King County DCHS Seeks to Put Fraud Concerns to Bed with New Protocol

King County’s Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is implementing new oversight protocols following a 2025 audit that flagged 19 of 36 youth program contracts for potential issues. The King County Office of the Ombuds released a report in May citing $446,000 in possible fund misuse, though no fraud has been confirmed. DCHS has adopted nine new policies, created provider trainings, established an anti-fraud protocol, and is hiring additional compliance staff to strengthen accountability over the $1.8 billion it distributes annually.