Q&A
DHS policies for reviewing provider expenditures
0:56:10
·
4 min
Commissioner Molly Wasow Park explains DHS policies for reviewing expenditures submitted by providers. She details the different levels of review and the processes in place to ensure compliance with requirements.
- Multiple pathways for invoice review, depending on the provider's track record
- Light touch prepayment review for providers with strong financial behavior
- More detailed post-payment review to catch challenges quickly
- Enhanced review process for providers with past financial challenges
- Plans to add a third level of review across the board, balancing accountability and prompt payment needs
Diana I. Ayala
0:56:10
Okay.
0:56:12
Alright.
0:56:14
Did you wanna ask something on that?
0:56:15
Oh, okay.
0:56:16
Has DHS put into place any policies as it pertains to reviews of expenditures submitted by providers to ensure that they comply with existing requirements and include all necessary information?
Molly Wasow Park
0:56:27
Yeah.
0:56:28
Absolutely.
0:56:28
We take invoice review very seriously.
0:56:31
So, there are several different pathways, for a provider that is, not on enhanced reviews, so doing the, has a strong track record of of financial behavior.
0:56:47
We start with a fairly light touch prepayment review.
0:56:51
Right?
0:56:51
So we're looking at payroll records is what, and a few, OTBS lines looking it's it's very much prescribed in this, citywide standard and voice review policy.
0:57:03
The intent there is to be quick.
0:57:07
Again, as I've said before, we have we have room for improvement on the quick, but but that is the design behind this, citywide standard and voice review procedure.
0:57:16
We then follow that up with a more detailed post payment review so that to the extent that there are, challenges that we're catching them relatively quickly.
0:57:25
For a proprietor who is on enhanced review, meaning they've had some level of financial challenge in the past, we're doing a more in-depth review before any dollars go out the door.
0:57:36
We are also working to add, really, excuse me, a third level of review to that that is across the board, but, again, not before we make payments, but in very close to real time, an independent level of invoice review.
0:57:54
So the what I talked about, the the standard practice that is happening largely in the DHS programs with a a final level of oversight from our finance team.
0:58:05
We are adding within the accountability office, a secondary level of invoice review so that we just have that many more sets of eyes on it.
0:58:14
Again, that will happen, post payment, but very quickly post payment.
0:58:19
We're trying to hit that balance between, accountability and and the provider's need for for prompt payment.
Diana I. Ayala
0:58:41
Of interest, are too limited.
0:58:42
Is DHS working to fix this gap to ensure that better information is gathered?
Molly Wasow Park
0:58:46
So in general, across the 32 recommendations, that were in the d the DOI report, 12 of them are DHS DSS specific.
0:58:55
The other 20 related to recommendations around citywide practice, including this one.
0:59:00
So I will defer the citywide questions to Mox.
Charles Diamond
0:59:04
Absolutely.
0:59:04
So I think, chair, as part of the standardized audit financial report that's SAFER that's coming out in 2025, We're looking exactly at what can be, again, using that tool as a way to get those quote unquote disclosures.
0:59:16
I do want to be clear.
0:59:17
It can be obviously, in disclosures, when it comes to contracting, has a very legal term as to the vendor disclosures you're required to do.
0:59:23
That's not our only tool.
0:59:25
We have prequalification.
0:59:26
We have audits.
0:59:27
We have various ways in order to get this information.
0:59:29
So we're absolutely that's something that we agreed with in the DOI report of of enhancing that.
0:59:34
So we're in progress of doing that.
0:59:35
I think the that safer, process will be key to it.
Diana I. Ayala
0:59:39
Which, cycle, will SAFR be rolled out and
Charles Diamond
0:59:45
it's estimated quarter?
0:59:46
I don't have a quarter for you.
0:59:47
I would say there's literally a vendor compliance cabinet meeting this afternoon that, I can certainly update you after that regarding updates on timelines.
Diana I. Ayala
0:59:56
Is this your first meeting?
Charles Diamond
0:59:58
No.
0:59:58
No.
0:59:59
No.
0:59:59
They've had many meetings.
1:00:00
They are they've had several meetings.
1:00:01
There is a meeting that happens to be today where they are discussing 2 of the documents that I referenced before, the conflicts of interest policy and the related party transactions.
1:00:09
But to be clear, those are documents that, again, I think the entire vendor community has seen, agencies have seen, that have been vetted throughout, kind of the stakeholders as we've developed this.
1:00:18
I think as as the commissioner put well, all of these policies are have to come out of our day to day experience with our vendors.
1:00:25
So that input of coming in and saying, this is what we need.
1:00:28
These are the tools we need to make the right decisions, and these are the issues we're seeing, and then being able to put that out.
1:00:33
So these have been long term processes that are, coming to a conclusion.
1:00:37
As I mentioned, the anti nepotism policy came first, and we have, I would say, really, 3 in the pipeline that, will certainly be out in 2025.
1:00:43
And I can follow-up on a on an estimate on the on the quarter.
