YELLOW SHEET
Office of the State Auditor of Missouri
Claire McCaskill
|
YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri |
February 10, 2004
Report No. 2004-12
Improvements needed in the management and oversight of the Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation’s Employment Program
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides
specialized services to individuals with disabilities that prevent them from
either obtaining employment or maintaining current employment. Program expenditures totaled $65 million
(state and federal funds) for the federal fiscal year ending September 30,
2002. Auditors found the validity of
program achievements are questionable and the inadequacy of case management has
resulted in unnecessary assistance.
Validity
of program achievements questionable
In
annual reports, required by federal regulations, the division reported
successfully closing an average of 70 percent of cases through fiscal years
1998 and 2002. However, our review
disclosed success rates reported might have been overstated because about
one-third of sampled employment outcomes were questionable. Counselors had not always followed division
guidance when authorizing substantial rehabilitation services, and in
determining whether participants had achieved and maintained suitable
employment for the required timeframe. (See
page 5)
Employment information not adequately
supported
We
found counselors had not adequately supported case closure information on
sampled cases reported as closed successfully and therefore the success rates may
have been overstated. This occurred
because division guidance did not require counselors to obtain adequate support
for employment information or to document the source of employment information
before closing cases. (See page 6)
Cases
were not closed in a timely manner
Division
guidance does not address timeframes for closing cases when the participant
cannot be located. While it is
appropriate to put cases in interrupted status temporarily, the average case in
this status had been idle for 10 months.
Several counselors stated that delays in closing cases occur, in part,
because of a perceived need to meet success goals mandated by the federal
government and high caseloads. (See page
7)
Financially
ineligible individuals may have been admitted to the program
Auditors
reviewed 30 sample cases and disclosed 24 participants received services based
on financial need. Further review
disclosed 12, or one-half of these participants received program services and
assistance totaling approximately $49,000, based on incomes that were
unverified or exceeded program guidelines, and therefore may have been
ineligible for assistance. (See page 10)
Comparable
services not considered in all cases
Counselors
did not document the consideration of comparable services for 65 percent of
sample cases reviewed. Had comparable
services been considered, the division may have avoided authorizing some
portion of the $61,000 in services and assistance to program participants. (See page 12)
Quality
control deficiencies have contributed to inadequate case management