Report 2021-102 Recommendation 9 Responses
Report 2021-102: Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund: The State Could Better Manage Its Distribution Fund and Its Problem Gambling Programs (Release Date: August 2022)
Recommendation #9 To: Public Health, Department of
To ensure that it is able to adequately evaluate its progress toward meeting program goals in its next strategic plan, by February 2023 the Office of Problem Gambling should revise its existing goals. As a part of that process, the office should require staff to do the following:
-Create policies or procedures that guide the quarterly Advisory Group meetings, the development and assessment of its strategic plans, and the evaluation of its programs for these processes.
-Create measurable goals with quantifiable metrics and include them in its strategic plans.
-Evaluate progress toward meeting its goals at least biennially.
-Include any effort remaining to meet program goals in its biennial evaluations.
-Record all Advisory Group meeting minutes and document decisions reached during these meetings.
6-Month Agency Response
The Office of Problem Gambling (Office) has:
- Completed the strategic planning process and finalized a strategic plan for 2023-2027. (See Attachment 3 - OPG_Strategic Plan_2023-2027_Final.pdf)
- Shared the strategic plan with staff and stakeholders.
- Created an evaluation process document to outline requirements, roles, and responsibilities associated with biannual strategic planning. (See Attachment 4 - OPG Program Evaluation Policy 2022_Final.docx)
- Finalized the Advisory Group policies and shared policies with staff and Advisory Group. (See Attachment 5 - OPG Advisory Group Policy 2022_Final.docx)
- Held one new Advisory Group meeting (January 25, 2023) under the new policies. (See Attachemnt 6 - OPG Advisory Group_1.25.23_Minutes_Poll Results_Attendance.pdf)
- Completion Date: January 2023
- Response Date: February 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
To date, the Office of Problem Gambling (Office) has:
- Provided all staff with an overview of specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives to integrate best practices in goal setting throughout Office programs.
- Evaluated and provided clarification, where needed, on the existing informal procedures for holding the Advisory Group meetings; outlined elements to begin drafting protocol documents to guide future Advisory Group meetings.
- Held one Advisory Group meeting (August 30, 2022); while the protocol document is still under development, the Office implemented key elements such as recording the meeting; meeting minutes are under development.
- Developed a scope of work and timeline for Office strategic planning activities.
- Initiated contract (under development) to support strategic planning.
- Initiated plans for biennial evaluation of program, including meeting with the Chief of Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch Epidemiology and Evaluation Unit.
Future steps will include drafting and finalizing protocols to guide the advisory group operations, strategic plan, and biennial evaluation of program.
- Estimated Completion Date: February 28, 2023
- Response Date: October 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2021-102
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.