Sullivan County compliance office reports 50 complaints in 2024, outlines new hotline and training push

Sullivan County compliance staff delivered the county's 2024 corporate compliance summary to the Management & Budget Committee on March 13, saying the office received 50 reports last year, opened six compliance investigations and redirected 44 reports to other departments or outside agencies.

The presentation, given by Michelle (Compliance staff), said the county created a dedicated compliance and HIPAA phone line (845-807-0664), reestablished department-level compliance committees and updated several contract templates and policies. “We developed a compliance phone line so individuals can call the compliance department versus calling the county manager's office,” Michelle said during the committee meeting.

The nut of the report: officials said the county improved training and reporting visibility in 2024. Michelle said nearly 95% of county employees completed required compliance training in 2024, up from the prior year. The department also ran a compliance-and-ethics month with cross-department participation, selected a “compliance champion,” and held a staff meme contest to raise awareness.

Committee members and members of the public asked for more detail on the serious reports and outcomes. Michelle told the committee that the 50 total reports included matters routed to other offices (for example, town road complaints) and that the compliance program is preparing a 2025 work plan and additional policies to meet state and federal requirements.

Michelle credited Christine Panos, identified in the meeting as the compliance program coordinator, and thanked “Sharon” from the county attorney's office for help updating contract language. The compliance office said it has posted a Medicaid recipient letter, in English and Spanish, across required departments to explain reporting channels for suspected Medicaid fraud or abuse.

Public commenters praised the recognition program but pressed for clarity about the outcomes of investigations and the seriousness of some reports. One attendee said the compliance hotline and program are “serious stuff” and asked for clearer follow-up reporting on investigations.

Looking ahead, the compliance office told the committee it is gathering materials to finalize a Sullivan County 2025 comprehensive work plan that will outline priorities for strengthening compliance effectiveness and filling remaining policy gaps. The office plans additional quarterly committee work and said its goal for 2025 is to finish required policies so the program can move from catch-up to routine operation.