Fraud

Fraud is defined as an intentional misrepresentation of information to gain an unfair advantage over an individual or system. Examples of fraud with the Oklahoma Professional Development Registry (OPDR) system include, but not limited to:

a)      Training certificate and credential manipulation

b)      Transcript distortion

c)      Eligibility deception

Participants may unknowingly, and therefore unintentionally, misrepresent degrees earned when submitting transcripts or grade reports from “diploma mills.”  The OPDR considers transcripts and degrees earned through “diploma mills” to be fraudulent information from the company providing the degree. Participants will be notified that the education and training submitted does not meet the criteria outlined in the Initial Review Process and will not be processed within our program.

Detecting Fraud

The Oklahoma Professional Development Registry (OPDR) has mechanisms in place to aid in detecting fraudulent college transcripts, training certificates, credentials earned and any report of experience working in a licensed child care facility and/or positions held while in a facility that might be needed to meet criteria.

 College level coursework and any degrees earned must be submitted on an official transcript without handwritten information on the transcript

 a)      Registry staff is regularly updated on the format of training and credential documents, timelines for issue/expiration dates of credentials, fonts used and sponsors of training certificates and/or credentials submitted by participants

b)      Registry approved training organizations will record a participant’s attendance and completion of  a training event directly into our system which lists the training and completion date onto the participant’s training record (instead of requiring a photocopied training certificate of completion)

c)      Participants enter their place of employment, position held, and amount of time worked in a licensed facility into one database that is used by several programs. Employment dates and positions held are “verified” and documented annually by the facility administration.

d)     Registry staff maintain a working relationship with child care licensing personnel, approved training sponsors and credentialing organizations as a source of verification

Reporting Fraud

The OPDR staff are obligated to report any suspicion of fraudulent practices within the system. The suspicion of fraud should be documented and kept in the participant’s file and immediately brought to the attention of the Project Director.

 OPDR staff researches the suspected fraudulent information with training sponsors, credentialing organizations and child care licensing personnel to determine if the information/document is indeed fraudulent

 a)      If fraud is still suspected and no verification from other sources can verify the document, staff makes detailed notes of the findings in the participant’s online account

b)      Participant is issued a letter requesting either the original document of the photocopied one submitted, verification of attendance or compliance from the sponsoring organization or an explanation as to how they obtained the document they submitted

c)      Participant has two weeks from the date of the letter to submit the requested information

d)     If the requested information is submitted and found that fraud was not committed, OPDR staff will continue processing the application and no additional action is taken

e)      If the requested information is submitted and we cannot confirm or deny that fraud was committed, the OPDR informs the participant (via email) of the finding, but as a consequence for submitting questionable information, the participant will only be able to use OPDR Approved trainings to meet Oklahoma Director’s Credential (ODC) or Professional Development Ladder (PDL) criteria for as long as they participate in the OPDR

f)       If the requested information is not submitted within the allowed timeline or if alternate documentation is submitted in place of what was requested, we proceed with corrective action for the unverified and unexplained document/information

Corrective Action

If the requested information is submitted within the allowed timeline and we are unable to confirm or deny that fraud was committed, the OPDR informs the participant (via email) of the finding, but as a consequence for submitting questionable information, the participant will only be able to use OPDR Approved trainings to meet Oklahoma Director’s Credential (ODC) or Professional Development Ladder (PDL) criteria for as long as they participate in the OPDR. In addition, the participant will not be eligible to receive a stipend from the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 1 year from the suspension date.

If subsequent suspensions occur, the amount of time the participant is ineligible will be extended. See below.

First time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 1 year from suspension date.

Second time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 2 years from suspension date.

Third time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 5 years from suspension date.

If the participant does not submit the requested documentation/information within the allowed timeline or documents other than any originals of the photocopied documents previously submitted are not sent in, participant is notified by email of suspension from the Registry for a total of 90 days from the suspension date (letter signed and issued by the Oklahoma Registry’s Program Lead). In addition, participant may only use OPDR approved coursework to meet ODC or PDL criteria for as long as they participate in the OPDR.

a)      If the participant has an active ODC or PDL at the time of suspension, the current credential is revoked. The OPDR requests the destruction of the revoked credential.

b)      Participants that are suspended from the Registry may also be subject to disciplinary action from The OPDR’s Professional Development Approval System (PDAS). This action can include, but not limited to ineligibility to participate in the training approval process, educator services, or other voluntary programs now or in the future.

In addition, the participant will not be eligible to receive a stipend from the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 1 year from the suspension date.

If subsequent suspensions occur, the amount of time the participant is ineligible will be extended. See below.

First time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 1 year from suspension date.

Second time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 2 years from suspension date.

Third time suspension occurs - ineligible for the Oklahoma Registry Certificate of Achievement Stipend Program and the Oklahoma Child Care Wage Supplement Program for 5 years from suspension date.

Documentation

Participants suspended from the Registry will show a status of “Suspended” along with detailed notes as to timelines, requested documentation and any correspondence with the participant.

 OPDR staff contacts CECPD’s Director, PDAS Administration, DHS Professional Development Administration, QRIS Administration and DHS Child Care Licensing Administration via e-mail that includes:

a)      The participant’s full name, place of employment, including K8 number of the facility and the position held at the facility

b)      The participant’s suspensions dates

c)      The participant is only allowed to use OPDR approved coursework to meet ODC or PDL criteria in the future

d)     A copy of the suspension letter that was sent to the participant

9-7-2022