In accordance with Title 2.2 Chapter 3.2 (§ 2.2-307 through 2.2-313) of the Code of Virginia, the Office of the State Inspector General (OSIG) is responsible for:

• Investigating complaints alleging fraud, waste, abuse or corruption by an executive branch state agency, non-state agency or officers, employees or contractors of those agencies.

• Administering the Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Reward Fund.

• Overseeing the State Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline.

• Conducting performance reviews of state agencies.

• Providing training and coordination of standards for the Commonwealth’s internal audit functions.

• Performing inspections and making policy and operational recommendations for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services facilities and providers.

• Reviewing operations of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. Consistent with these responsibilities, OSIG completed the following activities during FY 2020:

Investigations and Administration Division

• Investigations Unit

o Opened 51 executive branch state agency investigations.
o Investigated allegations of fraud, conflict of interest, misappropriation, procurement violations, and waste and abuse.
o Referred six cases for prosecutorial consideration.
o Closed 26 cases.

• State Fraud, Waste & Abuse Hotline

o Assigned 318 cases for investigation.
o Of the 326 cases closed, 25 percent were substantiated and 75 percent were unsubstantiated.
o Investigated 33 cases in-house for allegations that involved an agency head, internal audit employee or an “at-will" employee.
o Completed 10 work paper reviews of internal audit departments or hotline coordinators and one follow-up investigative review for compliance with recommendations.

• Internal Audit Oversight and Training Services

o Conducted one quality assurance review.
o Coordinated six training courses, which provided up to 48 continuing education credits to more than 250 individuals.

Audit and Inspections Division

• Audit Unit

o Published three performance audits and a report on unannounced inspections at 13 DBHDS facilities.
o Issued 36 findings and observations.
o Issued 70 audit recommendations.

• Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Unit

o Processed 603 complaints.
o Participated in unannounced inspections of 13 DBHDS facilities.
o Published a special project on medication variances at DBHDS facilities.
o Participated in Work Group - HB 1942 on local and regional jail mental health standards.
o Hosted training on mortality reviews, death investigations and root cause analysis.

Communications and Outreach

o Presented to 17 local, state and national organizations’ meetings.
o Responded to 106 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) inquiries.
o Processed more than 45 responsive and proactive media contacts.
o Responded to 672 general inquiry complaints.
o Distributed 17 news releases resulting in multiple statewide media placements.
o Added Instagram to the OSIG social media network.

OSIG Meets All Major Standards in Peer Review

The Association of Inspectors General (AIG) Peer Review Team unanimously concluded that OSIG’s Audit and Inspections Division and its Investigations and Behavioral Health and Developmental Services units complied with the major standards set by the AIG Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General (Green Book) and the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) (Yellow Book) issued by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The AIG Peer Review Team conducted the peer review, OSIG’s first, in fall 2019. State Inspector General Michael C. Westfall said the peer review confirmed that OSIG’s work adheres to professional standards and includes quality controls to ensure that the agency’s work is of the highest possible quality.