HEALTHY START

Condition: In a sample of 42 center reimbursement requests in one instance a center duplicated one lunch attendance page for one classroom resulting in duplicate payment of 192 lunches. Criteria: Sponsor should review attendance records for duplicate sheets and duplicate entry of children and claims exceeding center?s capacity. Cause: Error was due to clerical error in not noticing two attendance records for the same classroom. Effect: There was an overpayment totaling $498.86, or .3386% of the sample total of $147,342.67. Recommendation: We recommend that the sponsor designate a second employee to double check the processing of meal attendance sheets. Management response: Management will designate a second person to double check meal counts.

Presently we have one person to verify the meal sheets. We have changed to have two (2) employees verifying the meal sheets. In addition we are now inputting all meals by way of the computer. We have within the database a method of not duplicating a child?s meal. When a child has been inputted in one class we will receive an error when the same child is attempting to have meals in a different class. The child name will flash as a duplicate child; therefore preventing recording the same child in two different class.

Condition: In a sample of 42 center reimbursement requests there were errors involving three centers regarding payment for meals in the wrong categories. In one instance 12 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 12 snacks were paid for one child in a category which was not approved for that child; in another instance 13 breakfasts, 16 lunches and 16 snacks were paid for one child in the wrong category; in another instance one of three siblings listed on the same enrollment form was paid 17 breakfasts, 17 lunches and 17 snacks in the wrong category. Criteria: Procedures should be in place to verify that meals are claimed in the approved categories. Cause: Payment in the wrong classification is a result of clerical error and failure to confirm rate classification with income eligibility form on file. Effect: In one case there was an overpayment of $59.35 or .04% of the sample total of $147,342.67 and in two cases there was an underpayment of $136.56, or .09% of the sample total. Recommendation: We recommend that the sponsor establish a procedure for double checking meal participation records with the income eligibility forms. Management response: Additional training will be provided to staff so that children will be approved per the USDA eligibility guidelines and a second employee will double check that the meal category shown on the meal count sheets is the same as shown on the child?s approved income eligibility form, which has been initialed as double checked. Also there will be a double check on classification on the income eligibility forms and communication with the centers to confirm if parents? income reported on the income eligibility forms is earned weekly, monthly or annually.

We have provided additional training to staff so that children will be approved per the USDA Eligibility guidelines. In addition a second employee will verify the meal participation records match the USDA Eligibility guidelines per the Household Application submitted. Employees have also been trained to verify the classification listed on the application is the same classification that appears when the application is inputted in computer. A review is also being done to verify the calculation are correct as listed on the application. Communication with the centers to confirm parent?s income is correctly listed on how often they are paid; weekly, monthly and or annually.

2019-002

Condition: In a sample of 44 center reimbursement requests two children attending two centers were not counted as meal service participants although their enrollment applications and income eligibility forms were on file. Criteria: If the centers add children to attendance sheets, sponsor should verify that proper documentation has been timely provided to determine whether children are eligible for reimbursement. Cause: Parents are required to submit application and enrollment forms. The application lists all members of the household and the enrollment form lists children attending the center. In some cases parents do not list all the children attending the center on the enrollment form, which causes the sponsor to deny attendance of children added to the center?s attendance sheets. Effect: For one center there was an underpayment totaling $281.99 for 54 breakfasts,55 lunches and 53 snacks cumulative for three months in fiscal year 2019 and for the other center there was an underpayment totaling $77.72 for 22 lunches and 19 snacks cumulative for two months in fiscal year 2019. The total underpayment of $359.71 represents .26% of the sample total of $138,353.81. Recommendation: We recommend that the sponsor implement a procedure to trace children added to meal attendance sheets during the year to enrollment and income eligibility documentation in order to verify the date documentation was received and whether the date is timely with regard to the attendance sheets. Management response: Management will implement a procedure to double check whether children added during the year have timely enrollment and income eligibility documentation on file.

Management will implement a procedure to double check whether children added during the year have timely enrollment and income eligibility documentation on file.

Condition: In a sample of 44 center reimbursement requests in one instance 7 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 7 snacks were paid for one child in a category which was not approved for that child. Criteria: Procedures should be in place to verify that meals are claimed in the approved categories. Cause: Payment in the wrong classification is a result of a calculation error due to inability to read parent?s handwriting and to thus determine if income is earned weekly, monthly or annually. Effect: There was an underpayment of $40.20 or .029% of the sample total of $138,353.81. Recommendation: We recommend that the sponsor establish a procedure for double checking meal participation records with the income eligibility forms. Management response: Additional training will be provided to staff so that children will be approved per the USDA eligibility guidelines and a second employee will double check that the meal category shown on the meal count sheets is the same as shown on the child?s approved income eligibility form, which has been initialed as double checked. Also there will be a double check on classification on the income eligibility forms and communication with the centers to confirm if parents? income reported on the income eligibility forms is earned weekly, monthly or annually.

Additional training will be provided to staff so that children will be approved per the USDA eligibility guidelines and a second employee will double check that the meal category shown on the meal count sheets is the same as shown on the child's approved income eligibility form, which has been initialed as double checked. Also there will be a double check on classification on the income eligibility forms and communication with the centers to confirm if parents' income reported on the income eligibility forms is earned weekly, monthly or annually.