Wisconsin Shares Suspension

Provider Name Licensed Capacity* Shares Authorizations* Most Recent Monthly Payment
Halena's Lean On Me Child Care Ctr 16 25 (August, 2011) $13,901 (August, 2011)

*At suspension unless otherwise noted

Rationale for Reasonable Suspicion of Program Violation:

The Department of Children and Families suspended all Wisconsin Shares payments to the provider based on a reasonable suspicion that the provider violated provisions of the Wisconsin Shares program. The suspension was based upon a combination of red flags indicating a likelihood of Shares violations and the following findings from the Department’s investigation including but not limited to: 1) the provider’s failure to provide access to the child care facility during the provider’s stated hours of operation; 2) the provider’s failure to have attendance records available at the child care site when the department requested to review them;3) the provider’s failure to maintain and submit accurate attendance records as required by the Shares program; and 4) the provider’s failure to comply with the statutes, promulgated rules, or policies of the Wisconsin Shares program.

The Department has been unable to verify the actual care of children by the provider’s 2429 N 40th St. facility. The Department attempted to visit the provider’s facility on 1/13/2011 at 9:00 AM and was unsuccessful in gaining access to the facility. The unsuccessful attempt(s) to verify the presence of children attending the provider’s facility raises a strong and reasonable suspicion that the provider was billing the Wisconsin Shares program for children who did not actually attend the provider’s child care facility. The Department reviewed the provider’s billing records and confirmed the provider billed for children as being in attendance on 1/13/2011 at 9:00 AM even though the Department was unable to observe any children in attendance.

The Department has been unable to verify the actual care of children by the provider’s 2430 N 40th St. facility. The Department attempted to visit the provider’s facility on 3/8/2011 at 8:45 AM and was unsuccessful in gaining access to the facility. The unsuccessful attempt(s) to verify the presence of children attending the provider’s facility raises a strong and reasonable suspicion that the provider was billing the Wisconsin Shares program for children who did not actually attend the provider’s child care facility. The Department reviewed the provider’s billing records and confirmed the provider billed for children as being in attendance on 3/8/2011 at 8:45 AM even though the Department was unable to observe any children in attendance.

During an onsite visit on 10/15/2009, the provider was unable to provide investigators with requested attendance records from 8/1/2009 through 8/7/2009.

The Department has evidence that the provider

  • Billed for more hours than children actually attended.
  • Billed for children who did not appear on the attendance records or were marked as absent on the attendance records.

The Department of Children and Families, protecting children, strengthening families, building communities.