AIDS Facility in Oak Cliff, Texas Closes After Questionable Spending

A routine Dallas County audit of Hillvale Medical Group Associates, a residential and drug treatment facility in Oak Cliff for people with HIV/AIDS, found $200,000 in spending of its $625,000 contract was “inconsistent with the contract or federal regulations.” The discovery forced the county to suspend its funding, said County Auditor Virginia Porter. “There needs to be a contract amendment or a payback,” said Porter, who would not elaborate. “We are waiting for [Hillvale] to respond.”

Dallas County “is looking out for the clients to be sure there is no service disruption or negative impact,” said Zachary Thompson, county director of Health and Human Services, which monitors federally funded AIDS programs. Hillvale's closing this week “could be temporary,” he said. Six Hillvale residents were relocated Monday to an undisclosed housing program, said Thompson. Another 60 clients were directed to alternate service providers, he said.

Hillvale Executive Director Dr. Louis E. Deere could not be reached for comment. Hillvale has received almost $1.2 million in federal AIDS money since mid-2003, when it took over the contract the county had terminated with the South Dallas AIDS housing program Johnnie's Manor.

The county audit is the second in two weeks that has cited financial problems at an agency serving AIDS patients in poor, minority areas of Dallas. Renaissance III, a South Dallas AIDS prevention and education program, was on Aug. 17 given 30 days to repay $112,867 in federal funds.

Back to other news for September 2, 2004