Report 2012-105 Recommendation 6 Responses

Report 2012-105: Departments of Public Health and Social Services: Weaknesses in the Administration of the Child Health and Safety Fund and the State Children's Trust Fund Limit Their Effectiveness (Release Date: November 2012)

Recommendation #6 To: Public Health, Department of

To comply with the State Contracting Manual, if Public Health chooses to use contractors for the Kids' Plates Program, it should direct its staff to substantiate the expenditures contractors claim. For example, Public Health could ask the contractors to submit for review detailed records substantiating all or a sample of their invoices.

1-Year Agency Response

In a January 17, 2013, email to all Administrative Unit staff, CDPH instituted a new policy requiring a periodic review of detailed expenditures on Kid's Plate invoices. Branch management will reinforce the policy with each of the four project coordinators as part of a project orientation scheduled for December 19, 2013.

A June 18, 2013, memo to all Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion staff requires periodic, detailed reviews of contract expenditures. In addition, CDPH requires the new Kid's Plate contractors to submit detailed receipts with their June invoices.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

SAC has instituted a new policy requiring a periodic review of detailed expenditures on KP invoices. A January 18, 2013 email outlines this new policy for all Administrative Unit staff (Attachment K). Branch management will reinforce the policy with each of the four new project coordinators as part of a project orientation to take place after the contracts are fully executed (July- August 2013).

• By June 20, 2013, the Deputy Director, CCDPHP, will issue a memo (Attachment D) that includes a directive to institute periodic, detailed reviews of contract expenditures.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Public Health stated that the branch instituted a new policy requiring a periodic review of detailed expenditures on Kid's Plate Program invoices and sent an e-mail outlining the policy to all administrative staff on January 17, 2013. Public Health also stated that the branch will reinforce the policy with each of the three new project coordinators as part of a project orientation to take place after the contracts are fully executed in April or May 2013.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

All Recommendations in 2012-105

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.