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Director's Message
August 13, 2004
To: DHS Employees
From: Gary Weeks, Director
Internal audits: striving for continuous improvement
As a state agency, one of our key objectives is to be accountable to Oregonians. With this in mind, we continually seek ways to improve how the department operates.
One of our most important resources in this effort is the DHS Audit and Consulting Services group. By performing internal audits throughout the department, this team of business experts regularly helps us improve in areas such as accounting, business practices and management controls.
Risk management
It may not sound exciting, but the results can be. Our auditors assess real risks the department faces — such as potential loss of funds, legal liability and public perception issues. They help us improve our practices and, hopefully, prevent problems before they occur.
For example, our Office of Medical Assistance Programs has requirements for certain medical treatments to receive prior authorization. As a result of our auditors' recommendations, a decision was made to centralize the function — making the process more efficient and potentially saving money.
Work closely with managers
Auditors work closely with other DHS managers to provide timely, relevant and objective information about how their programs are functioning and where they can be improved. The auditors themselves, while having a good understanding of the department, don't run DHS programs; therefore, they can view operations objectively, making observations based on their expertise in general business practices.
Audit committee ranks risk
The DHS Audit Committee is a senior management leadership group made up of representatives from each cluster. Along with providing general oversight and guidance to the internal audit staff, they help rank various DHS operations by the level of risk and the probability that the risk will become reality. As a result, areas that get audited first are those where both the risk and the likelihood of trouble appear high.
Among current audits are those looking at Vocational Rehabilitation grant management, department-contracting processes, the Staley settlement for people with developmental disabilities, employee cell phone issuance and usage, and Financial Service internal controls.
The DHS internal audit team shouldn't be confused with the Audits Division of the Secretary of State's office, which audits all state departments and reports to Oregon citizens on the accountability of all of state government. Our group reports only to DHS internal management, with the goal of helping managers improve operations.
I have always considered the value of internal audits critical to the operation of an organization. Last year, while I was at the Department of Administrative Services, I appointed a Statewide Audit Advisory Committee (SAAC) made up of senior management from a number of state agencies and chief audit executives from the private sector. Among its actions, the committee required all state agencies meeting certain criteria to establish an internal audit function and conduct annual risk assessments.
Strengthen program integrity
Finally, our internal audit process is closely aligned with our efforts to strengthen program integrity, ensuring that we spend our scarce resources wisely. I will have more to say about specific program integrity plans in the coming months.
For more information about DHS internal audits, please visit the DHS Audit and Consulting Services Web site.
Update on the PC replacement plan
I know that many of you have experienced the frustration of having to work on PCs that are somewhat outdated. They slow you down and keep you from working at full capacity.
I have appreciated your understanding as we have tried to balance legitimate needs against limited resources.
Ready for implementation
I am happy to report that our OIS group has been working steadily on a strategic sourcing plan for PC replacement, and it’s just about ready to be implemented.
HP chosen
The state has selected Hewlett Packard (HP) as the PC vendor for these replacements, and DHS is putting together a request for a best and final offer for the approximately 3,500 desktop and laptop computers we will be purchasing. We are also completing our analysis of replacement requirements for each group in the organization.
Installations planned to begin in October
We plan to place our order in September, and we believe that installations will begin in October. Our OIS Customer Service & Support organization will be staffing multiple teams to install the new equipment. Our goal is to have all the new systems installed by June 2005, starting with field systems in the 16 SDAs.
I will keep you up to date on our progress, and I thank you once again for your patience.
Food for thought
"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still."
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
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This message is intended for all Department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.
If you have a disability and need a document on this Web site to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us or call (503) 945-7021, fax (503) 373-7690 or TTY (503) 947-5080. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.
Oregon Department of Human Services
Director's Office
500 Summer St. NE E15, Salem, OR 97301-1097
Phone: (503) 945-5944
Fax: (503) 378-2897
TTY: (503) 947-6214
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