OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL (OIG) SEEKS ACCREDITATION

NASHVILLE, TN – Tennessee’s anti-fraud unit for the TennCare public health insurance program is seeking accreditation for meeting the highest law enforcement standards.

An on-site assessment of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is scheduled for August 27-30 by a team of assessment inspectors representatives from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).

“Involvement in the accreditation process is strictly voluntary,” Inspector General Deborah Y. Faulkner said. “Our agency has chosen this intense process in order to ensure the OIG can deliver the level of professional law enforcement services the citizens of Tennessee deserve, as the process requires a total commitment by all personnel.”

The assessors will review written policies and procedures and conduct interviews to determine compliance with over 400 standards. The assessors are William Carter of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, who is the team leader, and Mark Keel from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.

Telephone comments will be accepted by the assessors on Monday, August 28th, 2006, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. CST at 615-687-7275 or 800-433-3982 (toll-free). Telephone comments are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA Standards.

Once the assessors complete their review of the agency, the team leader will submit a written report to the full 21-member commission, which will then decide if the agency will be granted an accredited status.

Accreditation is for three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards which it was initially accredited.

Governor Phil Bredesen created the OIG, one of the first units of its kind in the nation, in 2004. Since it became operational in February 2005, 283 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.