After launching its own investigation, the Chicago Department of Public Health ( CDPH ) Office of HIV/AIDS and STD programs has officially handed over all records, reports and communications received from and about the Minority Outreach Intervention Project ( MOIP ) to the City of Chicago's Inspector General's Office. The investigation was initiated after CDPH received several complaints of alleged fraud and mismanagement.
According to Daniel Ash, director of development and marketing and public relations, all future inquires as to the investigation and its possible effect on programming and personnel at MOIP should be referred to the Inspector General's Office. Assistant Commissioner Christopher Brown, HIV/AIDS Public Policy and Programs, added that with the transfer of his office's files, his office, along with many other interested city employees and residents, will need to patiently wait for recommendations from the Inspector General's Office.
"We are going to aggressively pursue this investigation and allegations made with regard to misconduct on the part of the delegate agency [ MOIP ] , as well as any individuals in the delegate agency who were involved in any wrongdoing," said Alexander Vroustouris, inspector general. "Initially we have to review what the department of health has already done. From there we will proceed in whatever way the investigation leads us. We do intend to completely determine what the facts are before coming to any conclusion and making recommendations."
Vroustouris added that whenever cases are referred to his office, there have been irregularities determined by the operating agency [ CDPH ] , whether it's the departments of health and human services, aging or other city agencies.
"Departments only forward allegations to us regarding delegate agencies if their initial monitoring reveals something more than sloppy record-keeping or incompetence," he said. "So it's relatively rare that delegate agencies are referred to us—but it has happened before." While Vroustouris was unable to state exactly when the investigation will be completed, he did say it would soon.
The Inspector General's Office's recommendations can run the gamut—from finding no wrong doing and advising no reprimands of the delegate agency, to finding evidence of criminal misconduct leading to possible indictment and/or criminal prosecution.
Vroustouris was unable to determine, at this point, when his office's investigation will be concluded, but he said, "As quickly as possible."
