On Aug. 13, 2021, FNS awarded approximately $2.5 million in SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grants to support state agency efforts to improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection, and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.
FY 2021 Award Summaries
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) awarded the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grants to support five state agency projects:
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration ($750,000)
Strengthen its SNAP program integrity function by adopting a fraud detection system. The integration of the systems will allow Indiana to analyze eligibility, transaction, and third-party data – both from other state entities and from external sources – in one platform. - Missouri Department of Social Services ($415,025)
Develop a “Fraud Finder” Data Analytic Application to add new fraud finder functionality that will have multiple “modules”. The goal is to reference patterns more effectively in historical data, outline report components and constraints, prioritize caseload based on traceable metrics, and leverage data to uncover patterns and insights for recipient fraud detection. - Tennessee Department of Human Services ($554,786)
Evaluate and expand SLEB program and law enforcement partnerships. Perform business process reengineering on the processes used to investigate and adjudicate fraud and trafficking cases resulting not only from the SLEB program, but also from the claims process with a focus on criminal prosecution. State staff will also take part of professional learning and development through several trainings. - Texas Health and Human Services Commission ($282,450)
Hold a SNAP Fraud Awareness and Prevention Conference designed to enhance interviewing skills used with collateral contacts and SNAP recipients who have provided questionable information during the SNAP application process. Training sessions will employ a collaborative approach to pre-eligibility fraud prevention that includes the entire SNAP application process from eligibility determination to prosecution and benefit recovery activities. - Rhode Island Office of Internal Audits ($539,628)
Implement Legal Counsel within the Fraud Detection and Prevention Unit (FDP) to advise with perspective to investigations and disposition. Through this project, the state will enhance evidence packages submitted for prosecution, increase the number of cases pursued administratively, and increase disqualification rate based on the identification of fraudulent activity.
These two-year grants will fund projects that support the implementation of the SNAP Fraud Framework – a collection of procedures, innovative ideas, and best practices provided to state agencies in May 2018. FNS created the SNAP Fraud Framework to improve state efforts to detect, investigate, and prevent SNAP recipient fraud.