Following a report from a legislative auditor, some lawmakers are once again calling for the Minnesota Department of Human Services to be split up.
The report found lax oversight of grants intended to help marginalized populations but instead went elsewhere. Now, lawmakers say there are "significant deficiencies" in the department's grant review process.
During a capitol hearing Tuesday, Republican State Representative Jim Abeler asked DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead about the department's approach in granting millions of dollars to local nonprofits that may not have properly spent the money.
Commissioner Harpstead said Abeler's concerns illustrate the tension that exists in their line of work.
"We should be expecting the providers to provide every single form and document and get everything done and make sure they are accountable," Harpstead said. "We need to be flexible and helpful to make sure that small providers, especially [those] who don't have all the resources, are folks that we can help."
Harpstead also told the panel that part of the agency's most recent problems might in part be due to excessive regulation in the grant-making process.
She also said it's grossly unfair to the "caring and competent" people at DHS to look at one audit and declare the department is a mess.
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