SNAP Fraud Investigation Leads to Indictment in Pearl River County
A Pearl River County, Miss. resident surrendered to authorities on August 8, 2025, following a SNAP fraud investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
MDHS announced that Betsy Gobuzzi Johnson of Pearl River County received $22,111.00 in SNAP benefits by not reporting household income and composition accurately to MDHS. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation, the case was referred to the Pearl River County District Attorney’s office. The Pearl River County District Attorney secured an indictment on July 31, 2025, and Johnson later turned herself in to Pearl River County officials on Friday, August 8, 2025.
“This is a great example of collaboration between our investigations team, County offices, District Attorneys, and local law enforcement,” stated MDHS Inspector General Sandra Griffith.
Senior Agent Blake Edwards of the MDHS Investigations Division investigated the case. 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, deterring and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions of dollars collected from overpayments.
“This investigation demonstrates the strengthened controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
SNAP Fraud Investigation Leads to Indictment in Jones
A Jones County, Miss. resident was apprehended by authorities on July 10, 2025, following a SNAP fraud investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
MDHS announced that Yadera Cabellero of Jones County received $70,274.00 in SNAP benefits by not reporting household income and composition accurately to MDHS. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation, the case was referred to the Jones County District Attorney’s office. The Jones County District Attorney secured an indictment on June 24, 2025, and Cabellero was later arrested by Jones County officials on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
“Collaboration between our investigations team, County offices, District Attorneys, and local law enforcement is critical to the prevention and prosecution of fraud in our programs,” stated MDHS Inspector General Sandra Griffith.
Agent Guy DeMars of the MDHS Investigations Division investigated the case. 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, deterring and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions of dollars collected from overpayments.
“MDHS is committed to administering programs with the highest integrity. Over the past five years, MDHS has strengthened the controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Parents currently on CCPP Waitlist are encouraged to watch for an invitation to apply
Parents interested in applying for the CCPP that are not currently on the waitlist may submit their name to be placed on the waitlist.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Division of Early Childhood Care & Development (DECCD), announces that the Child Care Payment Program (CCPP) will resume accepting applications on August 1, 2025, for working families that are not in the six currently eligible populations.
Invitations to apply will be offered in the order in which families were added to the waitlist, beginning April 1, 2025, and following.
Families on the CCPP waitlist will begin receiving email notifications with a personalized application link and a unique code to access the application portal.
Once a parent or guardian receives the application email, they have ten (10) calendar days to complete it. If a family does not complete the application within this timeframe, the next family on the waitlist will be contacted.
Families approved through this process will receive 12 months of child care assistance, with continued services dependent on available funding in 2026. Once an application is approved, parents will choose the provider in their community that best suits their child’s needs.
“MDHS is pleased to resume making child care assistance applications available for Mississippi’s working families,” said Dr. Chad Allgood, Director, Division of Early Childhood Care & Development. “We are committed to distributing this support fairly and efficiently to strengthen family stability and workforce participation across Mississippi.”
MDHS Executive Director, Robert G. (Bob) Anderson added, “We appreciate the critical funding that has enabled MDHS to lift the pause on child care certificates for working families across the State of Mississippi.”
The waitlist will continue to be processed until current funding is obligated. Once funds are obligated for CCPP certificates, CCPP applications will again pause until additional funding becomes available.
MDHS encourages parents currently on the waitlist to add cc.payment@mdhs.ms.gov as a contact in their email and check their SPAM folder if they do not see the notification in their email.
For more information, families may contact the DECCD customer care line at 1-800-877-7882 or email cc.payment@mdhs.ms.gov.
SNAP Fraud Investigation Leads to Indictment in Oktibbeha County
An Oktibbeha County, Miss. resident surrendered to authorities on April 24, 2025, following a SNAP fraud investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
MDHS announced that Deidre Blair of Oktibbeha County received $43,690.00 in SNAP benefits by not reporting household income accurately to MDHS. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation, the case was referred to the Oktibbeha County District Attorney’s office. The Oktibbeha County District Attorney secured an indictment on April 4, 2025, and Blair later turned herself into MDHS and Oktibbeha County officials on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
“This is a great example of collaboration between our investigations team, County offices, District Attorney’s office, and local law enforcement,” stated MDHS Inspector General Sandra Griffith.
