statewide workgroup develops monitoring tool...
by Ginger Tate, Contributing Editor, Eligibility Support and Fraud Prevention.
A workgroup made up of representatives from early learning coalitions, contractors and early learning staff met over the last three months to review specific requirements for eligibility for each of the programs as well as methodologies to meet those requirements. The workgroup also convened during the Agency’s statewide workshop on August 7 and 8 on School Readiness (SR) and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) eligibility. A representative from the Child Care Bureau also attended the August 7 workshop to provide input about what other states around the country have developed.
The workshop was a great success and an example of the continuing partnership between the Agency and the coalitions. The results of the workgroup and workshop will be used as a basis for the standard statewide eligibility monitoring tools and guidance, as well as the basis for Florida to use in the upcoming USDHHS Improper Payment Authorization Review. The development of standard statewide tools will enable coalitions to replicate the monitoring process used by the Agency’s Eligibility and Support Fraud Prevention (ESFP) unit.
In the first year of implementation, the coalitions will have the option to utilize the standard tool for their subrecipients. If the coalitions choose this option, ESFP will not only provide technical training and support, but will also validate the coalition review rather than conduct a full annual review. Coalitions may opt to have ESFP complete the full review in this implementation year. Some coalitions contract out all or a portion of their VPK and SR eligibility services, as well as their VPK provider qualifications process. The coalitions will monitor their subrecipients using the standard statewide tools. The coalitions that have retained services in house will still receive an onsite monitoring by ESFP for the services offered in house.
As of August 19, all fraud referrals made by a coalition for our early learning programs should be sent to the ESFP Unit via fax at (850) 487-2441, or posted to the coalition’s Coalition Zone on Sharepoint. Once the coalition posts the referral on Sharepoint, the coalition should email Pat Weyer at pat.weyer@flaawi.com or Rodney MacKinnon at Rodney.mackinnon@flaawi.com from the eligibility and fraud unit to notify ESFP of the submission.
August and September eligibility reviews included the Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee (IRMO), St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa-Walton, Big Bend, and Duval coalitions. In October, we will review the Escambia, Sarasota, and Manatee coalitions. We look forward to working with all of the coalitions as we strive to continue our quest for world class eligibility accuracy.
Anyone who has questions about the ESFP Unit or our process may contact Pat Weyer, Eligibility Monitoring Supervisor at (850) 921-3462 or pat.weyer@flaawi.com.
