Objective

To determine the extent of implementation of the recommendations included in our initial audit report, Accountability and Surplussing of Vehicles (2018-S-42).

Background

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is responsible for coordinating services for more than 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. It provides services directly and through a network of approximately 600 not-for-profit service-providing agencies. Regional Developmental Disabilities State Operations Offices administer and oversee State operations for OPWDD, including transporting clients from OPWDD-run residences to service providers or medical appointments. Within the New York City (NYC) region, four local Developmental Disabilities Services Offices (DDSOs) – Metro NY (the Bronx and Manhattan), Brooklyn, Bernard M. Fineson (Queens), and Staten Island – are responsible for overseeing 118 State-run residences. According to OPWDD, as of February 2021, these four DDSOs had a fleet of about 455 vehicles. About 134 of the 455 vehicles were assigned to the transportation offices of the four NYC DDSOs.

Statewide policy requires vehicles be used only for official State business, and OPWDD’s Fleet Management Policy (Policy) requires that a vehicle use log must be maintained for all State vehicles to record specific trip information, such as date and time of use, names of drivers, and the purpose of the trip.

We issued our initial audit report on August 15, 2019. The audit objectives were to determine whether OPWDD properly accounted for and surplussed its NYC region vehicles, and whether staff used those vehicles solely for official State business. Our audit covered the period of April 1, 2016 through May 1, 2019.

Our initial audit found OPWDD lacks sufficient controls over fleet vehicle management at the four NYC DDSOs to ensure that all vehicles are properly accounted for, that vehicles are used for official State business only, and that DDSOs are properly surplussing vehicles following a process that is fair and complies with OGS requirements.

Key Finding

OPWDD officials have made some progress in correcting the problems we identified in the initial report. However, improvements are still needed. Of the eight prior audit recommendations, three have been implemented, one has been partially implemented, and four have not been implemented.

Key Recommendation

Officials are given 30 days after the issuance of the follow-up review to provide information on any actions planned to address the unresolved issues discussed in this review.