Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Department of
An Audit Report on Management Controls at the Dallas County Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center
November 1997
Report Number 98-005
Overall Conclusion
Major managerial deficiencies exist in the Dallas County Community Mental Health Mental Retardation Center (Center). These deficiencies include the Board of Trustees' (Board) tendency to micromanage the operations of the Center and the staff's tendency to ignore established policies and procedures. Collectively, these deficiencies reduce the Center's ability to safeguard its assets and ensure its goals and objectives will be fully accomplished. Its budgeted revenues for fiscal year 1997 totaled $74 million, including $34.2 million in state general revenue funds.Key Facts and Findings
The actions of the Board have detracted from the effective and efficient accomplishment of the Center's goals and objectives. The Board periodically abandoned its oversight role to perform functions normally conducted by Center management.
The Center has not effectively used its Internal Auditor to reduce the risk that errors or irregularities could occur without detection.
The Center does not routinely follow its established policies and procedures, and there are several significant areas where policies and procedures have yet to be developed. The Center has overbilled consumer trust funds or Medicaid for applied income and rent and it has deposited Medicaid payments for clients no longer with the Center due in part to inadequate policies and procedures.
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