Agent Hunter Walton of the MDHS Investigations Division investigated the case. The Investigations Division is a subset of the MDHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), which was created in August 2018 and charged with detecting, deterring and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions of dollars collected from overpayments.
“This investigation demonstrates the strengthened controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
SNAP Fraud Investigation Leads to Indictment in Benton County
A Benton County, Miss. resident surrendered to authorities on April 23, 2025, following a SNAP fraud investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
MDHS announced that Amanda Lauren Feathers of Benton County received $18,764.00 in SNAP benefits by not reporting household income and composition accurately to MDHS. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation, the case was referred to the Benton County District Attorney’s office. The Benton County District Attorney secured an indictment on April 15, 2025, and Feathers later turned herself into MDHS and Benton County officials on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
“This is a great example of collaboration between our investigations team, County offices, District Attorney’s, and local law enforcement,” stated MDHS Inspector General Sandra Griffith.
Agent Hunter Walton of the MDHS Investigations Division investigated the case. The Investigations Division is a subset of the MDHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), which was created in August 2018 and charged with detecting, deterring and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions of dollars collected from overpayments.
“This investigation demonstrates the strengthened controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Governor Reeves Declares May as “Older Americans Month” in Mississippi
Governor Tate Reeves has designated May as “Older Americans Month” in Mississippi. This recognition of the invaluable contributions of older adults highlights the importance of supporting their well-being within our communities.
Older Americans are pillars of strength, wisdom, and experience, upholding cherished values and traditions. They play vital roles as devoted family members, trusted friends, mentors, diligent volunteers, and esteemed civic leaders.
The Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) annually commemorates Older Americans Month (OAM). The 2025 theme, Flip the Script on Aging, focuses on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions.
This year, join us in honoring older adults’ contributions, exploring the many opportunities for staying active and engaged as we age, and highlighting the opportunities for purpose, exploration, and connection that come with aging.
“It’s not just about having someone to chat with,” said Aging and Adult Service Division Director Kenyada Washington. “It’s about the transformative potential of connection in enhancing mental, physical, and emotional well-being.” By recognizing and nurturing connectedness’s role, we can mitigate issues like loneliness, ultimately promoting healthy aging for more Americans.
Governor Tate Reeves expressed deep gratitude, saying, “Our esteemed older Mississippians exemplify the values that have strengthened our communities. We sincerely appreciate their immeasurable contributions as parents, grandparents, and citizens, enriching our great state.”
MDHS is delighted to collaborate with various partners in the aging community to celebrate OAM this year. Throughout the month, a wide range of resources will be available, covering topics such as effective Medicare navigation, access to congregate and home-delivered meals, respite care provision, long-term care ombudsperson services, and simplified application projects for SNAP benefits.
What you can do to connect:
Planning: Seek assistance from MDHS’s SHIP program to effectively plan and navigate the complexities of Medicare. Explore the Respite Care program designed to support caregivers of elderly family members.
Engagement: Familiarize yourself with the State of Mississippi’s Long Term Care Ombudsman to advocate for and protect vulnerable senior adults.
Access: Utilize the simplified application process for SNAP assistance through the elderly application process.
Connection: Engage with congregate feeding sites across the state and participate in the senior companions’ home visitation program. Maintain social activities and relationships to combat social isolation and foster a sense of belonging within your community.
Flipping the Script on Aging focuses on transforming how society perceives, talks about, and approaches aging. It encourages individuals and communities to challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions.
MDHS invites you to Flip the Script by visiting our website at the Division of Aging & Adult Services – Mississippi Department of Human Services (ms.gov). Explore various services, including congregate meal sites, home-delivered meals, transportation programs, respite care, and more. Eligibility for these services extends to all elderly Mississippians and Veterans.
For additional information, please visit the official MDHS website at www.mdhs.ms.gov, follow MDHS on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation using the hashtag #OlderAmericansMonth.
SNAP Fraud Investigation Leads to Indictment in Kemper County
A Kemper County, Miss. resident surrendered to authorities on March 25, 2025, following a SNAP fraud investigation conducted by the Investigations Division of the Mississippi Department of Human Service (MDHS).
MDHS announced that Michelle Clay of Kemper County received $30,864.00 in SNAP benefits by not reporting household income and composition accurately to MDHS. Based on the evidence obtained during the investigation, the case was referred to the Kemper County District Attorney’s office. The Kemper County District Attorney secured an indictment on March 19, 2025, and Clay later turned herself in to MDHS investigators and Kemper County officials on Thursday, March 25, 2025.
