(The Center Square) – In response to a recent audit by the county auditor, the King County Department of Community and Human Services has begun overhauling its operations, a process that has already uncovered one confirmed loss of public funds.
Audit findings from August revealed that DCHS distributed more than $1.5 billion in 2023 and 2024 combined, a 95% increase from $922 million in 2019 and 2020 combined. There were 19 flagged potential improper payments for DCHS to review that included the potential of fraud across multiple DCHS contracts, with the audit pointing to the department’s hybrid payment model, which sets monthly payments based on contract budgets. The audit found that the department’s oversight process, including its hybrid model for grants, failed to keep up, leading to improper payments.
The King County Council later approved Ordinance 2025-0266, which requires annual reviews of DCHS contractors, immediate site visits for any reports of fraud or waste, mandated in-person check-ins every three years, and a progress report to the county council by March 2026…