(Jackson, Miss.) – A Desoto County, Miss. resident has been arrested for SNAP fraud following an investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS).

Investigators found that Candice Ballard received an over issuance of SNAP benefits in the amount of $30,072.00 due to Ballard fraudulently receiving benefits by her failing to report income and household composition accurately.

Due to the substantial amount of overpayment and the evidence of alleged fraud found during the investigation, the case was turned over to Desoto County District Attorney to be presented to the Grand Jury for criminal prosecution. The Desoto County District Attorney secured an indictment on December 8, 2021, which was later executed on December 15, 2021, by the Desoto County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was investigated by Brett Estes and Sean Hildenbrand of the MDHS Investigations Division.

The Investigations Division is a subset of the MDHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which was created in August 2018 and charged with detecting, preventing, and deterring fraud, waste, and abuse within the agency. OIG has been responsible for recovering millions of dollars in SNAP overpayments.

“This investigation and ultimate prosecution demonstrates the controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said. “This is also a great example of cooperation between our county office, investigations team, and local law enforcement.”

Suspected fraud can be reported to MDHS online any time by submitting the MDHS Fraud Tip Form at https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/report-fraud/, calling the Fraud Tip Line at 1-(800)-299-6905, or email at fraud@mdhs.ms.gov.

(Jackson, Miss.) – Thousands of Mississippians won’t have to worry about staying warm, thanks to a program offered by the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps keep families safe and healthy through initiatives that assist families with energy costs. This important resource provides financial assistance to eligible households in managing costs associated with:

• Home Energy bills
• Energy Crisis
• Weatherization
• Repair or replacement of heaters or furnaces

Households may qualify for LIHEAP assistance for natural gas, wood, electricity, liquid propane/butane gas, and other energy-related services.

Multiple Mississippi utilities and the Mississippi Department of Human Services work together to serve aging and low-income populations with their energy assistance throughout the year through local Community Action Agencies. To find the agency nearest you, please visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/community-services/.

“Many of our vulnerable Mississippians, especially the elderly, disabled, and families with small children, have difficulty paying their energy bills and repairing their heating units,” MDHS Director of Community Services Tina Ruffin said. “Our goal is to help as many eligible families as possible not have to worry about how they will survive the cold winter months.

Individuals who have never received services may submit a Pre Application through the Common Web Portal. This site is available nationwide, but services and funds are for residents of Mississippi only.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age or an emancipated minor. Individuals without access to a computer may call the Community Action Agency (CAA) or Human Resource Agency (HRA) in their area. Refer to the agency directory for agency contact information and services location.

As temperatures continue to fall into the winter months, the Mississippi Department of Human Services staff asks Mississippians to check on our most vulnerable populations like their elderly neighbors, family members, and friends to make sure they have sufficient heat.

The dedicated staff of the Mississippi Department of Human Services is here to refer families for this assistance.

For more information and to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/community-services/.

(Jackson, Miss.) – A Marion County, Miss. resident has been arrested for SNAP fraud following an investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS).

Investigators found that Shayla Cartier received an over-issuance of SNAP benefits in the amount of $26,161.00 due to Cartier fraudulently receiving benefits for failure to report income and household composition accurately.

Due to the substantial amount of overpayment and the evidence of alleged fraud found during the investigation, the case was turned over to Marion County District Attorney to be presented to the Grand Jury for criminal prosecution. The Marion County District Attorney secured an indictment on November 9, 2021, and Cartier turned herself into MDHS Investigators in Marion County on November 15, 2021.

The case was investigated by Ryan Stokes of the MDHS Investigations Division.

The Investigations Division is a subset of the MDHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG), which was created in August 2018 and charged with detecting, preventing, and deterring fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions in dollars collected from SNAP overpayments.

“This investigation and ultimate prosecution demonstrates the controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said. “This is also a great example of cooperation between our county office, investigations team, and local law enforcement.”

Suspected fraud can be reported to MDHS online any time by submitting the MDHS Fraud Tip Form at https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/report-fraud/, calling the Fraud Tip Line at 1-(800)-299-6905, or email at fraud@mdhs.ms.gov.

With Medicare Open Enrollment running through December 7, 2021, the Mississippi Department of Human Services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services is available to assist citizens and their caregivers in understanding Medicare benefits and health insurance options.

