The agency has launched a reporting hotline and email for the public to alert officials of fraud.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has frozen all childcare funding to the state of Minnesota after reports of fraud from a citizen journalist were released online. The agency is also upgrading its standards for state documentation to receive funding.
Deputy HHS Secretary Jim O’Neill stated, “We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota. You have probably read the serious allegations that the state of Minnesota has funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.”
The deputy secretary continued, “All [Administration for Children and Families] payments across America will require a justification and a receipt or photo evidence before we send money to a state.” He said that he demanded Governor Tim Walz conduct a comprehensive audit of childcare centers in his state, including “attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, and inspections.”
The HHS has also launched a dedicated fraud-reporting hotline and email address. Deputy Secretary O’Neill concluded, “Whether you are a parent, provider, or member of the general public, we want to hear from you. We have turned off the money spigot, and we are finding the fraud.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Deputy Secretary O’Neill and HHS officials as they increase the review and assessment of childcare payments to states.
- For Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to be discerning as he heads the Department of Health and Human Services and its many agencies.
Sources: Christian Post, Townhall, UPI News
