Rep. Kerkman backs audit of DCF oversight of Child-Placing Agencies

Samantha Kerkman

Samantha Kerkman

At a hearing last week, members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved an audit of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) oversight of Child-Placing Agencies. The audit was approved unanimously by the Committee.

“Ensuring the integrity of our public assistance programs is one of my highest priorities. The audit will provide a critical examination to ensure that illegal practices are not occurring within other child-placing agencies and that we can protect Wisconsin’s foster children,” said Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay).

The Department of Children and Families has revoked the license of a Middleton foster child placing agency for allegedly misusing $6 million of taxpayer money for personal gain. An internal DCF audit, which was completed last month, revealed that public funds that were used for substantial unallowable costs and triggered the oversight concerns. Additional concerns have been raised about the financial oversight of child-placing agencies due to further recent revocations of several licenses based on other allegations of misuse.

“This audit is absolutely necessary to ensure that DCF and the Legislature have a clear understanding of how taxpayer funds are being spent by child-placing agencies,” said Representative Samantha Kerkman (R-Randall) after the hearing. “We anticipate the results of this effort will reveal potential weaknesses in the system and will inform us on how to improve fraud prevention going forward.”

The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau will begin the audit shortly and a report is anticipated later this year.

A scope of the audit is available here.

 

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