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a counseling program designed to answer people’s questions about health insurance. SHIP volunteers help citizens and caregivers understand Medicare benefits; organize doctor and hospital bills; file Medicare appeals; review Medicare Supplemental Insurance; evaluate Medicare+ Choice or Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options; understand Medicaid eligibility; and explore long-term care options.

Whether it is Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental insurance, or other coverage, SHIP personnel are trained to answer questions, compare policies, organize paperwork and help with claims and filing appeals.

SHIP offers in-person and phone-based counseling to support Medicare-eligible Mississippians in understanding and navigating available coverage options. It is important for individuals to review their coverage, even if they are satisfied with their current plans, and make any necessary adjustments to make their coverage more effective.

According to Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director Robert “Bob” Anderson, “It is important for Mississippians to have access to information about their health insurance options. The Division of Aging and Adult Services provides community-engaged services aimed at ensuring adults with disabilities and their families have the resources they need to live healthy lives.”

SHIP counselors will provide free, confidential, individual counseling to help beneficiaries find the most comprehensive and cost-effective Medicare health plan and Part D coverage. They can also check to see whether individuals are eligible for Medicare Savings Programs. Those with Medicare who are having difficulty paying for medical care may qualify for Medicare Savings Programs. These programs can help save money on premiums, prescription drugs, and other health care costs. Enrolling in Medicare is one of the most important – and most confusing – decisions senior adults are called upon to make. SHIP is here to help you through the process.

For more information about SHIP services and the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, call 1-844-822-4622 or 601-709-0624. Help is available M-F 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m. or visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/adults-seniors/services-for-seniors/state-health-insurance-assistance-program/

(Jackson, Miss.) – November is National Caregiver Month. The month is dedicated to supporting caregivers as they care for others by providing resources for self-care, advocacy, and de-stressing for caregivers. This year’s theme is “Caregiving Around the Clock.”  

Through the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS), MDHS offers two primary programs to assist caregivers: the Mississippi Family Caregiver Support Program and the Lifespan Respite Program.  

DAAS is ramping up a program designed to assist those caring for our most vulnerable citizens to provide for and protect our aging population. 

“As our population ages, caregiving programs meet a vital need of our Aging communities,” said Kenyada Blake, Director of the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services. “The major goal of the Lifespan Respite Program is to enhance community awareness and access to a wider array of options of respite systems in Mississippi.” 

Under the Older Americans Act, MDHS offers the National Family Caregiver Support Program. This program provides temporary relief time for the regular or primary caregiver (spouse, child, or relative) of an ill, functionally impaired older individual or dementia patient that requires constant in-home care.  

The Mississippi Family, Caregiver Support Program, works in partnership with the 10 Area Agencies on Aging and local community service providers to provide five essential services for family caregivers, including: 

• Information to caregivers about available services.
• Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services.
• Individual counseling, the organization of support groups, caregiver training to assist the caregivers in making decisions and solving problems relating to their caregiving roles.
• Respite care enables caregivers to be temporarily relieved from caregiving responsibilities.
• Supplemental services, on a limited basis, complement the care provided by caregivers.

The Lifespan Respite Program provides respite care vouchers for family members providing unpaid care for a dependent person of any age with a significant disability or chronic illness requiring care.  

The respite care voucher opportunity includes an initial voucher of $300, a repeat voucher of $300 after six months, and an emergency respite voucher in the amount of $400. There is a limited number of vouchers for each level of care. 

Vouchers can only be used to pay for breaks (respite) for caregivers. They may NOT be used to: 

• Pay the family caregiver directly for the care he/she is providing
• Pay for care that occurred before the voucher was issued
• Pay medical bills or purchase medical supplies
• Offset the cost of paid care already in place

To learn more about the Family Caregiver Support Program and the Lifespan Respite Program, call the Mississippi Access to Care Center at 844-822-4622. 

For more information on these and other programs offered for adults and seniors, visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/adults-seniors/

SNAP Replacement Benefits

Current SNAP households experiencing a loss of food due to a household disaster (flood and/or power outage over four hours) may request a replacement of SNAP benefits. If food purchased with SNAP benefits was destroyed due to a disaster, such as a flood, fire, or severe weather, households may receive a replacement of SNAP benefits. Replacement benefits may be provided in the amount of the loss to the household, but no more than the maximum amount of SNAP benefits issued for the month.

