Reports

Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Semiannual Report to Congress: April 1, 2022 - September 30, 2022

This report is a summary of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s accomplishments between April 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022.

Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Insights on Telehealth Use and Program Integrity Risks Across Selected Health Care Programs During the Pandemic

Recognizing how critical telehealth has been to the federal COVID-19 response, the PRAC Health Care Subgroup—which includes six Federal Offices of Inspectors General—worked together to provide insights on the use of telehealth and its associated program integrity risks.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Department of Homeland Security OIG

FEMA’s Management of Mission Assignments to Other Federal Agencies Needs Improvement

Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) processed and obligated funds timely to other Federal agencies (OFA), it did not provide sufficient oversight to ensure OFAs used pandemic funding as required. Specifically, FEMA did not develop detailed cost estimates when initially establishing MAs, validate unliquidated and open obligations throughout the MA lifecycle, and verify cost eligibility against Public Assistance guidance before closing the MA.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Audit | 9/30/2022

Department of Homeland Security OIG

More than $2.6 Million in Potentially Fraudulent LWA Payments Were Linked to DHS Employees’ Identities

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not implement controls to prevent state workforce agencies (SWA) from paying more than $2.6 million in Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) for potentially fraudulent claims made by Department of Homeland Security employees, or claimants who fraudulently used the identities of DHS employees to obtain LWA benefits.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Audit | 9/28/2022

1 - Closed

: We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a standard risk assessment process before initiating new Federal grant programs. This risk assessment should focus on identifying and evaluating program risks that may affect FEMA’s ability to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in its programs and mitigating those external risks to the extent practical.

2 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator conduct an after-action study of the Lost Wages Assistance program and update FEMA Individual Assistance programs based on the lessons learned from the study.

3 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator, when mandated to rely on eligibility determinations of non-FEMA programs, develop a process to assess the program controls and identify risk, where practical.

4 - Open

We recommend the Chief Human Capital Officer for DHS’ Management Directorate develop, implement, and communicate departmental policies and procedures for the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees program to each component to ensure compliance with Federal requirements.

5 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a process to monitor whether grantees implement and use the controls attested to in FEMA-approved state administrative plans.

5 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a process to monitor whether grantees implement and use the controls attested to in FEMA-approved state administrative plans.

6 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a process to review state administrative plans for consistency and ensure they include fraud prevention and mitigation strategies.

7 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator de-obligate and recover any monies determined to have been obtained fraudulently or other improper payments through the Lost Wages Assistance program from the state workforce agencies.

Department of Homeland Security OIG

FEMA Did Not Implement Controls to Prevent More than $3.7 Billion in Improper Payments from the Lost Wages Assistance Program

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not implement controls that may have prevented the 21 state workforce agencies (SWA) in our review from distributing more than $3.7 billion in improper payments through its Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Audit | 9/22/2022

1 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a standard risk assessment process before initiating new Federal grant programs. This risk assessment should focus on identifying and evaluating program risks that may affect FEMA’s ability to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in its programs and mitigating those external risks to the extent practical.

2 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator, when mandated to rely on eligibility determinations of non-FEMA programs, develop a process to assess the program controls and identify risk to the extent practical.

3 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator update the State Administrative Plan template to incorporate a requirement for grantees to include a description of the steps to prevent improper payments.

4 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator develop and implement a process to monitor whether grantees implement and use the controls attested in FEMA-approved State Administrative Plans.

5 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator work with state workforce agencies to evaluate the Lost Wages Assistance program payments and verify that all recipients who received payment have a self-certification on file, as required; to determine whether the claimant meets eligibility requirements if no self-certification is on file; and, if not, to recover the payment.

6 - Open

We recommend the FEMA Administrator conduct an after-action study of the Lost Wages Assistance program and update FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program based on the lessons learned from the study.

7 - Closed

We recommend the FEMA Administrator de-obligate and recover any monies determined to have been obtained fraudulently or other improper payments through Lost Wages Assistance from the state workforce agencies.

