DPSS Annual Report 24_25 FLIP v16_compressed

Administrative Services Division

Operations and Infrastructure Support Branch Independent Review

EBT Theft Team Restores Stolen Benefits and Enhances Safeguards

Group Ensures Accountability Through Audits and Asset Oversight The Independent Review Group (IRG) helps ensure customers receive the ser vices they are entitled to by completing audits that measure how well the depart ment meets contract, state and federal requirements. Over the past year, the au dit team completed 48 reviews, reinforc ing accuracy, compliance and service quality across the department. The group’s Asset Inventory Unit also plays a major role in safeguarding depart ment resources. The team is responsible for verifying roughly 40,000 assets each year and accounted for more than 99 percent of the department’s inventory during the 2024 to 2025 cycle.

Investigations Division Chief Shawn Ferris presents Brooke Valdez of the EBT Theft Team an award for her outstanding work.

Independent Review Group by the Numbers FY 2024/2025

10,881 Theft Claims Processed in Fiscal Year 2024/25 with All Eligible Benefits Restored Without Delay The impacts of this work are immediate. When stolen food assistance or cash aid cuts off a household’s access to ba Riverside County’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Theft Team is accelerat ing benefit restorations and strength ening protections for residents who rely on critical safety net programs. The team investigates stolen EBT benefits involving CalFresh and CalWORKs and works in close partnership with the Self Sufficiency Division, the Finance and Forecasting Division and the Special Investigations Unit to verify each claim and replace benefits quickly.

sic needs, even a short delay can create significant hardship. Prompt case re views and rapid restorations help fami lies regain stability while preserving the integrity of public assistance programs. In Fiscal Year 2024/25, the EBT Theft Team processed 10,881 theft claims and ensured that all eligible benefits were restored without delay. Their collabo ration with DPSS divisions and investi gators continues to strengthen fraud detection and prevention efforts at a time when EBT related theft remains a persistent issue across California. Brooke Valdez, a member of the team, received an outstanding support award from DPSS Chief of Investiga tions Shawn Ferris for her work in the prevention of fraud. Together, the EBT Theft Team and its partner divisions are protecting public funds, safeguarding families and reinforcing trust in Riverside County’s vital assistance programs.

39,353 Number of Assets Verified (99% of Total Assets)

48 Number of Completed Audits

4 Number of Foster Home Safety Visits

100

Riverside County Department of Public Social Services | Annual Report 2024 - 2025