Audit - Senior Home Services
The Office of Internal Audit (OIA) conducted a performance audit of the Senior Home Services Division (Home Services) operated by the Department of Senior Affairs (DSA). The audit was included in the FY13 approved audit plan.
Home Services is committed to helping individuals who reside in Bernalillo County safely age in place. They strive to meet the needs of seniors by providing home repair, retrofit, and chores programs. In addition, they strive to enhance the safety of disabled individuals through retrofit services.
Home repair provides for minor home repair for Bernalillo County homeowners who are 60 years or older and occupy the property. Home retrofit provides safety equipment to residents of the City of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. Home chores provides minor home chores for Bernalillo County homeowners who are 60 or older and occupy the property.
Objective: Does DSA follow criteria to objectively determine the eligibility of its clientele?
- Based on a statistical sample of 24 completed projects, all clients were eligible to receive the services rendered.
Objective: Does DSA have policies and procedures in place to ensure that staff are qualified, efficient and effective?
- Home Services does not maintain a record of volunteers.
- Home Services staff are qualified to perform their assigned responsibilities and average 4.11 years of service with the division.
- Home Services projects average 24 days from receipt of referral to end of completion.
- Based on a statistical sample of dates during the audit period, it was determined that Home Services employees complete an average of 3.9 projects per day.
Objective: Does DSA have effective internal controls to ensure the efficient operation of Senior Home Services?
- Home Services does not maintain an inventory listing of supplies used for home chores, home repair, or retrofit projects.
- Home Services should strengthen its internal control to ensure that the program’s efficiency is maximized. All internal forms should be fully completed by employees. Project sheets should be approved by a manager prior to closing out the referral.
- Home Services does not have adequate internal controls in place surrounding donation request letters as the letters are hand-delivered by the employees.
- Home Services does not reconcile its expense tracking spreadsheet to the City’s general ledger.
Objective: Does DSA follow applicable laws, rules, policies and procedures?
- Home Services does not complete a satisfaction survey as specified in the MOU for the Community Development Block Grant.
- Home Services is located adjacent to an abandoned City building. The condition involves broken glass, rotten wood, and nesting birds. As a result, the building may violate the City Ordinance and pose a safety or health risk to the Home Services employees.