Brain And Spinal Cord Trust Fund Robbed By It's Board Members

For those of you who don't know Bill Smith sits on this commission.

From http://savannahnow.com/node/374549

Report: Trust fund not used for medical expenses
Brandon Larrabee Saturday, October 13, 2007 at 12:30 am

ATLANTA - A state trust fund aimed at helping brain- and spinal-injury victims lead normal lives inexplicably halted its funds from being used for medical treatment and instead paid for iPods, lawnmowers and appliances, according to a scathing report from state auditors.
But the director of the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund said the report does not paint a full picture of the agency's efforts and seems to spring at least in part from a misunderstanding of the fund's role.
The audit takes the commission overseeing the fund to task for limiting its spending on medical expenses, devoting its funds to seemingly frivolous purchases, and allowing administrative expenses to eat up money that could be going to those the fund is supposed to help.
"Improvements are needed in all aspects of the operations of the trust fund. ... Our review found that the commission is not administering the trust fund in keeping with the fund's overall purpose as outlined in the constitutional amendment and state law," the auditors wrote.
The fund was set up under an amendment to the state Constitution approved by voters in 1998, with revenue generated from a 10 percent fee on DUI convictions.
Auditors questioned the commission's interpretation of the law, namely the agency's belief that it doesn't have to pay for medical expenses and should instead focus its efforts on trying to help Georgians with spinal and brain injuries lead independent lives.
The commission will provide up to $5,000 for some medical expenses that follow the initial accident that causes a brain or spinal-cord injury, but not for the cost of care for the accident itself.
But the auditors said failing to do so likely runs afoul of state laws and didn't match up with what legislators meant when they created the fund.
"According to an e-mail from the legislator who co-sponsored the amendment that created the trust fund, he understand 'care and rehabilitation' to include 'provid(ing) money to help pay for the catastrophic medical costs of accident victims whose insurance is exhausted,' " the audit said.
Craig Young, executive director of the fund, said paying for medical expenses wasn't necessary in many cases and could eat up much of the fund's revenues. He said that as few as three awards for medical expenses could use up the fund in a given year, even though many of those with brain or spinal-cord injuries already have access to private insurance or public assistance.
He also said the governor's office and the attorney general's office haven't differed with the commission on its interpretation of the law.
"We just think the auditors kind of missed the boat on their particular take," Young said.
The report also scolds the agency for spending funds on a variety of items that auditors suggest are more frivolous than medical bills.
"While the commission will not use the trust fund to cover persons' major medical expenses, it routinely uses the fund to pay for such items as home modifications, cars, car insurance, household furniture and appliances, personal electronics (such as an (iPod) and computers), and lawn and garden equipment (such as lawnmowers and a 12-row sprayer)," auditors wrote.
But Young said expenses that seem questionable to someone outside the program hold up when looked at in the right context. The iPod, he said, was given to a school custodian who used it to block out the noise or activity that otherwise caused problems because of the custodian's brain injury.
A woman with a wheelchair needed a side-loading washer and dryer because she couldn't reach up far enough to open top-loading machines, he said. Similar stories lie behind other expenses cited by the report.
"We looked them all up, and I'm satisfied with every one of them," Young said.
He also said the commission has taken steps to limit its administrative funding to 11 percent - although auditors say that's largely by moving some of the expenses to other parts of the agency's budget - and moving to recover any funds that recipients didn't spend within a year of when the grants were rewarded, two other concerns raised by the report.

TRSP Review: The only thing I will say is "an Ipod to block out noise." Don't you put the earphones in you ears and listen to music. The louder your environment the louder the Ipod.

No wonder Mr. Craig young refused to kick the Sheriff off the board. He is just as bad as Smith. Did he really think that we would believe that.

Maybe the Governor will listen now. Or I can always campaign against him. i am sure the Dems would like that office back. Governor you need to piss or get off the pot, and take action. You have ran from this problem from day one.