Report 2012-105 Recommendation 1 Responses

Report 2012-105: Departments of Public Health and Social Services: Weaknesses in the Administration of the Child Health and Safety Fund and the State Children's Trust Fund Limit Their Effectiveness (Release Date: November 2012)

Recommendation #1 To: Public Health, Department of

To ensure that it does not violate provisions of state law that prohibit contracts for services that state employees can perform, Public Health should establish that it has adequate justification to contract under Section 19130 (b), prior to submitting contracts to the Department of General Services (General Services) for approval.

6-Month Agency Response

On January 15, 2013, CDPH issued to section chiefs and above an email reminder (Attachment A) of Contracts and Purchasing Services Section (CPSS) Bulletin 09-13 (Attachment B), which requires the CDPH Office of Legal Services to review and approve any contracts/procurements that involve personal services.

• The Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CCDPHP) Deputy or Assistant Deputy Director, has directed each of its two Division Chiefs to (1) ensure that Branch Chiefs review the CD PH-wide email reminder and emphasize compliance with policy in its two-on-two meetings with Branch Chiefs throughout February, and (2) reminded administrative staff from all Center Branches to follow established policy reviewed in the February administration update meetings. A copy of January 29, 2013 meeting agenda attached (Attachment C).

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Public Health stated that effective November 3, 2009, its Contracts and Purchasing Services Section Bulletin 09-13, entitled, "Contracts/Procurements involving Personal Services," requires the completion of a form "Justification for Contracting Out Services" for all personal services contracts. Public Health also stated that its Office of Legal Services must review and approve this form before a contract or amendment can by fully executed.

Public Health stated that on January 15, 2013, it issued an e-mail reminder of this bulletin to its section chiefs and above. In addition, Public Health stated that by February 28, 2013, either the deputy director or assistant deputy director of its Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (center), which oversees the Kids' Plate Program, will direct each of its two division chiefs to (1) ensure via two-on-two meetings with branch chiefs that they review the e-mail reminder and emphasize with their staff compliance with the policy, and (2) remind administrative staff from all branches to follow the established policy.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

All Recommendations in 2012-105

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.