Review of the Greenwood County and Abbeville County First Steps Partnerships

In May 2021, the South Carolina Office of the State Inspector General (SIG) initiated a preliminary inquiry of the Greenwood County and Abbeville County First Steps offices at the request of the SC First Steps to School Readiness (SC First Steps) Board of Trustees (Board) chair based upon audit findings raised in the 2019 financial audits pertaining to conflicts of interest between the two First Steps partnerships and a non-profit, Social Change Initiative, as well as the use of certain “in-kind” contributions. The SC First Steps also raised concerns over dual partnership employment, cash payments in lieu of fringe benefits, and bias attributed to an SC First Steps administrator