DSS- 1,425 employees received portion of $378 million in disaster benefits
Associated Press (LA) (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Some ineligible employees of the state Department of Social Services received emergency food stamp benefits following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the department allowed households to get duplicate benefits because applicant information was not verified, according to an audit released Monday.

The report from the state Legislative Auditor’s Office said DSS records indicated 1,425 employees applied and received a portion of the $378 million in disaster benefits provided for about 500,000 households after the storms.

During a federally required audit of all cases involving DSS employees, the Office of Family Support Fraud and Recovery section determined that certain employees provided false information to establish benefit eligibility.

The state legislative auditor’s office reviewed 66 case summaries and, according to the compliance audit report, found that several DSS employees received benefits they were not entitled to receive, applications were incomplete, employees received additional benefits for non-household members and most employees were not interviewed and screened for eligibility.

In addition, the department allowed excessive food stamp benefits to be issued to households that were already receiving benefits. A review of the data suggests that $1.005 million in benefits were issued to 649 duplicated households, the audit said.

LPNS COMMENTARY: JUST ANOTHER LOUISIANA CORRUPTION BLACK EYE!