Riverside County Auditor-Controller Unveils Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Audit Plan

(Riverside, CA) – During the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 Auditor-Controller Ben J. Benoit unveiled the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Audit Plan. The plan constitutes the schedule of audits and other direct audit activities, which are designed to meet the objective of providing timely and comprehensive audit coverage.

“During the last fiscal year, the Auditor-Controller’s Office had several noteworthy achievements and I want to commend the Audit Division for all their hard work,” said Benoit. “In preparation for Fiscal Year 2023/24, our team met with county officials and department directors to discuss and assess countywide risk. Their input was critical, and it helped us identify the risk areas that we need to focus on. I want to thank all the county departments for their input and assistance throughout the auditing process.”

The Fiscal Year 2023/2024 plan contains a total of 62 audit projects, which includes 22 mandated audit projects, 35 Follow-up audit projects, four quarterly verifications of assets held by the County Treasury, and one procurement card monitoring report.

During the beginning of this year, through the Internal Audit Division, we initiated and completed a countywide risk assessment to prioritize the allocation of audit resources for the next two fiscal years. This risk assessment helped identify risks associated with general county operations, how these risks impact the achievement of organizational objectives, and how respective risks are mitigated. We obtained input from members of the Board of Supervisors, central service departments’ executive management (Auditor-Controller’s Office, County Counsel, Executive Office, Human Resources, Information Technology, Purchasing Department, and Treasurer/Tax Collector), and county external auditors. The input we obtained from these meetings was extremely insightful and helped identify the countywide risk areas that will mainly be the focus of the audits we conduct this fiscal year and next.

The primary objective for initiating and completing the countywide risk assessment was to help instill confidence in the risk management processes and align our efforts to the risk areas that are critical to the county overall. From this point, the Internal Audit Division will independently and objectively evaluate the internal controls designed and put in place by management to help mitigate the risks identified in the countywide risk assessment, and help with overall governance. Through the Internal Audit Division, we are focused on adding value and improving the departments’ operations through a systematic, disciplined approach in evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management and control.

Included in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 Audit Plan is a list of accomplishments from the previous fiscal year. Below are the accomplishments highlighted in the report:

During Fiscal Year 2022-23, the Internal Audit Division:

• Issued a total of 54 internal audit reports:

1. - 23 mandated audit reports identifying 60 areas for improvement and containing 116 recommendations to strengthen areas with internal controls.
2. - 27 follow-up audit reports to ensure implementation of prior recommendations issued.
3. - Three verification reports and one audit report reviewing the Statement of Assets held by the County Treasurer (audit was conducted by county external auditors).

• Conducted a countywide risk assessment by obtaining input on risk areas from the

           Board of Supervisors, seven central service departments, and the county’s external

           auditors. The results of our discussions on risk will be the main audit focus points for

           Fiscal Year 2023/24 and Fiscal Year 2024/25 audit projects.

• Collaborated with Riverside County Information Technology and Human Resources

           to bring a countywide solution to a countywide problem discovered as a result of our

           audits.

• Completed the review of rate methodologies for 11 departments.
• Handled 43 new incidents reported through the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline.
• Compiled the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards for the County’s Fiscal Year 2021/22 Single Audit.

• Monitored the audits of 82 special districts and joint power authorities.

 To view the full Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Audit Report, click the following link: https://auditorcontroller.org/

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