Report 2015-503 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2015-503: Follow-Up—California Department of Social Services: It Has Not Corrected Previously Recognized Deficiencies in Its Oversight of Counties' Antifraud Efforts for the CalWORKs and CalFresh Programs (Release Date: June 2015)

Recommendation #8 To: Social Services, Department of

Social Services should continue its efforts to ensure that counties follow state regulations regarding the use of the administrative disqualification hearings process until all counties have adopted the process.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

ACL 17-118 was released on November 21, 2017, reiterating to counties the Administrative Disqualification Hearing (ADH) requirements for the CalWORKs and CalFresh programs. Additionally, ACL 18-116 was released on September 20, 2018 providing counties with clarifying guidance on the use of ADH process. Lastly, in addition to the statewide regional training that was provided to all 58 counties in 2017, the Program Integrity Bureau continuously performs periodic county Special Investigative Unit Reviews to ensure compliance with statutory requirements. Additional technical assistance on the ADH process is done in conjunction with CDSS' State Hearings Division on an as-needed basis.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented


Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From December 2017

A draft of the All County Letter (ACL) reminding counties of the requirement to follow state regulations for the administrative disqualification hearing (ADH) process was provided for stakeholder review. The delay in releasing the final ACL was due to a high volume of input from stakeholders in response to the draft ACL, requiring further research for both the CDSS Fraud Bureau and State Hearings Division. A final draft is scheduled to be released in December 2017.

Statewide ADH training was provided to counties in August and September 2017. Two additional ADH training workshops were provided to counties during the 2017 State Hearings Division Statewide Training Conference on November 2, 2017.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending


Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2016

The All County Letter (ACL) has been reviewed by stakeholders and the final letter is due out by the end of December 2016.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Not Fully Implemented


1-Year Agency Response

Due to competing priorities, including continued development of the eIEVS project, and participation in the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Treasury Offset Program review and training, the internal review of the draft ACL was delayed. CDSS anticipates releasing the ACL for stakeholder review and comment by August 2016. CDSS anticipates final release of the ACL in September 2016.

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


6-Month Agency Response

In order to complete the internal review of the All County Letter (ACL), CDSS is rescheduling the release date of the ACL to stakeholders for feedback to January 2016.

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


60-Day Agency Response

Draft of the All County Letter is in progress.

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


All Recommendations in 2015-503

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.