Nonprofit used in Michigan s COVID fight draws oversight abuse fears
Lansing The budget of a nonprofit group that one official says has been used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to avoid oversight has ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic, spurring concerns about the accountability of millions of dollars in government spending.
Through a master agreement, the Okemos-based Michigan Public Health Institute has quietly been able to execute contracts on behalf of the state health department. The group is so closely tied to the department that former state health director Robert Gordon once said hundreds of employees contracted through the nonprofit assist the state with work.