“This is a great example of collaboration between our investigations team, County offices, District Attorney’s office, and local law enforcement,” stated MDHS Inspector General Sandra Griffith.
Agent-In-Charge Kevin Baysinger of the MDHS Investigations Division investigated the case. 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, deterring and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse. OIG has been responsible for millions of dollars collected from overpayments.
“This investigation demonstrates the strengthened controls we have in place to identify, investigate, and eliminate fraud in our programs,” MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson said.
An indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: An Opportunity to Raise Awareness of Elder Abuse
Mississippi Department of Human Services Raises Awareness and Spotlights Elder Abuse
Jackson, MS—The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Division of Aging and Adult Services, is recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2025, and reinforcing the state’s commitment to protecting vulnerable older adults.
Elder abuse is an intentional or negligent act by any person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to an older adult.
Elder abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial exploitation, as well as neglect. It is estimated that 1 in 10 older adults experience some form of abuse each year, though only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse ever come to authorities’ attention. Risk factors include social isolation, cognitive impairment, and dependence on a caregiver.
“Older Americans are vital, contributing members of our communities, and their abuse or neglect diminishes all of us. It is critical that we remain vigilant in protecting their rights and well-being,” said Kenyada Blake Washington, Director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services. “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an opportunity to educate our community on the signs of abuse and connect older Mississippians with the resources and support they need.”
The Mississippi Department of Human Services encourages all Mississippians to learn the signs of elder abuse and take action to protect older adults in their communities. Some key signs to watch for include:
Unexplained bruises, cuts, or other physical injuries
Sudden changes in financial situation or unpaid bills
Withdrawal from normal activities or social isolation
Bedsores, poor hygiene, or unmet medical needs
Unusual changes in behavior or emotional state
If you suspect an older adult is being abused, neglected, or exploited, contact the Mississippi Adult Protective Services hotline at 1-800-222-8000 to anonymously report your concerns or online (www.mdhs.ms.gov/aging/adult-protective-services). Reports received are electronically transmitted to an Adult Protective Services regional supervisor for the county where the alleged victim resides. Individuals should always call the nearest law enforcement agency or 911 if the situation is a life-threatening emergency.
Together, we can work to ensure that all older Mississippians can live with dignity and respect.
For more information on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and resources for older adults, visit the Division of Aging and Adult Services website at mdhs.ms.gov/aging/.
Mississippi Department of Human Services Collaborates with Deloitte to Upgrade Case Management Systems
Jackson, MS—May 19, 2025—The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) has awarded a contract to Deloitte Consulting LLP to enhance critical case management systems software that supports both internal and external facing eligibility systems. This upgrade is designed to significantly improve the flow of information across state agencies’ programmatic and support functions, creating a fully integrated solution that enhances operational efficiency and strengthens client service.
Deloitte is a market leader when it comes to implementing, maintaining and modernizing systems that support state and federal benefit programs, including SNAP, TANF, Child Care and Child Support.
In the past four decades, Deloitte has implemented dozens of similar eligibility and enrollment systems; the ones they continue to maintain serve more than 40 million people annually and deliver more than $40 billion in benefits.
Deloitte will play a pivotal role in MDHS’s system advancement, focusing on interoperability and collaboration across various programs. The new system will streamline and consolidate eligibility and case management processes, benefiting both the agency and the clients it serves with more modern interfaces. Most MDHS eligibility systems were created over 35 years ago utilizing batch processing and DOS based systems.
“This collaboration signifies our commitment to serving Mississippians more effectively,” said Bob Anderson, Executive Director of MDHS. “By working with Deloitte, we are taking important steps towards improving our operational efficiency while ensuring that our clients have timely and transparent access to the services they need.”
The upcoming upgrade will feature several key enhancements, including:
Seamless service delivery: Support for public assistance programs and social services will be delivered in a more timely, effective, and transparent manner.
Improved Efficiency: Workflow and process automation will facilitate single sign-on access tailored to individual roles, enhancing employee productivity.
Self-Service Portal: A new self-service portal will enable clients to access their account information, reducing requests for simple information and freeing up staff to concentrate on more critical work.
Data Analysis and Program Integrity: Enhanced accessibility to dashboards will improve case tracking and data repository capabilities, ensuring robust program integrity.
