Minnesota officials seek new powers to catch, prevent child-care fraud

Facing a wave of criticism because the state failed to detect millions of dollars in fraud, the administration of Gov. Tim Walz is seeking new powers to crack down on overbilling, kickbacks and other illegal activity within the state-subsidized child care assistance program.

Officials said the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) lacks an adequate case-tracking system and data-mining tools to identify warning signs of fraudulent activity in the state's Child Care Assistance Program, which distributed about $254 million last year. As a result, the agency that administers the program isseverely limited in its ability to detect suspicious activity and prevent fraud before it happens, and instead relies on tips from the public, officials acknowledge.

http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-officials-seek-new-powers-to-catch-prevent-child-care-fraud/507494282/