Budget panel releases $284,783 for IHSS fraud-prevention program

Supervisor John Avalos, chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, opened the meeting by calling for consideration of a request to release $284,783 in reserve funds for the Human Services Agencyto support an enhanced fraud-prevention program for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). The funding was placed on reserve earlier pending a report-back from the IHSS task force on fraud-prevention recommendations.

Task force co-chair Vera described a joint recommendation to implement an enhanced anti-fraud program that also supports elder-abuse checks and verification that authorized services are delivered. Vera and other task force members told the committee that while the task force does not expect fraud levels to be large, the city should take targeted steps to investigate and prevent abuse without reducing direct services. They recommended conditions including maintaining existing services and establishing early evaluation and monitoring rather than waiting for an end-of-year report.

Diana Christiansen, the manager for investigations and overpayments, offered to report back to the committee periodically so members could track early outcomes. Director Hinton of Aging & Adult Services said the department supported the targeted approach and that the proposed positions and expenditures met state mandates and departmental priorities.

After brief public comment and questions from committee members, a motion to release the reserve carried without objection. The committee recorded that the funds are to be used for the fraud-prevention effort with the conditions described by the task force: avoid using general fund money in ways that reduce direct client services and provide ongoing reporting on outcomes.