[nfbmi-talk] auditor takes mrs to task

[joe harcz Comcast]

State audit takes rehab service to task

 

Payments only moderately effective

 

Updated: Tuesday, 17 Jan 2012, 4:09 PM EST

Published : Tuesday, 17 Jan 2012, 4:09 PM EST

 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A state audit shows a program aimed at assisting people with disabilities isn't doing a very good job making sure it is using

taxpayer dollars appropriately.

 

The

Michigan Auditor General

recently released its report on

Michigan Rehabilitation Services.

The state says the program "offers job services for persons who need vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for, find and repair a job."

 

An audit of expenses and payments between October 2008 and July 2011 found the agency's efforts to make sure payments were proper were only moderately effective.

 

The audit looked at 100 cases and found:

List of 1 items

• Michigan Rehabilitation Services failed to properly document $410,513 in vehicle purchases for clients. That includes buying a $30,998 vehicle for a person

whose goal was to be a homemaker. In other cases the agency purchased six new vehicles totaling $266,544 when used vehicles may have been a better alternative.

list end

 

List of 1 items

• Michigan Rehabilitation Services paid money to clients who had already found full-time work.  In one case cited in the audit, the state paid more than

$5,000 for food, gas and clothing, and another $120 to that same person to help clear their criminal record.  In another case the state paid more than

$2,400 for job placement services to a person who was already working full-time.

list end

 

List of 1 items

• Cases where Michigan Rehabilitation Services purchased items for clients, such as computers, but failed to get those items back when they were no longer

needed by the client.

list end

 

Michigan Rehabilitation Services was also criticized for failing to follow through with payments to individuals to make sure the money was used for its

intended purpose.

 

In its response to the audit, Michigan Rehabilitation Services says it agrees with the auditor general's recommendations to fix the issues cited in the

report, and is working to new controls and increase monitoring.

 

 

State audit takes rehab service to task | WOOD TV8

 

Source:

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/state-audit-takes-rehab-service-to-task