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Report File
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Department of Health & Human Services OIG
Other Participating OIGs
Department of Health & Human Services OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Department of Health & Human Services
Components
Administration for Children and Families
Report Number
A-01-18-02501
Report Description

In Vermont, child support services are provided by the State Office of Child Support (State agency) under a cooperative agreement with the Vermont Supreme Court. The State agency claims the costs for the courts that are related to child support services. Based on a prior Office of Child Support Enforcement audit and current issues we found during our preliminary review, we selected court costs specific to the cooperative agreement for review.

Report Type
Audit
Location

VT
United States

Number of Recommendations
6
Questioned Costs
$151,258
Additional Details
https://oig.hhs.gov/oas/reports/region1/11802501.asp

Open Recommendations

This report has 6 open recommendations.
Recommendation Number Significant Recommendation Recommended Questioned Costs Recommended Funds for Better Use Additional Details
267388 No $118,990 $0

Recommendation 1 - We recommend the State agency refund $180,288 ($118,990 Federal share) for duplicate Title IV-D MPRs.

267385 No $0 $0

Recommendation # 5 - We recommend the State agency develop policies and procedures to prevent incorrect rates from being paid and ensure supporting documentation and invoices are reviewed and approved prior to the payment to the court administrator’s office and strengthen internal controls to ensure these invoice-review processes are followed.

267384 No $32,268 $0

Recommendation # 2 - We recommend that the Vermont Office of Child Support refund $48,891 ($32,268 Federal share) for Title IV-D MPRs, which were reimbursed at the incorrect county rate.

267389 No $0 $0

Recommendation # 4 - We recommend the State agency work with the court administrator’s office to improve the MPR processing system and establish policies and procedures and application controls to ensure duplicates can be prevented or detected or establish policies and procedures to ensure a manual review of all MPRs is performed .

267387 No $0 $0

Recommendation # 6 - We recommend the State agency develop policies and procedures for allocating salaries to the individual family courts which ensures the allocation is supported and accurately reflects the relative benefits received. Specifically: • ensure the courts report their Title IV-D activities each pay period as described within the cooperative agreement, and • ensure the IAG performs its functions as outlined within the cooperative agreement to maintain the key internal control of segregation of key duties by reviewing job positions, employee activity, and interviews managing supervisors and staff to determine the reasonable amount of resources (time and effort) that staff devotes to the Family Division.

267386 No $0 $0

Recommendation # 3 - We recommend the State agency work with ACF to determine what portion of the $1,374,320 ($907,051) for unsupported salaries allocated represents Title IV-D eligible costs or refund the entire amount.

Department of Health & Human Services OIG

United States