Health district fails to meet objectives related to STD/HIV prevention services grant

The OIG released the findings of an audit on the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District’s (Metro Health) administration of a $5.6 million grant issued to reduce sexually transmitted diseases. 

Auditors determined Metro Health did not meet 25 of the 28 program objectives designed to measure the effectiveness of the Sexually Transmitted Disease/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (STD/HIV) Prevention Services Grant Program. In addition, the report indicated that program administrators did not have processes to ensure that expenses were reported for the correct year, resulting in an understatement error of $63,124 for the grant year 2021.

Additional concerns involved Metro Health’s lack of effective security and confidentiality controls that ensured access to the system and information was appropriate and that required documentation was maintained. Auditors noted that the lack of these controls increases the risk of misuse or unauthorized disclosure of federally protected personal health information.

To assist Metro Health in meeting program objectives, auditors provided recommendations, including:

• Implement processes to identify when grant activities are not meeting program objectives and initiatives to improve performance.
• Ensure it has processes and controls to limit reimbursement requests to allowable grant activities for the STD/HIV Prevention Services Grant Program.
• Ensure it has processes and controls to prepare accurate financial status reports with relevant program information for the STD/HIV Prevention Services Grant Program.
• Strengthen its security and confidentiality controls for STD/HIV data

The Texas Department of State Health Services provides funding for the Sexually Transmitted Disease/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Services Grant Program via contracts established with local health departments aimed at providing essential services designed to prevent and control the spread of STDs through monitoring, surveilling, and responding to STD outbreaks.

For the full audit, visit the OIG website.