DHS sees success in fraud prevention

Headline: DHS sees success in fraud prevention

In today's StatesmanJournal we find a Guest Opinion by Jim Scherzinger, Deputy Director of Finance for the Oregon Department of Human Services. In it Jim tells how well DHS's efforts have worked to reduce fraud on the part of tax supported benefit recipients, and how much money each investigative agent saves Oregon taxpayers.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070228/OPINION/702280314/1049

The piece even includes a phone number for those who would like to report suspected fraud on the part of a DHS recipient.

Good news Jim. We taxpayers have been asking for that corrective activity for many, many years and isn't the dollar amount amazing?

But now, who can we call when we suspect possible DHS Fraud being perpetrated on we the Taxpayers?

Case in point: For what I assume has been well over a six month period I have observed State owned vehicles (some of which I understand are assigned to DHS operations) visiting Salem neighborhoods on a weekly basis and that for the purpose of delivering the StatesmanJournal's Wednesday Shopper News (free) publication (by auto-route) to those select addresses where the resident has specifically requested that Free delivery. No, this is not an easy stroll, door-to-door walking route effort as the deliveries are often quite widely separated.

In the situation with which I am most familiar, two able adults who I suspect are DHS employees (one as driver and the other an aide) ride in the front seat of a State owned vehicle, while in the back seat rides a severely mentally handicapped adult (who I suspect a DHS client who likely resides in a DHS managed group home) and looks to only be along only for the purpose as a dupe in a Training Charade in how to deliver the StatesmanJournal's advertisement publication to the those randomly spaced residences.

The training involves the Client stepping from the back seat of the vehicle when directed, walking the few feet towards the residence entry as being directed and then dropping the publication on request of their handler/aide. The person who I suspect a DHS Client then returns to the vehicle and is again chauffeured away to yet another residential location where the routine is again repeated. Yes, this has been occurring every Wednesday for near six months or more.

This is Job Training in the eyes of whom, might I ask?

What is to learn from being used as a dupe in an Auto-route delivery service Charade, when the Trainee is obviously unable to drive and sometimes unable to walk on wet pavement?

Could it be that someone has come up with a DHS make-work idea that also helps the StatesmanJournal solve a delivery problem spawned from the sudden rise in gasoline prices?

Good work on the benefit fraud front Jim. Now, lets have a look in the DHS mirror and see what savings can be found on that side of the fence.