Fraud Hotline: (585) 753-6639
The primary responsibility of the Department of Human Service’s Financial Assistance program is to provide both income support and health care support to the social and economically challenged population of Monroe County. Because this government responsibility is needs-based and relies on expenditure of public funds, it is imperative that the agency exercise due diligence in assuring that applicants and recipients provide accurate and factual information when establishing the need for available temporary benefits. Information such as, household composition, sources of income, available resources, monetary funds, etc. is necessary in order to establish a comprehensive applicant/recipient profile to establish the necessary level of benefit need.
The cornerstone for protecting public service funds is the program integrity component. Program integrity refers to the continuous agency effort to ensure that all applicants and recipients meet New York State established eligibility requirements before benefits, such as Cash Assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, Child Care, etc. can be issued.
The primary responsibility for enforcing program integrity rests with the agency’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Composed of a team of Investigators and support staff, the SIU is charged with the responsibility of investigating all referrals where the potential of fraud may exist. Fraud referrals come from several program areas, such as the intake process, the undercare process, the child support program, and various New York State agencies. If you would like to report fraud, please call our whistleblower fraud hotline at (585) 753-6639 or fill out a fraud report form online and e-mail, fax or send by US Postal mail back to our department.
In addition to investigating potential program fraud, the SIU also pursues both administrative and/or criminal charges against recipients who commit program violations which are proven intentional. Penalties can take the form of benefit sanction for a period of time and/or monetary restitution.
Because public funds come from taxpayer obligations, it is important the agency maintain an oversight effort to guard against fraudulent reporting of living arrangements and/or financial resources and assets. Program integrity initiatives address that need and, as previously stated, the SIU functions as the primary agent for carrying out this critical effort.
