important that we take at look at how well the system is working.”
· Sex Offender Registry – Part 2: The objectives are to 1) assess the extent to which the data in the State’s Sex Offender Registry are reliable and current, and 2) determine the extent to which the recommendations in our 2010 report were implemented. The audit of the Sex Offender Registry was first requested by the legislature in 2009 and this is a follow-up.
· Department of Liquor Control: The objective is to assess whether changes to the Department's system for distribution and sale of liquor would enhance revenue and reduce costs. According to Hoffer, “the Legislature has expressed interest in increasing DLC revenues and my office can provide an objective analysis of organizational, operational, and financial alternatives to the current model.”
· State Energy Plan: The objectives are to 1) determine whether state agencies that own the most buildings and vehicles met the Act 40 (2011) goal to reduce energy consumption by 5% in 2012 and 2013, and 2) determine whether and how the state has assurance that the state agency energy plan is being implemented. Hoffer commented that “we need to ensure that the State is doing its part to reduce energy consumption.”