Department Audit Uncovers Problems

An audit of the Ventura County Mental Health Department concluded that the department needs to do a better job of processing paychecks, tracking the grants it receives and collecting rent on special housing it provides for its clients.

Thomas Mahon, the county’s auditor-controller, said recommendations made in the report will save the department money.

“They were serious enough that we felt corrective action should be taken,” said Mahon, who oversaw the recent audit. “[Department officials] have agreed with the findings and will take specific steps to take care of the problems we uncovered.”

A report accompanying the audit stated that at one housing site the department collected $5,525 in rent from July 1993 to March 1995 when it should have collected $16,650.

The report said that department staff members “spent more time than necessary” entering 485 details from employee time cards into a database to monitor vacation and sick leave.

Department staff members also photocopied time cards before submitting them to the county payroll department when they could have entered the information directly into the county’s payroll system, the report said.

The report also said the department needed to maintain more extensive records on the nearly $4.5 million in grants it receives annually. Prior to the audit, the department did keep files on the total amount of grants it received, but did not keep the information in summary form.

The report said the department had done a good job of managing records in other areas, including accounts payable and Medicare billings.