SORN 09-90-0079

System name:  Welfare Fraud Detection File, HHS/OS/OIG.

Security classification: None.

System location: At headquarters and regional offices of the OIG Audit Agency, Department of Health and Human Services. See Appendix.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:  Recipients of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Program.

Categories of records in the system:  The system consists of the AFDC recipient records maintained by the State Welfare Agencies. Records contain information on those individuals receiving AFDC payments for themselves or as a payee for dependent children under their guardianship. Records contain information on name, address, date of birth, social security number, sex, names of dependent children, their dates of birth and sex, and monthly grant amount.

Authority for maintenance of the system:  Pub. L. 94-505, October 15, 1976.

Purpose(s):  This system of records is maintained to facilitate the development of a multiple fraud detection program for the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) Program. The program has as its major function the identification of cases which through misrepresentation are on the welfare rolls illegally.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories of users and the purposes of such uses:

In the event of litigation where the defendant is (a) the Department, any component of the Department, or any employee of the Department, or any employee of the Department in his or her official capacity; (b) the United States where the Department determines that the claim, if successful, is likely to directly affect the operations of the Department or any of its components; or (c) any Department employee in his or her individual capacity where the Justice Department has agreed to represent such employee, the Department may disclose such records as it deems desirable or necessary to the Department of Justice to enable that Department to present an effective defense, provided such disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected.

Disclosure may be made to a congressional office from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from the congressional office made at the request of that individual.

The record from this system may be disclosed as a “routine use'' to a Federal, State, or local agency maintaining pertinent records if necessary to obtain a record relevant to a Department decision concerning the determination of initial or continuing eligibility for program benefits.

In the event that a system of records maintained by this agency to carry out its function indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute, or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred, as a routine use to

the appropriate agency, whether state or local charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.

A record from this system of records may be disclosed as a “routine use'' to a federal, state or local agency maintaining civil, criminal or other relevant enforcement records or other pertinent records, such as current licenses, if necessary to obtain a record relevant to an agency decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit.

A record from this system of records may be disclosed to a federal agency, in response to its request in connection with the hiring or retention f an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an employee, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the record is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter.

In the event the Department deems it desirable or necessary, in determining whether particular records are required to be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, disclosure may be made to the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining its advice.

Where federal agencies having the power to subpoena other federal agencies' records, such as the Internal Revenue Service or the Civil Rights Commission, issue a subpoena to the Department for records in this system of records, the Department will make such records available.

When the Department contemplates that it will contract with a private firm for the purpose of collating, analyzing, aggregating or otherwise refining records in this system, relevant records will be disclosed to such a contractor. The contractor shall be required to maintain Privacy Act safeguards with respect to such records.

Records may be disclosed to student volunteers, individuals working under a personal services contract, and other individuals performing functions for the Department but technically not having

the status of agency employees, if they need access to the records in order to perform their assigned agency functions.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records in the system:

Storage:  The records are stored on computer tape files and computer printed listings.

Retrievability:  The records in this system are retrieved by computer and manually using name or social security number.

Safeguards:  Access to and use of these records is restricted to those personnel having a legitimate need for the information including HHS Office of the Inspector General personnel and other relevant

Departmental and State personnel.  Access will be provided outside of the Office of the Inspector General only in those instances where additional information is needed from another agency (e.g., the Social Security Administration or the State Welfare Agency) or where referrals for investigation are warranted. All computer files and printed listings are safeguarded in accordance with the provisions of the National Bureau of Standards Federal Information Processing Standards 41 and 31, and the HHS Information Processing Standards, HHS ADP Systems Manual, Part 6, “ADP Systems Security.''  All computer tapes are password protected prohibiting unauthorized access. Once the program is completed, all computer tapes will be returned to their source, erased or degaussed, and printed listings destroyed.

Retention and disposal:  Records will be updated periodically and source computer tapes will be either returned to the States or destroyed. All computer work tapes will be erased or degaussed, and printed listings destroyed.

System manager(s) and address:  Inspector General/Deputy Inspector General, Room 5262, North

Building, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 330 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201.

Notification procedure:  Individuals wishing to inquire whether this system of records contains information about them should address their inquiries providing their name and social security number to: Privacy Act Officer, Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 5267, North Building, 330 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201.

Record access procedures:  Same as notification procedure. Requestors should also reasonably specify the record contents being sought.

Contesting record procedures:  Contact the official at the address specified under notification procedure above, and reasonably identify the record and specify the information to be contested and corrective action sought with supporting justification.

Record source categories:  State Welfare Agencies which maintain files of AFDC program recipients.

Systems exempted from certain provisions of the act:  None.

Appendix

OIG Audit Agency, Room 5769, North Building, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 330 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201.

Region I:

OIG Audit Agency, Bulfinch Building, 15 New Chardon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114.

Region II:

OIG Audit Agency, Federal Building, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York 10007.

Region III:

OIG Audit Agency, 3535 Market Street, Gateway Building, Room 6100, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101.

Region IV:

OIG Audit Agency, 101 Marietta Tower, Suite 1402, Atlanta, Georgia 30323.

Region V:

OIG Audit Agency, 300 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

Region VI:

OIG Audit Agency, 1100 Commerce Street, Room 4-E10, Dallas, Texas 75242.

Region VII:

OIG Audit Agency, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Region VIII:

OIG Audit Agency, 1185 Federal Building, 1981 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado 80294.

Region IX:

OIG Audit Agency, Federal Office Building, Room 171, 50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, California 94102.

Region X:

OIG Audit Agency, Arcade Plaza Building, Room 6087, 1321 Second Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101.