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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2397 |
| Eligibility Screening Program |
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| Requester: |
Edward L. Rich |
Organization: |
Palm Beach County Department of Community Services |
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| Project Title: |
Eligibility Screening Program |
Date Submitted |
1/4/2008 12:21:23 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Dawson |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| This project addresses a statewide priority interest by ensuring that services are provided to those most in need. Between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2005, Palm Beach County greeted 137,357 newcomers. Palm Beach County is the largest county by area and the third most populous county in the state. Many of those moving into the county find themselves in need of assistance as they face unplanned life crisis, unanticipated housing costs and related expenses. Additionally, current residents face many of the same circumstances and are in need of assistance at times to gain or maintain self-sufficiency. This, at a time when costs are escalating and more residents than ever before are in a financial crisis while the average annual wage in Palm Beach County for all occupations is only $27,851. That sentiment seems to be echoed all over South Florida, where skyrocketing costs like electric bills, housing and insurance are driving individual, families and elderly couples to social service agencies for the first time. To ensure that there are sufficient funds for those most in need and to guard against fraudulent applications, Palm Beach County proposes to purchase an Automated Eligibility Screening System. Welfare fraud is a serious crime that threatens millions of public dollars. It is committed by individuals fraudulently receiving benefits from the system. |
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| Recipient: |
Palm Beach County Division of Human Services |
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Contact: |
Claudia Tuck |
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810 Datura Street |
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Contact Phone: |
(561) 355-4772 |
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West Palm Beach 33401 |
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Contact email: |
ctuck@pbcgov.com |
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| Counties: |
Palm Beach |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| Palm Beach County proposes to implement an Automated Eligibility Screening System which will assist in ensuring that only those residents who are eligible are the ones receiving the service. This Screening System will assist County Social Service entities with instant and seamless determination of eligibility both for locally funded services as well as Medicaid, third party coverage, federal or state funded programs. The Automated Eligibility Screening System will allow the County to accurately validate applicant demographic and financial information, allow for proper identification of applicant eligibility and reduce fraudulent activity and financial risk. This system provides real-time demographic and financial verification and qualifies applicants for financial assistance programs. It captures and formats the applicant�s demographic and financial data to ensure optimal efficiency for the staff, and enables the staff to process each application in a fast, accurate, impartial and consistent manner. The system�s financial capabilities include an estimate of minimum monthly income which enables the system to immediately categorize whether applicants meet the county�s eligibility criteria. The inquiry into an applicant�s credit history is classified as a �soft� credit request which means that the applicant�s credit score is not negatively affected and that the inquiry cannot be seen by any third party. No funds are available in the County to purchase this system. Services dollars have been reduced, therefore it is critical at this time to accurately screen applicants to ensure that those most in need receive the service as well as to screen out fraudulent applications which drain staff time and limited resources. Historically, social service entities have a low investigation rate into welfare fraud. Preventing and detecting fraud for those who obtain public assistance they are not entitled to protects the interests of those in genuine need and conserves taxpayer resources. In 2002, Alameda County's Social Service Agency Welfare Fraud Prevention Integrity Division detected more than 1,400 fraudulent applications, preventing over $19.4 million in fraudulent payments. Constant vigilance and proactive investigation are required to protect the public and the community interest. The primary intent of this system is to prevent fraud before it happens. |
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| 1) 100% of client files will contain accurate financial data ensuring applicant eligibility determinations
2) Reduction in time to process applications for financial assistance
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$55,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$110,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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In-kind Amount |
$55,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Fraud cases in CA, TX, NJ; ABC News Report (8-15-07); Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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No |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
