Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on food assistance to the needy in Michigan each month, and State Representative John Proos says that, unfortunately, the programs used to bring those funds to qualified recipients are often abused. He's supporting a package of legislation introduced this week that cracks down on potential Bridge Card fraud. Among other things, the bills would require that a photo of the authorized Bridge Card user is put right on it. The legislation would also require that prisoners be stopped from getting the cards:
Furthermore, the legislation specifically prohibits the purchase of tobacco, alcohol, or lottery tickets with Bridge Cards. Proos says that the overall intent is to make sure those dollars are spent responsibly:
Michigan Department of Human Services spokesperson Gisgie Davila-Gendreau tells us that there are two types of Bridge Cards -- those used only for food, and those that are treated like cash. That second one can be used for pretty much anything, and there's a reason:
She also says that, sometimes, acts of Bridge Card fraud will involve people selling them to others who aren't authorized:
Other cases may simply involve someone lying on their application for assistance. Either way, DHS is always interested in investigating potential abuse:
She says that in 2009, DHS received over eleven-thousand complaints of possible fraud. In Berrien County, there were 29-thousand people receiving food assistance in January of this year, with an average cost about 124-dollars each.
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Dave Sanders
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