Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Human Services:
The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) Benefit Recovery Unit reported more than $4.6 million in taxpayer dollars was recouped over the 2022 State Fiscal Year after previous investigations showed public funds were defrauded or improperly issued.
The Benefit Recovery Unit within the Office of Inspector General is responsible for establishing, monitoring, tracking, and recovering overpayments related to improper benefit payments found within the programmatic divisions of the MS Department of Human Services.
The funds were recovered from cases involving the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), SNAP, Child Care Discretionary Funding, and TANF subgrant funds in the following areas:
| RESTITUTION July 2021 - June 2022 |
CHILD CARE RECOUPMENT
July 2021 – June 2022
|
| $43,776.34 |
$187,303.49 |
| SNAP/TANF RECOUPMENT
July 2021 - June 2022
|
SUBGRANT QUESTION COSTS July 2021 - June 2022 |
RECOUPMENT July 2021 - June 2022 |
| $4,238,497.08 |
$125,355.45 |
$23,900.54 |
The 2022 Fiscal Year Recovery is $4,618,812.90. This amount represents an increase of approximately $1.3 million over the Fiscal Year 2021.
“MDHS will continue to enhance the monitoring of our programs” Sandra Griffith, Inspector General for MDHS said. “Through training and stringent oversight, we will make sure questioned costs are identified, recouped, or investigated if needed. We will make certain the money intended for Mississippians in need is used for the identified purpose”.
Questioned costs are identified by the Division of Monitoring and submitted to the Benefit Recovery Unit for recoupment. Improperly issued funds are also investigated by the Office of Inspector General's Investigations Division, which may submit the information to Benefit Recovery for recoupment.
Suspected fraud can be reported to MDHS online by submitting the MDHS Fraud Tip Form at https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/report-fraud/, calling the Fraud Tip Line during normal business hours at 1-(800)-299-6905, or email at fraud@mdhs.ms.gov.
