Update: DOJ OIG Audit of OJP Crime Victim Fund Victim Compensation Grant Results in Repayments of $259,414 and Total Cost Savings of $574,619
Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz announced today that a DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) of Lansing, Michigan, has resulted in repayments of $259,414 and a total cost savings of $574,619.
In January 2018, the OIG issued an audit report assessing an Office of Justice Programs (OJP) grant to provide financial support to crime victims throughout Michigan, under OJP’s Victim Compensation Formula Grant Program. During the audit, the OIG found that although the MDHHS used its grant funds to enhance its victim compensation program, the MDHHS did not complete its annual financial certifications correctly. The amounts reported by a grantee on the annual financial certification lead directly to the amount OJP awards it in future years. Thus, an inaccurate report can cause the grantee to receive excess or too little subsequent funding.
Since the audit, the MDHHS has repaid the federal government $259,414 in excess grant funds awarded by OJP due to the inaccurate reporting. In addition, OJP worked with the MDHHS to correct the amounts reported on its fiscal year (FY) 2016 Crime Victim Compensation State Certification Form. These corrections prevented the MDHHS from receiving $315,205 more than it should have in its FY 2018 Victim Compensation Formula Grant.
The OIG’s January 2018 report is available on the OIG’s website at the following link: https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2018/g5018001.pdf.