OIG Investigations Climb

If you apply for food assistance from the local County Assistance Office, your chances of being investigated by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) continue to climb.

According to its annual report released in December, during 2001-02 the OIG investigated 43,697 applications for benefits.  Such investigations include questions to neighbors, landlords and employers.  This marks the seventh straight year that the number of such investigations has increased.

In recommendations to incoming Department of Public Welfare Secretary Estelle Richman, Hunger Action suggested a link between the increase in OIG investigations and the decline in Food Stamp Program (FSP) enrollment.  “The Department should evaluate whether the increased surveillance of FSP applications by the OIG is deterring eligible households from seeking enrollment in the FSP and is thereby inconsistent with the broader Department goal of encouraging enrollment in this important nutrition program.”

This year DPW is directing $13.2 million to the OIG to investigate applications to the Food Stamp Program, which uses no state funds.  The Medical Assistance Program will use nearly $4 billion of state funds this year, yet will receive less than $6 million from DPW for such investigations.