*NEWS RELEASE*

DA'S OFFICE, DPSS TO FORM TASK FORCE TO COMBAT IN-HOME SUPPORT SERVICES FRAUD

RIVERSIDE - After a 4-0 vote today, Nov. 24, 2009, by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, a joint task force between the District Attorney's Office and the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) will be formed to prevent and prosecute fraud in In-Home Support Services (IHSS) programs.

"DPSS welcomes the opportunity to partner with the District Attorney and the State to implement an IHSS fraud prevention and detection program," said county DPSS Director Susan Loew. "IHSS provides critical services to many disabled and elderly individuals. We value the program and are committed to enhancing the integrity of the program to both prevent fraud and ensure that individuals who defraud the program are held accountable." The partnership between the two agencies will focus on fraud prevention education for providers, enhanced quality assurance reviews, and the investigation and prosecution of fraud cases.

"This partnership with DPSS will give us better tools to prevent fraud and to prosecute those who take advantage of a system created to help those truly in need," said District Attorney Rod Pacheco.

IHSS is a state-administered, county-run program that provides county, state and federal funding which enables program recipients to hire a caregiver. Recipients are those over 65, or disabled, or blind, or who have a disabled child. The program pays for services which allow the recipient to remain safely in their own home instead of being in a nursing home or other board and care facility.

Major types of IHSS provider-fraud statewide include a provider not working (32 percent), or continuing to bill services for a recipient who is either deceased (32 percent) or hospitalized (23 percent). Recipient-fraud statewide includes not reporting changes in the household (45 percent), overstated needs (34 percent), and misreporting income (8 percent).

The issue of fraud in the IHSS program led Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign an amendment to the state budget in July which has a $10 million appropriation of funds to help battle the problem.