September 23, 2026
Carr: Behavioral Health Provider Facing 31-Count Medicaid Fraud Indictment in DeKalb County
DEKALB COUNTY, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has secured a new 31-count indictment charging Melissa Howard, 49, of Suwanee, with Medicaid Fraud and False Statements and Writings. Losses to Georgia Medicaid are alleged to total over $40,000.
“The Medicaid program is designed to assist our most vulnerable Georgians, and those who abuse the system will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Carr. “We’re fighting to protect patients and taxpayer dollars. That’s why the work of our Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division is so critical, and we will ensure that state resources are being used the right way.”
Case Summary
Dr. Melissa Howard was the sole owner and sole rendering provider of her business, Behavior Solutions, LLC. Under the title “Behavior Support Specialist,” Howard purported to engage in behavioral therapy planning and therapy for autistic and disabled persons in group homes and home services.
As asserted in the indictment, while traveling out-of-state, Howard submitted claims for services not rendered to her patients – resulting in the more than $40,000 loss to Georgia Medicaid.
This case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division.
DeKalb County Indictment
On Sept. 15, 2026, the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division presented evidence to a DeKalb County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictment* of Melissa Howard. Specifically, the defendant is facing the following charges.
- 16 counts of Medicaid Fraud
- 15 counts of False Statements and Writings
Read a copy of the indictment . No further information about the investigation or the indictment may be released at this time by the Attorney General’s Office.
About the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division
Since Attorney General Chris Carr first took office, his Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has secured more than 100 convictions for Medicaid fraud and the abuse, neglect and exploitation of older adults, resulting in nearly $26 million in restitution orders in criminal matters. Over this same period, Carr’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division has obtained civil settlements and judgements totaling more than $138 million as a result of its efforts to safeguard the Georgia Medicaid program.
The Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $5,381,304 for Federal FY 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,793,768, is funded by the State of Georgia.
*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.