Auditor general flags grant, procurement and cash-control gaps in Wayne County FQHC audit; committee to follow up

Auditor General Marcy Cora told the Wayne County Commission Committee on Audit that an audit of the Wayne County Department of Health, Human and Veteran Services' federally qualified health centers (FQHC) found multiple control weaknesses and budget misalignments that require corrective action and follow-up.

Cora and audit staff said they reviewed 13 recommendations in the department's corrective action plan and determined management had taken sufficient action on six items, six recommendations remained in process and one was no longer applicable. The auditors reported that the FQHC's fiscal year 2025 grant award was about $2.2 million while the program was budgeted at $6.1 million and expenditures totaled about $7.8 million, a discrepancy auditors said created a risk that expenditures could outpace grant revenues.

The finding on budgeting prompted discussion about grant-year timing and system controls. Auditor staff noted the grant year runs through May 31 and the new grant year begins June 1, which can complicate…