Psychiatric service agency audited over finances

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — A southeast Connecticut provider of psychiatric services is being audited by the state following a whistleblower complaint about its finances.

The Day of New London reports that Sound Community Services has been probed by state officials over high employee turnover, complaints about harsh management and a lack of medical professionals to prescribe and monitor psychiatric medications.

The office of the State Auditors of Public Accounts is now reviewing the agency in response to a whistleblower's complaint. It's examining payroll and charge card statements of Chief Executive Officer Gail Lawson, Chief Financial Officer Cindy Kirchhoff and Chief Informatics Officer Christopher Bish to determine if expenses and payments were accounted for properly and kept separate from state money used to support agency programs.

The newspaper said none of the executives responded to requests for comment.