The audit, which gave the agency a rating of “good,” is part of the ongoing, comprehensive audit of St. Louis City.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Auditor Nicole Galloway released today her audit of the City of St. Louis Department of Human Services. The audit is part of the State Auditor’s comprehensive audit of St. Louis City government. The Department of Human Services (DHS), which was rated “good” in the report, administers social service programs to the aged, homeless, veterans, disabled, youth, and families in need, as well as, neighborhood stabilization through the preservation of affordable and accessible housing and support services.

Auditors recommended that the Department improve its procedures for awarding and monitoring grants. DHS is responsible for administering over $18.5 million annually in various federal and state grants related to aging, homeless, and youth and family service programs. The DHS divisions administer these funds by subgranting the funding to various organizations throughout the city that provide direct services to clients. Auditors found that required on-site monitoring procedures for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) are insufficient to ensure compliance with program requirements.

The audit also found that DHS officials did not sufficiently review supporting documentation for grant disbursements and/or ensure all grant and contract requirements were met prior to authorizing payments.

Auditors also recommended improvements to controls and procedures over payroll as well as compliance with the Sunshine Law.

A complete copy of the audit is available here.