Erath County commissioner issues statement regarding $530K of misused funds.

Beneath the Surface News received the following statement Tuesday morning from Erath County Commissioner Dee Stephens regarding the $530,000 of taxpayer money misused on the county’s indigent health program.

Stephens said the following statement is directly from him with the approval of commissioner Albert Ray.

Citizens of Erath County,

The Indigent Health Care fund has provided critical medical support to residents facing financial hardship.

While recent audits have identified administrative errors including payments exceeding the state cap and disbursements on behalf of individuals later found ineligible, we emphasize that no funds were given to individuals.

Additionally, funds were paid to legitimate health care providers, for legitimate charges, on behalf of citizens in genuine need.For more than 20 years, the indigent healthcare system in Erath County has operated under the same guidelines and assumptions.

During that time, no major concerns were raised, and the system was trusted to function as intended.

No one expected these issues.

We relied on a system that had been in place for decades, and we trusted that it was being managed correctly.

The recent audit findings have revealed that long-standing practices may not have aligned with current legal and procedural standards, prompting a necessary reevaluation.

As Commissioners we acknowledge that while the system was inherited, we are responsible for ensuring its future integrity.

We agree with Judge Huckabee’s statement regarding our responsibility being to every taxpayer and that we are committed to ensuring that every dollar is spent responsibly and ethically.

Key Points of Clarification:

As Commissioners we relied on trained staff to manage the fund’s daily operations, including eligibility screening and payment processing.

There is no evidence of fraud or criminal misuse; all recipients faced legitimate medical challenges.

The fund’s purpose is, a humanitarian effort, to serve residents in need, regardless of tax status, in accordance with state law and public health priorities.

While as Commissioners we are responsible for the overall oversight of the Indigent Healthcare Fund, we were not involved in making decisions about which individuals received assistance.

Those determinations were made by designated staff, based on eligibility documentation and severity of medical need.

We are not privy to names, conditions, or any other identifiers of recipients.

Monies dispersed from the fund were for the purpose of specifically helping those in need. These monies cannot be utilized for other budgeted line items.

Moving forward we support:

A full review of historical practices.

Updated policies and procedures.

The need for strengthened staff training and oversight mechanisms.

We acknowledge the importance of public trust and are taking steps to ensure that future disbursements are handled with the highest standards of integrity and oversight.

“We want the public to know that this fund was created to help people in medical crisis. 

“We stand by this humanitarian mission and will work diligently toimprove how it’s managed.” – Erath County Commissioner Dee Stephens