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i. All claims must be submitted to DCS for review. Documents must be uploaded into Virtual ROMA for DCS to review. Upon completion of DCS’ review, a response will be provided to the agency indicating if the claim has been substantiated, denied, or referred. If the claim cannot be substantiated or denied by DCS, the claim will be referred to the MDHS Office of Inspector General.

D. Penalties for Waste, Fraud and Abuse

1) A client who has committed waste, fraud and abuse will be subject to the following sanctions: i If it is the client’s first offense, the individual’s household will be ineligible for services for an entire year from the date of the decision and benefits will be recouped if necessary. Caseworkers must also code the client’s case as sanctioned in Virtual ROMA. 0 If the client is an Employee/Board Member or Volunteer of the agency they must also be terminated, removed from the board or deemed as ineligible to volunteer with any of the agency’s programs. ii If it is the client’s second offense, the individual’s household will be ineligible for services for twenty-four months from the date of the decision and benefits will be recouped if necessary. iii If it is the client’s third offense, the individual will be disqualified permanently from all DCS funded programs and is subject to prosecution and/or recoupment of any benefits provided, following due process as defined in agency regulations. 2) If a representative of the Agency has committed Waste, Fraud and Abuse they shall be terminated or removed from the board. Additionally, they may be subject to prosecution and/or recoupment of any benefits provided, following due process as defined in agency regulations. 3) If a vendor has committed waste, fraud and abuse, the vendor will be suspended from participation and may be subject to prosecution and/or recoupment of any benefits provided, following due process as defined in agency regulations. 4) If there is an error that was caused by the agency’s mistake, misrepresentation or fraud and it results in overpayment, the client or vendor must not be held responsible for repayment. The subgrantee is responsible for repayment from non-federal funds. Source: Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-2(4); Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-4. Revised: January 2026