(Jackson, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) Benefit Recovery Unit reported more than $2.5 million in taxpayer dollars was recouped over the past quarter after previous investigations showed public funds were defrauded or misused.
The funds were recovered from cases involving misuse of SNAP, Child Care Discretionary Funding, and TANF subgrant funds broken down by month in the following areas:
“‘We have made a concerted effort to reconfigure and reinforce our monitoring of subgrantees to ensure total compliance,” Sandra Griffith, Chief Compliance Officer for MDHS, said. “Through risk assessment, training, and stringent oversight, we will make sure all questioned costs are identified, investigated, and, if needed, recouped. We will make certain the money that is 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. Misused funds are also investigated by the Office of Inspector General’s Investigations Division who, if justified, submits this information to Benefit Recovery.
Suspected fraud can be reported MDHS online any time 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.
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