SC

SCDSS: More Food Stamp Problems

AGENCY’S PROGRAMS ONCE AGAIN UNDER FIRE …  This website has been all over the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS), exposing problems at the Palmetto State’s welfare agency that – until recently – went completely unreported by the mainstream media. That changed this year.  In fact SCDSS director Lillian Koller…

AGENCY’S PROGRAMS ONCE AGAIN UNDER FIRE … 

This website has been all over the S.C. Department of Social Services (SCDSS), exposing problems at the Palmetto State’s welfare agency that – until recently – went completely unreported by the mainstream media.

That changed this year.  In fact SCDSS director Lillian Koller was forced to resign as a result of scandals at the agency blowing up – although as we’ve noted her departure hasn’t really fixed anything at the agency.

Case in point?  Ongoing issues with the agency’s implementation of federal food stamp benefits.

According to our sources, program managers of the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are worried Washington is about to revoke a waiver now being used in the Palmetto State that allows clients to have their applications processed by phone.

Sources at the agency tell FITS the average wait time for this call system is seventy minutes – which the feds say is far too long for people to remain on hold.

“The current system in play now is not working,” one SCDSS source told us, adding that the agency refuses to invest in front-line personnel but spends millions of dollars on unnecessary bureaucracy.

“More and more money is being wasted every day on new systems, more consultants, more job developers, more mid-level supervisors,” the source explained, adding that “if all the money that has been wasted on failed processes was used to hire more line workers we would not be in this mess.”

Not only that, our source claims that local offices are “no longer equipped” to process applications in person.

Also SCDSS employees are being told not to speak about problems with the current system to state lawmakers – part of an ongoing effort by the agency to keep information hidden from the S.C. General Assembly.

FITS has previously reported on serious problems with South Carolina’s food stamp distribution – notably the alleged fudging of error rates.  These “cooked books” allegedly created artificial reductions that enabled our state to receive more federal money.  In fact this website published SCDSS documents showing that the agency’s food stamp error rate magically disappearing over a period of a few months in 2011.

Sounds like fraud to us …

How much money is spent on food stamps in South Carolina?  It’s not clear.  The state’s food stamp budget – roughly $1.5 billion a year in 2013 – was yanked offline this year.

Nationally, 23 million American families received food stamps in 2013 – or 20 percent of all American households.  The program cost taxpayers $80 billion – more than twice the inflation-adjusted $30 billion it cost taxpayers in 2003.

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25 comments

Forensic Audit The State of SC August 13, 2014 at 11:50 am

A criminal operation trying to keep evidence from being uncovered. Its no different than SC state representative Cobb-Hunter making an attempt to put $200,000.00 of our money in her own pocket via an earmark she had put in a house bill. The dirty b**ch should have already been arrested by SLED. Where is Allan Wilson on that? Where is Allan Wilson on this? Why are these white collar felons not being prosecuted?? The law is clear. DSS is, and always has been, a CESSPOOL of corruption. And why? Because there are a bunch of fucked up long timers still working there who engage in it.

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jimlewisowb August 13, 2014 at 1:28 pm

Retired many moons ago and have little contact with any current DSS employees

When I was involved with DSS it was my opinion that 5% of the employees were responsible for 95% of the problems

Of that 5% very few were line employees or long term employees. They were political appointees and upper management Asswipes who were shoe horned into their positions will little to no loyalty to the taxpayers or to the individuals they were to serve

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shifty henry August 13, 2014 at 3:07 pm

What do you have when you have 50 government employees and 50 lesbians in the same office? A hundred people who don’t do dick…

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Winner! August 13, 2014 at 3:17 pm

Ha! Nicely done.

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Haley Is Not Leader Material August 13, 2014 at 6:49 pm

Responsible for fraud? Responsible for giving our SNAP benefits to 3 or 4 people living in the same household?
No sir. The “line” employees can, and some are, just as much doing things they should not, or should be, just like “upper” management.

