(The Center Square) – A software that auditors say is a factor in $71.1 million in cost overruns was “desperately needed” and the increase represented true need, the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services said.
The increase in service authorizations due to the use of a new software called ARGO is included in an audit released Wednesday by the Department of Accounts and Audits of the Department of Family and Children Services’ out-of-home care, foster care spending, requested by the House Appropriations Committee. The cost of the service authorizations was $63.3 million in fiscal year 2022. It was up 112.3% to $134.4 million in fiscal year 2025, according to the audit.
Kylie Winton, assistant deputy commissioner for external affairs, told The Center Square the software used by caseworkers for the Department of Family and Children Services was authorized by Department of Human Services Commissioner Candice Broce and a former chief of staff. The Department of Human Services oversees the Department of Family and Children Services.
“ARGO is a tool that our frontline workers desperately needed,” Winton said. “We went from staff having to individually call and email dozens of places and providers per child, per parent, per case to centralizing options in an easy-to-use platform, which they loved to use and allowed us greater insight into our needs.”
Auditors said the use of the ARGO software system had “unintended consequences,” which factored into the 112% cost increase.
Services for behavioral aides were more than half of the increase, followed by mileage for supportive services and transportation.
“By and large, we believe that the increase in service utilization reflects true need, not overuse,” Winton said.
Auditors said they were told by central office staff that “case managers were more likely to obtain service approvals ‘just in case’ the service was needed or for many months even when the expectation should have been a decrease in usage over time. Placement providers are expected to provide oversight and certain transportation for their children, and DFCS acknowledged that behavioral aides and transportation providers were likely provided in cases that were not necessary,” the audit said.
The audit was requested by the House Appropriations Committee after more than $80 million was added to the department’s budget. Rep. Beth Camp, R-Concord, chairs the Joint Study Committee on Evaluating Escalating Costs in Georgia’s Foster Care System, which is looking at why costs are increasing, including the costs that escalated due to the use of the ARGO software.
“When we have a shortfall, as we did last year, it triggered a lot of emotional responses from the public and for us as legislators, because if I was in a household that was unable to provide for the child that was in my care, it would put me in a panic situation, which is how all of us did feel,” Camp said in an interview with The Center Square. “We were able to move some funding around to aid in that last year. But if we don’t fill the holes in the leaking boat, we will have a leaking boat next year.”
The committee had not heard of ARGO, and it wasn’t a focus in a Sept. 17 committee hearing.
“They did touch on it, but there was not a great deal of responsibility taken and other than that, we’re no longer using it,” Camp said.
Auditors said in the report that the department discontinued using the service in November, and service authorizations declined afterward. Total spending on service authorizations declined by 21% ($28.7 million) in fiscal year 2026. But department officials said as a result of the changes, some invoices for services provided in fiscal year 2026 may not have been sent.
But the department hopes to restore its functionality soon, Winton said.
“We are closely monitoring budget projections and carefully expanding access to services,” she said.
The question of how the software was purchased is another challenge, Camp said.
“I do know they have an in-house IT that also works to modify software to accomplish what they want to do as well,” Camp said. “I also know based on responses that GTA, Georgia Technology Authority, was not involved in the procurement, even though Georgia law stipulates they need to be. So I think there’s an interpretation issue that unless a software contract is $1 million in one chunk, typically there are inclinations where there’s a gradual progression with software, it’s not in all one bite, some agencies unfortunately they don’t have to go through GTA.”
The Salesforce-based platform cost the department $2.8 million for software from 2021 to 2026, $4.5 million for build and development, and $48,861.06 for maintenance after deployment, Winton told The Center Square.
It was purchased through the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, which “offers a portfolio of competitively bid statewide contracts,” Winton said. The development work was provided by Virtus through the statewide Contingent Workforce Solutions IT staffing vehicle, she said.
“DOAS offers a portfolio of competitively bid statewide contracts,” Winton said. “Virtus performed the development work via the statewide CAI IT staffing vehicle. ARGO is a Salesforce platform, and the Salesforce licenses were (and are) purchased through the statewide software vehicle with Carahsoft.”
Carahsoft is a technology solutions provider serving government agencies. Carahsoft has three state contracts with Georgia on its website. Virtus Solutions is listed as a vendor with Carahsoft.
“All public agencies within the state of Georgia are able to utilize this contract vehicle to procure cloud solutions via a state contract,” according to information on the website.
Camp said she hopes to get more answers from the department about ARGO and other issues when the bipartisan Joint Committee on Evaluating Escalating Costs in Georgia’s Foster Care System meets again on Oct. 22. Camp and other lawmakers are working on legislation about transparency. Camp said she is also working on legislation that would require all software procurement to go through the Georgia Technology Authority.