Michigan State Audit Reveals Concerns with Health Department Oversight of School Services Program
A recent state audit has identified issues with how Michigan’s health department supervises the school services program, raising concerns about the credentialing process for school-based staff.
According to the audit report, which examined the period from July 2022 to September 2024, state officials were found to have inadequately verified the credentials of school-based services personnel, including counselors and teacher aides.
Proper credential verification is crucial for school districts to receive federal reimbursement for support services, and the audit revealed significant delays in the review process, with some cases taking months to complete. Additionally, there were instances in the 2019-2020 school year where districts were not promptly informed about staff members lacking appropriate credentials.
The audit highlighted shortcomings in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ review plan and outdated interagency agreements as contributing factors to the lapses in oversight.
In response to the audit findings, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services pledged to enhance its policies to include more rigorous oversight and establish clearer timelines for credential reviews. The department acknowledged the need for a comprehensive internal monitoring process to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
While the audit commended the department’s monitoring of school districts’ compliance as “sufficient, with exceptions,” it criticized the department for inadequate oversight of its contractor’s work. The lack of supervision over the contractor’s methodology was cited as a key reason for the department’s shortcomings in this area.
As part of its commitment to address the audit’s concerns, the department plans to implement system upgrades and enhance staff training to improve oversight and compliance with program requirements.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been given a 60-day deadline to submit a plan outlining how it will rectify the issues identified in the audit report.
