COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 6, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) will launch a new system to better identify and prevent improper payments to unemployment insurance claimants.

RiskCheckNow®, provided by Louisville-based Appriss, Inc., gives states the ability to cross-check claimants against the nation's largest database of incarceration records.

In order to be eligible for unemployment benefits, claimants must be able and available to work, and must be actively seeking employment. Currently, Ohio cross-checks claimants against an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction database. RiskCheckNow® will use sophisticated matching algorithms to cross-check claimants against an additional database that contains nearly 80% of the nation's incarcerations. ODJFS fraud investigators will research potential matches.

ODJFS conducted an assessment of the capabilities of RiskCheckNow® to improve payment integrity. The assessment consisted of cross-matching several weeks of claimant data against Ohio and national incarceration data. The results indicated that RiskCheckNow will further strengthen Ohio's process for deterring and detecting improper payments.

"Ohio does an excellent job detecting and deterring improper payments," said Mike Davis, CEO of Appriss. "RiskCheckNow is the nation's largest and most up to date repository of incarceration data, and we're pleased to partner with the state in an effort to improve the state's already low improper payment rate."

ODJFS becomes the fourteenth state workforce agency to employ RiskCheckNow®. States currently using the system report preventing tens of millions of dollars from leaving the Unemployment Insurance trust fund, and reducing overpayments from 13 weeks to less than two. The service has also allowed state workforce agencies to recoup millions of dollars in overpayments.

"Across the country, RiskCheckNow® has made meaningful contributions to improve payment integrity for our Workforce and Medicaid customers," Mike Davis concluded.

About Appriss, Inc.

Appriss provides data-driven solutions that help thousands of government and commercial agencies mitigate risk and keep in compliance with laws and policies. With our unique data and solutions, we help our partners save millions in fraudulent activities, reduce risk and fight crime; all backed by customer support that is available 24x7x365. Appriss hires former loss and prevention executives as well as law enforcement to help shape our solutions including RiskCheckNow®,  TrueCompliance™, NPLEx® and PMP GATEWAY™.  For more information goto Appriss.com.

CONTACT: Lisa Kahl-Hillerich
         lkahl@appriss.com
         502-815-3897

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