The top Republican in the Michigan Senate is requesting an audit of the state’s Child Development and Care Program.
The program uses a mix of federal and state dollars to offer scholarships to low-income families in need of childcare, and grants to the providers that serve them.
In other states, similar programs have come under fire.
In Minnesota, officials have accused dozens of people of scamming the state’s Medicaid system and related programs meant to provide food and housing to those in need.
More recently, conservative influencers have accused child care centers in Minnesota of fraud, with a focus on the state’s Somali-American community. A viral video attracted the attention of President Donald Trump and others in his administration.
Minnesota state officials claim the centers shown in the video were running as normal.
Still, the Trump administration paused childcare payments to Minnesota, Colorado, New York, California and Illinois, also alleging fraud, though without offering specific evidence.
In Michigan, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt's (R-Porter Twp) letter to the state auditor general doesn’t mention Minnesota by name. But it alludes to the concerns.
“[I]n light of troubling reports of similar large-scale fraud related to child care subsidies in other states, I am writing to request that your office conduct an audit of Michigan’s Child Development and Care Program in the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential,” Nesbitt wrote.
The letter drew comparisons to issues with Michigan’s unemployment system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, or MiLEAP, oversees Michigan’s childcare programming. In a statement, it said it’s dedicated to serving the more than 46,000 children whose families rely on scholarships for childcare.
“MiLEAP’s child care programs are subject to regular oversight, including annual audits by the state and federal entities, and the department follows established procedures to identify, prevent, and report any suspected fraud or misuse of funds to the Office of Inspector General," MiLEAP spokesperson Aundreana Jones-Poole said in an email.
"MiLEAP has [a] zero tolerance policy for fraud and anyone trying to abuse the system. The department will take strong action against anyone who tries to abuse funds meant to support families,” Jones-Poole said.
