Report 2012-105 Recommendation 5 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 #5 To: Public Health, Department of

To determine whether the appropriation to administer the Kids' Plates Program is sufficient, Public Health should continue its plans to evaluate the costs of the regional grants Request for Application (RFA) process and its monitoring of the awards for fiscal year 2012–13. If Public Health determines that the appropriation is insufficient, it should seek an amendment to state law.

1-Year Agency Response

CDPH evaluated its administrative costs for the Kid's Plates Program for FY 2012-13 and did not seek an amendment to state law.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

The Safe and Active Communities Branch (SAC) is documenting the time spent on administrative tasks associated with the regional contracts. SAC completed the RFA process on November 8, 2012 (the date on which the appeal period ended; Attachment J), and is preparing contracts.

• CDPH has encountered a number of issues in processing the new KP regional contracts, including specific challenges to CDPH's authority to fund pedestrian safety projects and the need to contract directly with a proposed regional subcontractor. CDPH has not yet determined what the ongoing administrative costs will be. To date, we estimate we have spent over 600 staff hours developing the RFA, reviewing applications, and negotiating and processing contracts, at an estimated cost of $23,000 in salaries alone.

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

60-Day Agency Response

Public Health stated that its branch is documenting the time spent on administrative tasks associated with the regional grants. Further, Public Health stated that the branch completed the RFA process on November 28, 2012, and is preparing contracts with a start date beginning in March 2013.

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.