Report 2012-119 Recommendation 15 Responses
Report 2012-119: California Department of Veterans Affairs: It Has Initiated Plans to Serve Veterans Better and More Cost-Efficiently, but Further Improvements Are Needed (Release Date: May 2013)
Recommendation #15 To: Veterans Affairs, Department of
To allow for public input and to prevent any legal challenges that its policy of capping members' fees, its $165 monthly income-retention policy for members, and its age and admission policy are unenforceable underground regulations, CalVet should adopt these policies as regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019
The Homes Division is working with the Department's Regulations Unit to develop this regulation. The Division experienced a delay in the completion of this recommendation previously due to personnel and operational changes, and is resuming work on it in conjunction with the Regulations Unit to make it a priority in the coming year.
- Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
The Department has continued to form and structure its new Regulations Unit under new leadership. This unit has begun producing new and updated regulations, including some related to the admissions program. The Veterans Homes Division has conducted extensive research into the regulation on the $165 monthly income retention, but due to a change in leadership in the area of financial operations, this regulation preparation work experienced delays. The Division plans to make it a priority for newly assigned personnel with appropriate expertise.
- Estimated Completion Date: January 1, 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017
The Veterans Homes Division has conducted extensive research into the two remaining regulation topics, the monthly income-retention program and the admissions regulation, and each is on its way to being incorporated into the Department's published regulations. Research on these regulations became superseded in early 2017 by a need for these staff to conduct research for potential regulations stemming from an omnibus budget trailer bill, in the event the bill passed, which happened. Once this additional pressing workload reached particular milestones, these staff resumed work on the admissions and income-retention program regulations. Proposed text for the admissions regulation has been submitted to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for the public review process. Language for a regulation on the monthly income-retention program is in a regulation draft that is being reviewed at CalVet Headquarters and prepared for submission to OAL. Lastly, the form of the Department's Regulations Unit has changed in the past year. The Department has seen a leadership change in its division that addresses legislative affairs and regulations, and the Regulations Unit has expanded in staffing and is under new direction. The enhancement of this program has led to greater structure, planning, and productivity in the updating and creation of regulations Department-wide.
- Estimated Completion Date: January 1, 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016
The Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs provided a letter to the California State Auditor in September 2016 indicating the Department had discontinued its practice of capping resident fees. The letter indicated CalVet would couple its change in practice with appropriate notification of residents. Regarding the $165 monthly income retention and the age and admission policy, the Veterans Homes Division has begun work toward formally adopted regulations on both of these topics. The Division provided the State Auditor's Office a timeline indicating it plans to submit these regulation packets to the Office of Administrative Law before the end of October 2016. By law, the regulation process can take up to one year to complete.
- Estimated Completion Date: 10/31/2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2015
The CalVet Homes Division is in communications with the Legal Division regarding the programs related to the $165 and the monthly fee cap, and will have additional information on a resolution of the situation shortly. Regarding the admissions priorities regulation, CalVet staff in the Homes Division and Legal Division have held numerous meetings over a four-month period and are nearing completion of the initial materials that will be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law to begin the public input process. CalVet expects to submit these materials in the coming days, following a final internal legal review. Upon acceptance by OAL, CalVet will host a 45-day public comment period and complete the other steps of the Administrative Procedure Act process.
- Estimated Completion Date: October 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2014
CalVet Homes Division has reorganized its structure and created a dedicated Chief of Research and Program Review. This position was filled in May 2014. The staff member in the position has been enrolled in a rulemaking class that will be offered by the state Office of Administrative Law.
- Estimated Completion Date: January 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
Due to key vacancies, no further action could be taken. However, CalVet Homes Division has reorganized its structure and created a dedicated Chief of Research and Program Review. This position was filled in May of 2014 and will focus on these policy areas.
- Estimated Completion Date: Jan 2016
- Response Date: May 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken
6-Month Agency Response
In progress.
- Estimated Completion Date: April 2014
- Response Date: November 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
60-Day Agency Response
CalVet is firmly committed to allowing public input and expects to complete the preliminary rulemaking activities for each of these three proposed regulations by the end of August 2013. After the rulemaking process has been completed, and upon Office of Administrative Law approval, the proposed regulations will be enacted. In progress.
- Estimated Completion Date: September 2013
- Response Date: July 2013
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2012-119
Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.