State Auditor’s Office releases results of ND HHS audit

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The State Auditor’s Office found three separate areas where North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) can improve.

State Auditor Josh Gallion said the findings were part of a routine auditing schedule, which happens every one or two years. The department found that HHS’s nearly $7 million workforce retention program is ineffective, citing money mismanagement. The grant is meant to pay at-homecare givers. The report said some of the people who received grant money weren’t eligible, and some of the businesses awarded money didn’t pass that onto their caregivers.

The report also found that children in extremely abusive situations were not removed from those situations in the state’s mandated timeframe, which is between one to 14 days. It also said children in 83% of the cases examined did not receive their required in-person interviews in a timely manner.

“I strongly believe that here in North Dakota, we can do better, and we should be doing better, and I want to make sure we take all of these opportunities from the Auditor’s Office standpoint to make sure that we’re looking out for the most vulnerable among us,” Gallion said.

The Auditor’s Office said the State Hospital needs to strengthen its controlled substances safeguarding policies as well.

We reached out to HHS for a statement, but haven’t received a response yet.

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