If a power outage is a result of the weather event and was/is out for 4 hours or longer, replacement can be allowed. Common (worker) knowledge of the damaged area can be documented as verification of the duration of the outage, otherwise, directors will need to find out from their local Emergency Manager and power companies. Power outage must be a direct result of the weather event.

To request a replacement of SNAP benefits, households must report the disaster to their local MDHS office within ten (10) days of the date of the disaster. The replacement request form (MDHS-EA-508) may be accessed using the links below. Households may submit the replacement request form by mail, email, or by using the EA upload feature on the MDHS website https://ea-upload.mdhs.ms.gov/

Replacement benefits may be provided in the amount of the loss to the household, but no more than the maximum amount of SNAP benefits issued for the month. To request a replacement of SNAP benefits, households must report the disaster to their local MDHS office within ten (10) days of the date of the disaster.

If you need assistance with this process, don’t hesitate to contact the Economic Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-948-3050. Households not currently receiving SNAP Benefits may apply for SNAP through their county Department of Human Services Office or online at SNAP – Mississippi Department of Human Service

(Schlater, Miss.)  For over a year, the families that make up the community of Schlater, Mississippi had been without running water after historic flooding in 2019 irreparably damaged the existing well.  On August 27, 2020, after hearing of the residents’ need several local and state officials met in Schlater to break ground on a new water well project financed by grant funds made available by the Mississippi Department of Human Services through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services. One year later, officials are returning to see the well in operation.

In late 2019, the residents first reached out to Central Mississippi, Inc. (CMI), a local community action agency, for assistance. Chief Executive Officer of Central Mississippi, Inc. (CMI) Pamela Gary, MD, stated that “The well is essential to the community because it provided residents with a fundamental human right: WATER.” CMI then contacted the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) to determine whether there might be a source of funding to drill a new water well in the Schlater community.  After several meetings and with the help of North Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, the Division of Community Services at MDHS was able to secure $63,000 in grant funds to finance drilling the new water well.

The original well was only some 90 feet deep, but later work required drilling several hundred feet to provide the continuous source of fresh water for the community.  Ms. Minerva Clemons described the well as “a long time coming” and her brother Tom attributed the help they had received to “Angels [who came] to see about us.”  Water continues to flow to the homes of those who previously endured the burden of carrying 10-gallon buckets of water to their homes and relying on regular deliveries of bottled drinking water.

“MDHS is pleased to have partnered with CMI in bringing about such a positive result for these families,” said Bob Anderson, Executive Director of MDHS.  “We often have the privilege of simply connecting people with crucial services so that they may live independently, and this was another of those occasions,” he concluded.

For more information on the Mississippi Department of Human Services and their services, go to https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/.

(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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“Offering Mississippians young and old tangible help today to create a lasting hope for tomorrow.”

(Jackson, Miss.) – Governor Tate Reeves today signed a proclamation naming May as Older Americans Month in Mississippi. Joining him for the signing was Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson, and Kenyada Blake-Washington, Director of the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services.

In the proclamation the governor states, “I, Tate Reeves, Governor of the State of Mississippi, do hereby proclaim May 2021 to be Older Americans Month. I urge every resident to recognize older adults and the people who support them as essential contributors to the strength of our state.”

According to the 2020 census, there are currently 541,163 citizens aged 60-years-old and older.

The Division Aging and Adult Services within the Mississippi Department of Human Services has a mission to assist aging and vulnerable adults, their families, and caregivers in achieving healthy, safe, and independent lifestyles, through advocacy, protection, education, and stewardship of public resources.

“The Mississippi Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging and Adult Services is committed to strengthening our community by connecting with and supporting older adults, their families, and caregivers,” Blake-Washington said. “I’m so grateful to Governor Reeves for acknowledging the importance of recognizing our aging population.”

“Older Mississippians bestow gifts of wisdom and insight upon our younger generations and strengthen the bonds between neighbors to create a better place for us to live,” Anderson said. “Our aging population has spent their lives taking care of us. Now it’s time for us to take care of them.”

For more information on the Division of Aging and Adult Services and the programs available, visit https://www.mdhs.ms.gov/adults-seniors/.

Photo cutline: Mississippi Department of Human Services Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson (right), and Kenyada Blake-Washington, Director of the MDHS Division of Aging and Adult Services (left), join Governor Tate Reeves as he declares May 2021 as Older Americans Month. (Photo courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Human Services)