Enhanced Security: The upgrade will prioritize the confidentiality and integrity of client data, safeguarding sensitive information.
MDHS has been preparing the groundwork for this project for the past 24 months. Staff from programmatic and support divisions have been working to identify current and future system needs in order to facilitate a completed program that will not only meet the needs of the agency today but provide scalability to support the agency’s needs for years to come.
MDHS is committed to transforming the service delivery landscape and believes that this collaboration with Deloitte will be a significant step forward in achieving its goals of delivering public assistance programs, social services, and other supports.
11/24/2025 UPDATE: Redetermination Reinstated – DECCD is reinstating the redetermination process for all families with a current childcare certificate/certificates, not just those in the six priority populations. We are at a service number that can be sustained with CCDF regular funding. MDHS DECCD will continue to contact families on the waiting list to apply as additional slots become available. Current parents with a certificate, but wishing to add an extra child, can recertify their existing certificate; however, the new child will be added to the waitlist.
Dear CCPP Child Care Providers:
In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Mississippi received a temporary increase in funding from the federal government to support child care programs statewide. Because of this funding, MDHS was able to issue Child Care Strong grants directly to you, establish a state-wide teacher substitute pool, provide bonus payments to child care staff, and most importantly, greatly increase the number of child care certificates issued to qualifying families. In fact, MDHS is helping more families have access to high quality child care than ever before in agency history. We are very proud that we have been able to work directly with you to not only keep child care going in Mississippi but make it better than ever using these temporary dollars.
MDHS remains committed to supporting child care in our state but with the ending of the COVID-19 relief funding, we also must make changes to the number of families and children we can serve with the funding available to us.
Effective April 1, 2025, DECCD will be implementing the following temporary changes:
We will continue to accept applications and issue certificates to the families that fall within these categories: (1) TANF families and families transitioning away from TANF assistance (TCC), (2) MDCPS foster care children, (3) teen parents, (4) families that have special needs, (5) deployed military families, and (6) homeless families.
For families that fall outside of the six categories listed above, DECCD will also continue paying for services for the duration of their current certificates until the 12-month period of the certificate expires.
DECCD will temporarily place a hold on accepting: (1) new applications for families outside of the six categories, (2) redetermination applications for families outside of the six categories, and (3) “add a child” applications for families outside of the six categories listed above.
The hold will remain in place until the number of certificates we have issued falls back into line with what our current budget can support. We cannot accurately estimate how long the hold will remain in place, but we will be monitoring the situation very closely and will lift the hold as soon as we can. Likewise, we will notify you when it appears we are near the point where we can lift the hold.
We understand that this situation will raise concerns from our families and from you, our child care partners. A virtual town hall meeting was held to address questions and concerns on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 11:00AM.
Thank you for your continued dedication to early childhood education and our littlest Mississippians.
Dear Parents:
In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Mississippi received a temporary increase in funding from the federal government to support child care in Mississippi. The state had until September 30, 2024, to use all the temporary funding we received. We are very happy that we were able to use all funding to support child care statewide including using a large portion of the temporary funding to issue additional child care certificates to you, our families.
MDHS remains committed to supporting families’ access to child care in our state but with the ending of the COVID-19 relief funding, we also must make changes to the number of families and children we can serve with the funding available to us.
Effective April 1, 2025, the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) has implemented the following temporary changes:
We will continue to accept applications and issue certificates to the families that fall within six exception categories: (1) TANF families and families transitioning away from TANF assistance (TCC), (2) MDCPS foster care children, (3) teen parents, (4) families that have special needs, (5) deployed military families, and (6) homeless families.
For families that do not fit into one of the six categories listed above, DECCD will also continue paying for services for the duration of their current certificates until the 12-month period of the certificate expires. For example, if your current certificate is set to expire in September of this year, DECCD will continue paying for services through September.
DECCD will place a temporary pause on accepting any applications for families that do not fall within the six exception categories listed above. This includes new applications, redeterminations, and applications to add a child to a family’s existing certificate.
The pause will remain in place until the number of certificates we have issued falls back into line with what our current budget can support. We cannot accurately estimate how long the pause will remain in place, but we will be monitoring the situation very closely and will lift the pause as soon as we can.
If you have any questions about your current certificate or the redetermination process, please reach out to us at ccpayment@mdhs.ms.gov or 1-800-877-7882. We will continue to have staff available to answer your questions. We have also placed some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on our website at www.mdhs.ms.gov.
