Follow-Up Audit of Sarasota County Area Transit (SCAT) Liberty Pass Program, December 2017

Information System (HMIS). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website, the HMIS is an electronic database used by agencies serving the homeless to collect information on individuals and families at risk of homelessness or already homeless. When a client makes a request from a third party agency to purchase a Liberty Pass, the agency is expected to validate via the HMIS that determination of eligibility has occurred within the last 12 months. If not, then eligibility must be determined or re-determined. Data was provided from HMIS by the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness for individuals that were provided Liberty Passes that included the time period of October 1, 2015 through June 8, 2016. The data indicates that of the 5,022 Liberty Pass distributions that occurred, there were 367 instances where none of the three eligibility requirements listed in the Enrollment Form were met. Original Recommendations, Report dated September 2016: To ensure compliance with the intent of the Liberty Pass program, the County should mandate third party agencies abide by the requirements as stated in the Enrollment Form. Management Action Plan: Effective October 1, 2017, external agencies no longer sell Liberty Passes. The need for reports and enrollment forms no longer exists. 10 | F o l l o w - u p o f S C A T L i b e r t y P a s s P r o g r a m D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7