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jimlewisowb August 13, 2014 at 7:25 pm

25 years out of the loop brings about a lot of changes and you have made some good points

Still of the opinion that when the majority of State Agencies went under political patronage their fate was doomed

Some of the career employees at that time were deadwood and the inbreeding did have some serious consequence, however none of those situations rise to the level of butt fucking of the taxpayers by the appointments of Haley

As a collective gene pool with Koller being the poster child is there any doubt Why Gorillas Don’t Fuck Humans

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nitrat August 14, 2014 at 9:29 am

“…State Agencies went under political patronage their fate was doomed”
And, THAT is exactly what ‘reorganization’ and the ‘cabinet system’ did…took a Merit System based on actually having to pass Merit tests and turned it into the spoils/crony system.
How in the world did The State, Brad Warthen, Cindi Scoppe and the idiots in the legislature think that would be moving forward??

Karolyn August 14, 2014 at 8:00 am

Even at the local level, long-timer caseworkers making home visits don’t even get out of their cars but sit in the driveway and honk their horns.

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Adam August 13, 2014 at 12:36 pm

Nothing will be done unless the mainstream media picks up the story say a Jody Bar, because Haley does not want any negative press
before the election.
becuase Hakey

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Karolyn August 14, 2014 at 7:59 am

This is why Sheheen needs to be elected!

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nitrat August 13, 2014 at 1:24 pm

I was told by a DSS program coordinator that the wait time is regularly 2 HOURS +.

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My job is collecting welfare August 13, 2014 at 3:18 pm

Who cares, it’s not like any of those waiting have anything better to do.

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sad reality August 13, 2014 at 1:37 pm

the elected & appointed officials (most of them) in SC should be ashamed of themselves. making deals and enhancing their lifestyles on the back of the citizens. SC is not isolated in these dealings. i can only speak of one debacle at a time. it is truly sad that people campaign on what they are going to do and all but forget their names once elected. kickbacks and “whatch ya goin to do for me” is what appears to be most prevalent. this state is so corrupt with scandals, yet no one has the backbone, stamina or conscience to STOP all this crap that is ruining our state. there are people at the grassroots level trying to make a difference, only to be shot down or dismissed by those in authority pointing fingers at some other agency or “there is no provision or recourse in the law to prevent that activity”. so why have these toothless laws? who passes these laws? those elected officials, mainly attorney’s. surely it would be shocking, but pleasantly, if someone would stop the corruption. just imagine the improvements that could be made, the progress that could forge ahead. we can just pray people develop a conscience and do something with it.

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Deo Vindice SC August 13, 2014 at 6:26 pm

The money spent in SC, paid for by SC taxpayers, ETC, has never been accounted for, or controlled for a long time. Our Elite government uses this money to benefit themselves in many ways. One thing is clear to me, SLED is not a Law Enforcement Division. The Elected Officials do not work for the people of SC. We are screwed. Plain and simple.

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$$Top Heavy Manaement$$ August 13, 2014 at 7:15 pm

