AG 1998 01 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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|CABARRUS COUNIY| IQl~IH CAROLINA · TO:' FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Frank Clifton, County Manage~~,~_~ ~:~ Jim Cook, Social Services Dyector ~4~ [ 1-9-98 x,._.~[ / Budget Amendment for Program In e~ity Staff I am writing to request time on the agenda for the 1-20-98 meeting of the Board of Commissioners for its consideration of the enclosed budget amendment which would add two staff positions at the Department for program integrity functions. These positions would be funded by federal and state funds. Background Information As part of the welfare reform legislation enacted by the 1997 session of the General Assembly, $25,000 was appropriated annually for each county department of social services for the 1998 and 1999 fiscal years, to be used in the strengthening of public assistance fraud prevention and investigation, claims recovery, internal control, and other program integrity activities. This State funding can be used as 50% match for federal funding, thus making available $50,000 this year and again next year to support these activities. In addition to this new funding, the State and federal governments have strengthened tax refund intercept programs which support recovery of fraudulently received Food Stamp and Work First Program cash benefits. They have also provided that counties may begin keeping 75% of any recoveries they make of Work First Program cash benefits that have been received fraudulently. Our revenues will increase to some extent because of these measures. The Department currently has only one fraud investigator position. A portion of the time of a clerk is also devoted to support of this position. The fraud investigator and clerk carry responsibility for investigating reports that fraud may have occurred, establishing and collecting claims, accounting for and reporting on collections, and conducting other internal control functions. Department of Social Services PC ;:Jo,~ 668 · 'Zc','c(>rd, NC 28026-0668 · (704) 786