Indicted employee suspended by panel
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The state Civil Service Commission on Wednesday approved the suspension of a state health agency employee accused of theft of public disaster relief funds.
The action affected the job status of Felicia Carroll, of Jeanerette, a state Department of Health and Hospitals employee.
Carroll is one of 14 current and former state employees under federal indictment for activities that occurred between September 2005 and October 2008.
The indictment alleges the individuals were involved in the fraudulent certification of Disaster Food Stamp cases following hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike.
Carroll objected to the suspension sought by DHH.
“The allegations against me they said I did are mere allegations,” Carroll told the commission. “They say an employee has to be trusted to do their job duties. I have been doing so.”
Carroll is a Medicaid analyst who determines the eligibility of individuals for the government health insurance program.
DHH lawyer Alice Landry said Carroll is accused of the falsification of records.
“She is alleged to have taken money from the federal government … related to work she did on loan to the Department of Social Services distributing food stamps,” Landry said. She noted that the benefit went to some of Carroll’s family and friends.
“We can’t take the risk with all the Medicaid fraud out there” to keep Carroll on the job, Landry said.
Carroll can use employee leave time to continue to receive pay until it is used up.
Landry said federal prosecutors have said there will be a February trial date.
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