KATHY GETTYS PROGRAM MANAGER III $ 112,939.00

KATIE MORGAN PROGRAM MANAGER II $111,870.00

WILLIAM BRAY PROGRAM MANAGER III $106,995.00

AMBER GILLUM PROGRAM MANAGER II $103,934.00

ROGER BRYANT PROGRAM MANAGER II $97,984.00

LEIGH BOLICK PROGRAM MANAGER II $97,869.00

KELLY CORDELL PROGRAM MANAGER II $91,996.00

SCOTT LUDLAM PROGRA MANAGERII $88,778.00

GREG FROHNAPPEL PROGRAM MANAGERII $88,043.00

KEITH FRAZIER PROGRAM MANAGER II $84,057.00

LENORA REESE PROGRAM MANAGER II $82,575.00

LARRY MCKEOWN PROGRAM MANAGER II $82,226.00

LAURA MCLENDON PROGRAM MANAGER II $82,046.00

CHRISTINE WRIGHT PROGRAM MANAGER II $65,920.00

MARY HOBBSP ROGRAM MANAGER II $81,583.00

BEVERLY HUNTER PROGRAM MANAGER I $79,722.00

ELAINE BAILEY PROGRAM MANAGER II $77,723.00

REBECCA SHARP PROGRAM MANAGER II $77,400.00

ELIZABETH STROUPPROGRAM MANAGER II $75,500.00

STEPHEN RIVERS PROGRAM MANAGER $63,500.00

KARAMA BAILEY PROGRAM MANAGERII $75,072.00
ROBERT BRIMMER PROGRAM MANAGER II $74,750.00
FRANK OAKLEY PROGRAM MANAGER II $73,130.00
DEBRA BARTHOLOMA PROGRAM MANAGER II $72,821.00
RONALD SMITH PROGRAM MANAGER II $72,821.00
ODESSA WILLIAMS PROGRAM MANAGER II $72,821.00
SANDRA STURKIE PROGRAM MANAGER II $70,700.00
SUNDIATA WHITAKER PROGRAM MANAGER II $70,700.00
RONALD KREIN PROGRAM MANAGER II $70,636.00
KATHARINE BROPHY PROGRAM MANAGER II $70,000.00
JOB EASLEY PROGRAM MANAGER I $69,461.00
SUSAN O’TOOLE PROGRAM MANAGER II $68,980.00
WANDA SQUIRESPROGRAM MANAGER II $66,435.00
YVONNE STEWART PROGRAM MANAGER II $66,203.00
DEBRA BRIDGES PROGRAM MANAGER I $66,040.00
GLENN FARROWPROGRAM MANAGER II $65,722.00
NIKITA HARRISON PROGRAM MANAGER I $63,881.00
CYNTHIA LARA PROGRAM MANAGER II $64,730.00
CAROLYNS HERMAN PROGRAM MANAGER II $65,721.00
MAGGIE MCDONALD PROGRAM MANAGER II $65,721.00

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$$Top Heavy$$ August 13, 2014 at 7:27 pm

More and More and More.

There are way too many managers and attorneys on the government payroll at DSS … Check it out >>> http://www.thestate.com/statesalaries/

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john August 14, 2014 at 6:56 am

Ron Smith no longer employed and Frank Oakley them my want to clean up the database.

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Huh, what? August 14, 2014 at 9:10 am

Is this a special brand of DSS english?

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Fire Haley Harrell Leatherman August 13, 2014 at 7:32 pm

South Carolina Tax Payers Have Been Suckered Long Enough.
Before the days of the internet, government entities and elected/appointed officials found it easy to get away with what they do. They still have that mindset. But not anymore. People are getting more and more pissed off with the more they so easily learn now.
Haley does not know how to run nor manage anything. She needs to be kicked to the curb. She is a con artist … a psychopath that smiles and attempts to charm others to cover up her serious lack of ability to be in charge of anything.

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Karolyn August 14, 2014 at 7:57 am

They don’t do anything at local DSS offices anymore. People have to wait weeks for help from Columbia. Seniors, if they’re not working, are on a special senior nutrition program; but if they are working are on SNAP. If a senior works (making minimal money) an on-again, off-again job, they need to switch programs every time the job situation changes and wait several weeks to be OK’d. It’s a mess!

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See Haley Now 4 What She Is August 14, 2014 at 10:45 am

Why wont Haley update the SC Government employee database???? it is over 14 months old!!!!
I do not trust Haley anymore.

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concerned August 14, 2014 at 4:35 pm

They should take a look at Laurens County, Director driving state car home every night and letting special workers do the same!

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jimlewisowb August 14, 2014 at 6:21 pm

A lot of DSS investigations take place after 6 PM

These special workers have to witness clients in their natural habitat

Therefore you will naturally see these special workers loading up their groceries at Walmart into a State vehicle, stopping by Little’s Caesar’s for the nightly special, dropping by Great Clips to get a blow job, my bad, blow cut, pop in the little Korean place off the bypass to eliminate the hangnail obtained from getting in and out of the State vehicle more times than the Energizer Bunny can whack his drum

Also don’t be surprised if you see a carload of these special workers roll out of a State vehicle at a local bar. No investigation would be complete if one did not witness personal and up close a client pulling on a long neck PBR

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concerned August 14, 2014 at 9:20 pm

These special workers are not CPS workers nor are they conducting investigations…more like special friends.

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guest August 24, 2014 at 10:24 pm

At least now it is out in the open Tax Payers have no idea of how misused their dollars truly are. Vincent, you are our only hope

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