10/19/2005
Media Contact:
Roger Rayl, 327-5765 rrayl@indygov.org |
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Children's Therapist Charged
INDIANAPOLIS—Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi today announced that he has filed charges against a speech therapist who billed for services she claimed to have provided to developmentally disabled preschoolers. Tracy Looper, a former contract services provider with the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), faces one count of official misconduct (D felony), two counts of Forgery (C felonies) and one count of theft (D felony).
According to the probable cause affidavit, Looper first contracted with the FSSA in 1999 to provide speech therapy to eligible children for the organization's First Steps program. First Steps links disabled children, from birth to age 3, with health, educational or social service professionals. The contract called for her to go to the children's homes to provide services to both the children and their parents. She would then bill FSSA for reimbursement. This continued through the end of 2004, when she cancelled her contract.
In February and November 2004, two parents filed complaints with First Step administrators. Each had received a report stating that Looper had been to their homes on 10 separate dates. However, the parents charged that Looper was never there on those dates.
In June 2005, the FSSA followed up on those complaints by conducting a sampling audit on Looper's account for calendar year 2004. The auditor contacted 10 of Looper's clients, all of whom said she did not provide the services for which she billed the state. The audit concluded that she had overbilled an estimated $34,292.24 from the First Steps program in 2004.
The results of an investigation by the Inspector General's investigation were submitted to the Prosecutor's Office, resulting in the charges filed today.
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