Department of Homeland Security OIG

A Review of FEMA Funding for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response and Relie

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided approximately $49.3 million of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relief funds to Springfield, MA; Coeur D’Alene, ID; Sheridan County, NE; Marion County, GA; White Earth Nation in Minnesota; and Jicarilla Apache Nation in New Mexico.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Risk Advisory – Potential Identity or Other Fraud in SBA Pandemic Relief Programs

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) is issuing this Risk Advisory to notify Small Business Administration (SBA) management of potential identity or other fraud in its COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, EIDL Advance program, and Paycheck Protection Program. The PRAC identified possible identity or other fraud in one or more of these SBA programs involving 945 minors (under 18 years old) and 231 elderly individuals (80 years and older) who are also listed as household members in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Low Rent and/or Housing Choice...

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Department of Homeland Security OIG

Violations of ICE Detention Standards at Folkston ICE Processing Center and Folkston Annex

The objective was to conduct an unannounced inspection of Folkston Processing Center and Folkston Annex to monitor compliance with select ICE detention standards.

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Inspection / Evaluation | 7/05/2022

1 - Closed

Ensure the Folkston facility conditions we identified as deficient are corrected and in compliance with 2011 PBNDS requirements.

10 - Closed

Provide ICE visitation schedules, including the time, duration, and location for housing unit visits, to ensure Folkston detainees are aware of their regular access to assigned ICE ERO deportation officers.

11 - Closed

Ensure ICE provides copies of ICE request forms and secure drop boxes in all Folkston housing units.

12 - Closed

Ensure Folkston maintains staffing levels outlined in the ICE contract.

13 - Closed

Ensure Folkston properly secures and stores detainee personal property.

2 - Closed

Establish coordination of medical care for detainees moved between Folkston IPC and Folkston Annex and ensure timely access to specialty care.

3 - Closed

Address medical staffing issues at Folkston IPC to ensure adequate mental health care for detainees.

4 - Closed

Require Folkston staff to complete daily medical monitoring of detainees in administrative segregation.

5 - Closed

Provide detainees in segregation at Folkston IPC access to recreation, legal calls, laundry services for bedding and clothing, mail, legal materials, law library, and commissary.

6 - Closed

Ensure Folkston segregation practices related to handcuffing comply with 2011 PBNDS requirements.

7 - Closed

Establish a grievance and facility request tracking system to ensure timely and complete responses to all detainee requests filed at Folkston.

8 - Closed

Ensure Folkston meets ICE’s COVID-19 requirements for wearing masks and social distancing.

9 - Closed

Establish a requests tracking system to ensure timely and complete responses to all detainee requests filed at Folkston.

Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Key Insights: Identity Fraud Reduction and Redress in Pandemic Response Programs

This Insights Report highlights identity fraud related challenges in federal programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. By evaluating previous oversight work in this space from members of the PRAC’s Identity Fraud Reduction and Redress Working Group, this report presents best practices to reduce identity fraud before it occurs and to assist victims of identity fraud if it does occur. These best practices may be helpful for federal agencies to utilize moving forward. This report also identifies that across the federal government there is a larger focus on reducing identity fraud up front, while...

Full Details: Oversight.gov Report Page

Pandemic Response Accountability Committee

Semiannual Report to Congress: October 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022

The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC) Semiannual Report to Congress, covering the period from October 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022.

Date Range

Report Type

Report Category

Submitting Agency

Fraud Type

Agency Reviewed

Related Organizations

Management Challenges

Any Recommendations

Any Open Recommendations

Reports

Semiannual Report to Congress: April 1, 2022 - September 30, 2022

Insights on Telehealth Use and Program Integrity Risks Across Selected Health Care Programs During the Pandemic

FEMA’s Management of Mission Assignments to Other Federal Agencies Needs Improvement

More than $2.6 Million in Potentially Fraudulent LWA Payments Were Linked to DHS Employees’ Identities

FEMA Did Not Implement Controls to Prevent More than $3.7 Billion in Improper Payments from the Lost Wages Assistance Program

A Review of FEMA Funding for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response and Relie

Risk Advisory – Potential Identity or Other Fraud in SBA Pandemic Relief Programs

Violations of ICE Detention Standards at Folkston ICE Processing Center and Folkston Annex

Key Insights: Identity Fraud Reduction and Redress in Pandemic Response Programs

Semiannual Report to Congress: October 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022

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