12/15/2021
State Auditor Nicole Galloway
released today her audit of the City of St. Louis Department of Human Services.
The audit is part of the State Auditor's comprehensive audit of St. Louis City
government. The Department of Human Services (DHS), which was rated
"good" in the report, administers social service programs to the
aged, homeless, veterans, disabled, youth, and families in need, as well as,
neighborhood stabilization through the preservation of affordable and
accessible housing and support services.
Auditors recommended that the
Department improve its procedures for awarding and monitoring grants. DHS is
responsible for administering over $18.5 million annually in various federal
and state grants related to aging, homeless, and youth and family service
programs. The DHS divisions administer these funds by subgranting the funding
to various organizations throughout the city that provide direct services to
clients. Auditors found that required on-site monitoring procedures for the
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program
(SFSP) are insufficient to ensure compliance with program requirements.
The audit also found that DHS
officials did not sufficiently review supporting documentation for grant
disbursements and/or ensure all grant and contract requirements were met prior
to authorizing payments.
Auditors also recommended
improvements to controls and procedures over payroll as well as compliance with
the Sunshine Law.
A complete copy of the audit is
available here.
