Open Recommendations

We recommend Alabama require its developers to follow secure coding standards and best practices, at a minimum, such as those recommended by NIST SP 800-218 or the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), when developing web applications.

We recommend Alabama implement procedures to periodically verify that its developers are adhering to secure coding standards and remediating vulnerabilities before releasing code to production.

We recommend Alabama perform more robust technical testing of web-facing systems that includes the emulation of an adversary's tactics and techniques on a defined reoccurring basis in order to better assess the effectiveness of NIST 800-53 controls.

CMS should provide a standard notice template to help nursing homes provide complete and accurate information to residents facing discharge and Ombudsmen.

CMS should require nursing homes to systematically document facility-initiated discharges in information available to CMS and States to enhance oversight.

CMS should take steps to encourage more behavioral health providers to serve Medicare and Medicaid enrollees.

CMS should explore options to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage to additional behavioral health providers.

CMS should use network adequacy standards to drive an increase in behavioral health providers in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.

CMS should increase monitoring of Medicare and Medicaid enrollees' use of behavioral health services and identify vulnerabilities.

Rec. 1.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, develop and implement a plan, including but not limited to updating guidance, to ensure compliance with the requirement that Brigade commanders perform historical comparisons of Defense Organizational Climate Survey results and command climate assessment action plans, to identify year-to-year trends with harassment risk factors.

Rec. 1.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, develop and implement a plan, including but not limited to updating guidance, to ensure compliance with the requirement that Brigade commanders include Defense Organizational Climate Survey response results from company and battalion Soldiers in their command climate assessments and command climate assessment action plans.

Rec. 1.c: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, develop and implement a plan, including but not limited to updating guidance, to ensure compliance with the requirement that Military Equal Opportunity officials maintain all command climate assessments and command climate assessment action plans for 5 years, and as a best practice, require those documents be maintained in accordance with Federal and DoD records management requirements, in a location accessible to brigade command teams.

Rec. 2: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, develop and implement a plan to ensure that command climate assessment action plans include initiatives tied to specific objectives, goals, and milestones for completion; and list the individuals responsible for implementing those initiatives; and outline a follow up plan to determine whether those initiatives are addressing Soldier reported issues.

Rec. 3: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the DoD Office of People Analytics, take actions sufficient to ensure that bullying and hazing questions are included on all Defense Organizational Climate Surveys.

Rec. 4.a: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, analyze the differences in sexual harassment complaints and Defense Organizational Climate Survey results to determine whether any barriers to Soldiers reporting sexual harassment complaints exist or confusion is present among Soldiers with reporting harassment complaints. If barriers exist, then the Assistant Secretary, in coordination with the Army G-9, should develop and implement a plan to address the causes of those barriers.

Rec. 4.b: The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, analyze the differences in sexual harassment complaints and Defense Organizational Climate Survey results to compare the results of their analysis to the Director of the Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Program's barrier assessment recommended by the Government Accountability Office to determine if systemic issues with the sexual harassment complaint process are present. If systemic issues exist, then the Assistant Secretary, in coordination with the Army G-9, should develop and implement a plan…

Establish formal procedures for obtaining and reviewing appropriate supporting documentation to ensure sales and investments are accurately reported.

Establish a plan to reduce wait times for optometry appointments.

Include a timestamp on the classification documentations for initial classification of each detainee and ensure staff maintain all classification paperwork, to include reclassification, in the detainee’s file.

Collect medical grievances within 24 hours of submission by a detainee and ensure staff maintain a copy of all paper medical grievances in the detainee’s medical file.

The District Director identifies reasons for noncompliance with timely documentation requirements of high-risk client contacts and outcomes in the electronic record and High Risk Suicide Flag SharePoint site, ensures requirements are met, and monitors compliance.

The Readjustment Counseling Service Chief Officer ensures the High Risk Suicide Flag SharePoint site functions as intended and includes accurate data.

The District Director and zone leaders identify reasons for noncompliance, ensure Readjustment Counseling Service policy confidentiality requirements are followed when collaborating care with the support VA medical facility for shared clients at high risk for suicide, and monitor compliance across all zone vet centers.

The Assistant Commissioner of the Office of General Supplies and Services should conduct a security risk assessment to determine the risks of possible theft or loss of foreign gifts and decorations at both storage locations and throughout the lifecycle of the program.

Work with the Digital Technology department to complete the customer communications dashboard to ensure that stakeholders can more easily access and filter data about communications sent to customers during en route delays.