Below is a press release from The Mississippi Department of Human Services:
The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) Office of Inspector General has been awarded a grant of $421,471 to implement a framework to prevent and deter SNAP fraud, waste, and abuse. This investment will enhance the state's efforts in preventing, detecting, and investigating fraudulent activities related to SNAP benefits.
The SNAP Fraud Framework grant will enable the Office of Inspector General to develop educational tools and materials focused on cultivating client knowledge of program guidelines and fraud prevention tools. These resources will educate and empower both MDHS staff and SNAP recipients.
"This Grant will allow MDHS to develop and implement a SNAP Fraud Prevention Training and Education Program aimed to decrease SNAP fraud within the state by informing, educating, and training MDHS staff, SNAP applicants and recipients, and the general public on how to prevent, detect and deter SNAP fraud," said Sandra Griffith, Inspector General and Principal Deputy Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Human Services.
The SNAP Fraud Prevention Training and Educational Program will educate MDHS frontline staff and clients about common instances of fraud, such as card skimming/phishing, unreported income, trafficking of benefits, EBT card theft, and unreported household composition.
The program will employ various tactics to achieve its goals, including creating postcards, text message alerts, and social media campaigns to inform and educate SNAP recipients about SNAP fraud prevention. It will also conduct semi-annual training for MDHS county offices to equip them with the necessary knowledge to prevent and identify fraud during the application process proactively. An educational campaign will also be launched at MDHS to raise awareness about SNAP fraud detection. A text messaging system will be established to provide real-time alerts to clients regarding potential occurrences of fraud.
“FNS is committed to expanding and improving our efforts to combat fraud in the delivery of SNAP assistance,” said Willie C. Taylor, USDA Food and Nutrition Service regional administrator. “The SNAP Fraud Framework Grant will help provide MDHS with the tools they need to improve program operations and efforts.”
The SNAP Fraud Framework provides states tools and options they can implement in order to improve program operations and outcomes.
By implementing this program, MDHS expects to reduce client overpayments resulting from failure to report income, household composition, and trafficking of benefits, the most common types of overpayments within the agency. Furthermore, by educating SNAP recipients about EBT skimming, the program aims to decrease future instances of EBT card theft.
“By applying for and having been awarded this SNAP Fraud Framework grant, MDHS continues to pursue integrity and excellence in all of our programs. We want to make certain that needy Mississippians receive all the support and assistance they need, but that fraudsters do not misuse or gain access to benefits to which they are not entitled,” said Robert G. “Bob” Anderson, Executive Director of MDHS.
SNAP, which provides food assistance to approximately 380,000 eligible households in Mississippi, is designed to supplement a household's food budget, allowing them to purchase eligible items from grocery stores for use at home.
For SNAP application and program information, please visit the Mississippi Department of Human Services website at Home - Mississippi Department of Human Services (ms.gov).
