IIRC it has been the same since I first registered on the forum, including on the Meta board. Of course, when you report a thread or post, it will eventually be handled by the global moderators.
I've also noticed that accurate reports are usually handled efficiently by the global moderators including other moderators, even in boards without assigned moderators. It shows that the report system does work though perhaps not always visibly to newer users, which might create confusion.
It will be helpful to users if they know that global moderators monitor reported posts even if no specific mod is assigned to the Beginner & Help section. That should give users more confidence in the system and reduce the worries.