The high risk status for the Department of Human and Social Service’s two grants from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has been removed.

In a statement issued by DHSS Director Taeaoafua Dr. Meki T. Solomona, he states that they received the official notification from Dan Spears, Director of the Office of Financial Advisory Services, that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services on Monday removed the 'high risk' notation.

He explained that SAMHSA removed the high risk classification as well as funding restrictions for these two DHSS grants, and this action became effective on June 29, 2015.

Responding to Samoa News queries, DHSS Deputy Director, Muavaefa’atasi John Suisala explained that the two grants were placed under high risk following an audit as of September 30, 2010 which reported a combination of qualified and disclaimer of opinions on financial statements; significant failures in the operation of internal controls within the general accounting of the Treasury Department (trial balances not closed or reconciled, unallowable/questionable costs, lack of controls over spending of federal funds, payroll) and significant and repeated compliance findings.

According to the statement issued by Taeaoafua, the two grants include the Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) and the State Prevention Framework/Partnerships for Success (PFS). 

“SBIRT is a five-year, $8.2 million project that integrates behavioral health and primary health care through universal alcohol screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment,” and  its “services are carried out at the Department of Health Community Health Centers, LBJ Tropical Medical Center Emergency Room, and the DHSS WIC and Behavioral Health Services Divisions.”

PFS is a three-year, $1.9 million project that implements community-level underage drinking prevention activities through local substance abuse prevention community coalitions and other community/faith-based organizations. “The PFS project has received approval for an additional five-year, $3.9 million funding ending in the year 2020,” according to Taeaoafua.

He explained that for the past several years, DHSS worked very closely with SAMHSA to demonstrate that they have a strong financial management system that meets federal requirements and expectations with the hope that it will remove funding restrictions placed on these two critically important grants.

“As a result, on June 25, 2015, the Office of Financial Advisory Services recommended the removal of these two grants from high-risk status on the basis that DHSS …has a financial management system that is adequate to administer its federal funds”, which led to the final removal of the high-risk designation that was placed on these two grants.

Taeaoafua said, “I am very grateful to Dan Spears and his staff for this excellent news."

He continued, "…The removal of high-risk will significantly improve our ability to provide these much needed services for the community and achieve social change as intended by these two projects”.

He extended his gratitude and appreciation to the SAMHSA Administrator, Pamela Hyde; Director Dan Spears and Tran Bui of the Office of Financial Advisory Services; Eileen Bermudez and staff of the Division of Grants Management; Director Fran Harding and Damaris Richardson of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention; Acting Director Daryl Kade and Reed Forman of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and ASG Treasurer Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a and staff for their assistance and support in this effort.

He further thanked Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga and Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga for their continued support of DHSS.