An Audit Report on Local Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authorities' Progress in Complying with the Intent of Rider 68
January 2005
Report Number 05-021
Overall Conclusion
All 41 local mental health and mental retardation authorities (local authorities) reported to us that they have made progress toward maximizing funds available to provide services as intended by Rider 68 (General Appropriations Act, 78th Legislature, Regular Session, page II-100). At the seven local authorities we visited, we verified that they had actually planned or implemented the actions intended to increase efficiencies that they reported. Where possible, we verified that these practices were increasing efficiency and identified those that might benefit other local authorities. The seven reported that together they provided a total of 233,355 more service hours (an increase of 4.2 percent) in fiscal year 2004 than in fiscal year 2003.
Additionally, local authorities reported that they significantly decreased the use of Mental Retardation Community Services (Strategy C.1.1) funds to supplement the rate-based payments they received as providers of intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded and home community services. However, 2 of the 41 local authorities supplemented their provider rate-based payments with a total of $555,000 from their fiscal year 2004 Strategy C.1.1 appropriation. One used $500,000 (or 10.9 percent) of its appropriation to supplement; the other used $55,000 (or 0.78 percent). This supplementation is not consistent with the legislative intent established in Rider 68.
In fiscal year 2004, appropriations to the local authorities totaled $402 million. The seven local authorities we visited accounted for $172 million of this amount.
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