(a) Quality control reviews for federal entitlement programs. Administered by the Office of Inspector General, ARU's major mandate is to assure the Department's accountability for funds expended in the Medicaid and Food Stamp programs. This responsibility is accomplished by a federally prescribed QC analysis of a prescribed number of cases annually. The purpose of the process is to validate conformity to the Department's policies and decisions made regarding eligibility and amount of benefits paid. ARU transmits the official QC review findings for all sampled cases through NIQCS, an automated data base from which the federal agencies receive reports. Also, FSSD's quality assurance staff receive the QC findings to use in the Department's quality assurance process.

(b) Quality control reviews for other Department administered programs. ARU is also mandated to help assure the Department's accountability for funds expended in the TANF and Day Care programs. This is accomplished by a state prescribed QC analysis of a prescribed number of cases annually. The purpose of the process is to help assure statewide conformity to the Department's policies regarding program eligibility for TANF and TANF Work requirements. For the TANF program both agency processes and client outcomes are measured and reported to help assure the Department's compliance with federal TANF block grant funding requirements. FSSD quality assurance staff receive the QC findings to use in the Department's quality assurance process.

(c) Error reduction program participation. ARU coordinates with OFO and FSSD in an error reduction initiative. Upon request, ARU provides reviewer and supervisor expertise by participating in error reduction activities.

(d) Survey and project participation. ARU reviewers conduct surveys or study projects when requested by OIG, program, or administrative divisions if time and staffing permit.

(e) Program needs assessments. ARU conducts an ongoing program needs assessment, a component of the Department's strategic planning process. Clients are selected for participation in conjunction with the random QC samples, and a questionnaire is completed for each client selected.