'Damning' audit finds lax King County oversight allowed potential fraud and improper payments to contractors Ann Dornfeld August 27, 2025 / 9:15 am

The King County Auditor found that lax financial oversight at the Department of Community and Human Services allowed potential fraud and numerous improper payments to contractors for four youth programs in the last three years.

The audit found that DCHS, which handles nearly 90% of county grants, failed to conduct basic, routine financial and contract monitoring of grantees as its awards soared from a combined $22 million in 2019 and 2020 to $1.5 billion in 2023 and 2024. A major source of grant funds is the county's 10-year-old Best Starts for Kids levy, which funded three of the audited youth programs.

Although DCHS policy is to con

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