Regardless of the source of funding, state government has an obligation to root out fraud, waste and abuse.  CPAT’s Program Integrity Unit has led efforts to share best practices across state government and enhance internal controls, including: 

  • Working to Standardize, Streamline and Strengthen Program Integrity Programs – CPAT hired the state’s first government-wide program integrity director to make permanent the efforts started by the Lt. Governor’s Task Force on fraud, waste and abuse;
  • Creating a Statewide Network of Program Integrity Professionals to Share Information – the unit started the first Secretariat Program Integrity Steering Committee to bring program integrity professionals from all Secretariats together to collaborate and share best practices for preventing fraud, waste and abuse; and
  • Improving How State Government Tracks and Responds to Audit and Investigative Findings – led efforts to improve collaboration between the executive and oversight offices including the State Auditor, the Inspector General and the Attorney General. A standardized tool was developed that will allow agencies and oversight offices to track oversight findings and agency responses, which will be piloted and implemented in 2013.  This is a critical step forward in improving accountability and making government more effective and will allow state government to spot opportunities for control enhancements.

These efforts will support continued improvement and learning in preventing and detecting fraud, waste and abuse throughout state agencies.