Fraud Investigation Management System

Case Study

Solano County Special Investigations Bureau

Transforming Fraud Investigation Management for Solano County’s Special Investigations Bureau

Solano County’s Special Investigations Bureau (SIB), part of the Health & Social Services Department, investigates and prevents fraud in public assistance programs while recovering overpayments and restitution from welfare fraud cases. The Bureau also ensures benefit accuracy through quality control reviews and the facilitation of administrative hearings for program clients.

Public assistance program fraud management

Challenge

Solano County SIB relied on a legacy, on-premises Microsoft Access database and Excel spreadsheets to manage mission-critical data for daily operations. The outdated system lacked modern tracking capabilities, was only available to a few users, and made collaboration challenging. Additionally, requesting system enhancements from the IT department was often a lengthy and inefficient process.

When mainstream support for the database ended, it introduced significant security risks. This prompted the Bureau to pursue a modern cloud-based solution that would not only strengthen security but also streamline operations and drive digital transformation.

“The entire Arctic Team was professional and responsive. The flexibility demonstrated by Arctic IT was key towards Solano County meeting our own expectations and timelines.”

Terence McManus

Chief Investigator, Solano County Special Investigations Bureau

Solution

Solano County SIB partnered with Arctic IT, a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner, to develop a modern Fraud Investigation Management System. Built in two phases, the solution leveraged a model-driven Power App on the Microsoft Power Platform to meet the Bureau’s unique needs.

In the first phase, Arctic IT thoroughly assessed the existing system and its limitations to ensure all essential functionality was redeveloped for the SIB. This process considered the workflows and responsibilities of all departmental roles, including clerical staff, overpayments recovery staff, appeals staff, investigators, and accounting. Data from the legacy Access database and spreadsheets was then mapped and migrated into the new system.

The second phase introduced enhanced functionality for the clerical team, including process automation, custom reporting, additional data fields, and new calculation capabilities. At the core of the new application is a ticket management framework, where clerical staff input fraud complaints and determine if further investigation is needed. For cases requiring investigation, the system tracks staff recommendations for prosecution and decisions on fund recovery. Additionally, the system enables the SIB to efficiently export and share reports with various California state agencies, greatly improving collaboration and operational efficiency.

Results

The new Fraud Investigation Management System offers several advantages to the Bureau, including:

  • Modern, flexible platform: The low-code/no-code platform allows for seamless customization and adaptation to changing needs.
  • Enhanced security features: The Microsoft cloud foundation ensures greater data protection that was not possible with the legacy Access database.
  • Improved reporting capabilities and real-time dashboards: Enhanced reporting, tailored to each of the Bureau’s teams, provides live data insights and empowers staff with the tools they need to make informed decisions.
  • Boosted productivity: The system allows for multiple users to interact with the data simultaneously for better cross-team collaboration.

Terence McManus, Chief Investigator for Solano County SIB, added, “The new system creates workflow efficiencies and the ability to better track workload and performance.”

The project received high praise for its speed and execution, particularly given that it ran alongside other initiatives that faced more challenges. “The entire Arctic Team was professional and responsive. The flexibility demonstrated by Arctic IT was key towards Solano County meeting our own expectations and timelines,” said McManus.

When asked what advice he would give to other government agencies looking to modernize applications on Power Apps, McManus responded, “Ensure that participants are committed to the project. Develop an internal team with the ability to voice their concerns and creativity. Identify one person as the project manager to act as the main POC for a successful implementation.”

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