Concerns Raised Over Michigan Health Department’s Oversight of School Services
In a recent audit, Michigan’s health department has been scrutinized for its oversight of the school services program, with significant shortcomings identified in the management of staff credentials. The findings have prompted calls for enhanced oversight and clearer processes.
The audit report spans from July 2022 through September 2024, highlighting that state officials were not effectively verifying credentials for school-based service personnel, such as counselors and teacher aides. This verification is crucial as it impacts the manner in which districts can claim federal reimbursements for these support services.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) collaborates with the Michigan Department of Education and an external contractor to manage these processes. However, delays were noted, with some credential reviews taking months to complete. Additionally, instances from the 2019-2020 school year revealed that districts were not informed when staff lacked appropriate credentials.
The audit stated, “Without remedial action, when (Intermediate School District) staff are found not to hold appropriate credentials, the manual credential review process likely has little or no value.” The Office of the Auditor General attributed these issues to ambiguities in the health department’s review plan and outdated interagency agreements.
No representatives from the agency were available for comment on Friday. However, in a preliminary response within the audit, MDHHS committed to updating its policies to improve oversight and establish a clearer review timeline. “MDHHS will establish a written internal monitoring process to ensure that a comprehensive credential review is conducted and maintained by both MDHHS and MDE,” the department assured.
The audit aimed to evaluate MDHHS’s effectiveness in ensuring school districts complied with federal requirements and in supervising the contractor’s operations. While the department was deemed “sufficient, with exceptions” in monitoring compliance, it was found “not sufficient” in overseeing the contractor’s work.
The report highlighted a lack of oversight over the contractor’s methods as a primary concern: “Significant deficiencies in MDHHS’s oversight of the (school services program) contractor resulting in the department’s overreliance on its contractor to adhere to contract terms and program requirements,” the audit noted.
MDHHS accepted these findings and pledged to revise its systems and enhance training to address the deficiencies. The department has been given 60 days to formulate a plan to tackle the audit’s concerns.
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