Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

Electronic Benefit Transfer System (Follow-Up Review)

In New York State, public assistance benefits and food stamp benefits are provided electronically through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). The system was implemented in New York City in 1999, before it was made available in the rest of the State. In our prior audit report 99-S-51, we examined the implementation of the system in New York City and found that a number of improvements were needed in OTDA’s oversight of the two contractors responsible for operating the system.. In particular, even though benefits were supposed to be provided to clients free of charge, some clients were paying significant surcharges at ATM machines owned by one of the contractors. In our follow-up review, we found that significant progress had been made by OTDA in implementing the recommendations contained in our prior report.

For a complete copy of Report 2002-F-27 click here.
For a copy of the 90-day response click here.