(CG)
THE FEDERAL AGENCY --
THAT WARNED RHODE
ISLAND NOT TO LAUNCH
ITS BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY
SYSTEM -- HAS NEW
CONCERNS ABOUT
MISSING REPORTS.
(MM)
AND THE AGENCY IS
DEMANDING ACTION FROM
THE STATE.
TARGET 12
CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR
SUSAN CAMPBELL JOINS
US NOW WITH THE
DETAILS.
WE'VE LEARNED THERE ARE
SEVERAL REPORTS THAT ARE
OVERDUE.
ACCORDING TO A LETTER FROM
THE STATE TO THE FEDS - THE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
SERVICES HOPES TO MEET ITS
FEDERAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS BY THE END OF
SEPTEMBER.
RHODE ISLAND'S DEPARTMENT
OF HUMAN SERVICES HAS
FAILED TO DELIVER SEVERAL
FEDERALLY REQUIRED
REPORTS ABOUT THE FOOD
STAMP PROGRAM, ACCORDING
TO A LETTER OBTAINED BY
TARGET 12.
THE LETTER - DATED JUNE 20TH
- FROM THE USDA FOOD AND
NUTRITION SERVICE SAID
"FNS continues to be concerned
with the Rhode Island (RI)
Deaprtment of Human Service
(DHS) delinquency in meeting
SNAP reporting deadlines."
FNS SAID THE MISSING
REPORTS WILL IMPACT THE
FEDERAL AGENCY'S FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
IN ITS RESPONSE LETTER- DHS
CONCEDED "significant issues
with
data collection."
AND SAID RHODE ISLAND
ATTEMPTED TO COMPLY WITH
FEDERAL REPORTING
REQUIRMENTS.... BUT HAS "not
submitted any additional reports
as
it was our understanding that
the
online reporting system would
not
accept the flawed data."
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME - FNS
HAS EXPRESSED FRUSTION
WITH RHODE ISLAND AND IT'S
BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM
KNOWN AS UHIP.
BEFORE THE DELOITTE-BUILT
COMPUTER SYSTEM LAUNCHED
- FNS SENT TWO STRONGLY
WORDED LETTERS, WARNING
THE STATE NOT TO GO LIVE.
FNS ALSO LEVIED AN 800-
THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE
AGAINST THE STATE FOR
MAKING CHANGES TO THE
DELOITTE CONTRACT WITHOUT
NOTIFYING THE FEDS.
THE FINE IS STILL PENDING -
AND THE STATE IS WORKING
WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCY ON
QUOTE "ALTERNATIVE
INVESTMENT OPTIONS."
NOBODY FROM DHS WAS
AVAILABLE TO ANSWER OUR
QUESTIONS ON CAMERA
TODAY.
I CHECKED THE NUMBERS..
FOR THE SNAP PROGRAM
ALONE - THERE ARE ABOUT
14-HUNDRED PENDING
APPLICATIONS.
MORE THAN 400 ARE OVERDUE.
WITH THE TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS, SUSAN
CAMPBELL EYEWITNESS NEWS.
(MM)
THE TARGET 12
INVESTIGATORS ARE
ALWAYS LOOKING TO
UNCOVER NEWS.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND A
TIP - OR REPORT
GOVERNMENT WASTE -
CALL OUR TIPLINE 228-
1763 - OR E-MAIL US AT
TARGET-12 AT W-P-R-I DOT
COM.
