Report 2017-117 Recommendation 7 Responses
Report 2017-117: Mental Health Services Act: The State Could Better Ensure the Effective Use of Mental Health Services Act Funding (Release Date: February 2018)
Recommendation #7 To: Health Care Services, Department of
To ensure that local mental health agencies comply with their performance contracts and MHSA requirements, Health Care Services should establish a process for conducting comprehensive program reviews and begin conducting those reviews by July 2018.
1-Year Agency Response
DHCS staff implemented a process for conducting program reviews of county performance contracts and MHSA requirements in a pilot program that began in August 2018 and concluded on October 2018. A total of four pilot counties participated (Placer, Mendocino, Madera, and El Dorado). Full implementation of the MHSA program reviews began on January 8, 2019, starting with Napa county. Approximately two county reviews will be performed per month from January to September 2019. All 59 counties will be reviewed over a triennial period with the three year cycle.
- Completion Date: January 2019
- Response Date: February 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
DHCS staff implemented a process for conducting program reviews of county performance contracts and MHSA requirements in a pilot program that began in August 2018. DHCS has conducted two MHSA county onsite reviews and scheduled four more for a total six pilot counties (Sonoma, Plumas, Placer, Mendocino, Madera, and El Dorado).
- Completion Date: September 2018
- Response Date: September 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Health Care Services provided its draft processes for conducting MHSA program reviews of the local mental health agencies. However, Health Care services did not provide its initial schedule of review for the 59 local mental health agencies, nor did it or indicate the frequency of ongoing reviews for the local mental health agencies.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
DHCS developed a protocol (evaluation tool) and review program and performed a pilot review in February 2018. After the pilot visit, DHCS made revisions to the protocol.
DHCS expects to distribute the protocol to stakeholders for review and feedback in May 2018. After receiving stakeholder input, DHCS intends to perform additional pilot testing of the protocol in four counties during the months of July, August, September and October 2018. Thereafter, DHCS plans to conduct 20 county on-site visits per year; for total completion of all 58 counties on a triennial basis and continuing thereafter.
- Estimated Completion Date: September 2018
- Response Date: May 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2017-117
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.