DeWine highlights anti-fraud measures

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Governor Mike DeWine has reaffirmed that Ohio has strong safeguards in place to prevent fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars in the state’s publicly funded childcare system and emphasized the importance of the public in reporting suspected fraud.   

“Ohio takes allegations of fraud in our child care system seriously,” Governor DeWine said on Monday. “We have built multiple layers of accountability into our system, and we actively encourage Ohioans to report concerns so we can investigate and take action.”

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) has taken numerous steps to combat fraud in 2025, and will impliment additional safeguards this year. Those steps were detailed in a statement Governor DeWine released last week. 

   Since the creation of DCY, daycare attendance has been verified by requiring a personal identification number (PIN) with a photo confirmation or a location-specific QR code.

   In June 2025, DCY began an anti-PIN-sharing enforcement process. More than 65,000 families were reminded that PINs must never be shared with providers. As a result, over 7,500 families reset their PINs.

DCY also conducts unannounced health and safety inspections and reviews family eligibility and financial management practices.

Prior to last week’s statement released by Governor DeWine, the Department of Children and Youth had received 124 tips from the public. Of those tips, 61 have resulted in daycare centers being required to pay back overpayments to the State. They have also resulted in the Department of Children and Youth closing 12 programs. Further, it was found that 30 of the daycare centers identified through the tips are operating in accordance with state and federal laws. And, 26 are still in the final stages of review.
 
After DeWine’s statement, DCY received an additional 26 tips that have now either been investigated or are in the process of being investigated.

The Department encourages the public to send in tips on potential fraud. Since the creation of the Department of Children and Youth, a toll-free hotline (1-844-234-5437) has been in place and also a dedicated fraud reporting email address. A “Report Fraud” tool on the front page of the Department’s website is designed to help the public send in tips about potential fraud.