Report 2010-103R Recommendations and Responses in 2013-041
Report 2010-103R: Department of Public Health: It Faces Significant Fiscal Challenges and Lacks Transparency in Its Administration of the Every Woman Counts Program
| Department | Number of Years Reported As Not Fully Implemented | Total Recommendations to Department | Not Implemented After One Year | Not Implemented as of 2012-041 Response | Not Implemented as of Most Recent Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Health Care Services | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Recommendation To: Health Care Services, Department of
To the extent that Public Health continues to fund its various contracts, it should establish clearer expectations with its contractors concerning how much money is to be spent directly on the different aspects of the EWC program and should monitor spending to confirm that these expectations are being met.
Response
EWC believes its current practice is adequate for monitoring contract activities and spending. See Exhibit A - Scope of Work, Santa Barbara County Public Health Department; Contract #12-89329 (Attachment 1). Contractors are required to submit a biannual Progress Report detailing their progress in meeting Scope of Work objectives. See Regional Contractor Progress Report Checklist, Santa Barbara County Public Health Department; Contract #12-89329 (Attachment 2). All invoices are required to include full supporting documentation for expenses charged. Additional monitoring is not required to confirm that contract expectations are being met.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Will Not Implement
- Response Date: November 2013
Recommendation To: Health Care Services, Department of
To ensure better public transparency and accountability for how the EWC program is administered, Public Health should comply with state law to develop regulations, based on input from the public and interested parties, that will direct how Public Health administers the EWC program. At a minimum, such regulations should define the eligibility criteria for women seeking access to EWC screening services.
Response
At this time, DHCS/EWC program continues to cooperate with DHCS Office of Regulations and Office of Legal Services to appropriately review procedural requirements, for developing regulation package DHCS-12-006E. See DHCS 2013-Rule Making Calendar (Attachment 1). A target date to implement EWC Emergency Regulations is scheduled for September 2014. See attached EWC Regulations Timeline (Attachment 2). EWC consults with the Breast and Cervical Cancer Advisory Council (BCCAC) on specific substantive rules essential to ensuring public health, safety, and the general welfare of California's women. See the December 5, 2012, EWC Regulations Review Webinar PowerPoint Presentation (Attachment 3) and December 2012 Draft Regulations Text (Attachment 4) that was presented to BCCAC members and EWC stakeholders. Corresponding with the Administrative Procedure Act, EWC continues to integrate step-by-step Emergency Regulation provisions. Program has completed major steps that comprise researching, evaluating program authority and standards, and other required documentation to ensure promulgating regulations. EWC respectfully submits the July 2013 Draft Regulations Text (Attachment 5) and Draft Initial Statement of Reasons (Attachment 6) as evidence of progress towards promulgation of program regulations.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: September 2014
- Response Date: November 2013