Darlene Shuff-Porter, who owned Dailey Professional Counseling Services in Meriden, billed Medicaid for psychotherapy sessions never actually delivered by licensed providers.
Meriden Clinician Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud Scheme
A Meriden behavioral health clinician was sentenced in February 2026 for a Medicaid fraud scheme in which she billed the state for psychotherapy services that were never delivered by licensed providers -- a scheme that netted her more than $55,000 over a 16-month period.
Darlene Shuff-Porter, 66, also known as Darlene Dailey, was sentenced February 11 by Judge Tracy Lee Dayton in New Haven Superior Court to three years in prison, execution of that sentence suspended, and five years of conditional discharge. She paid $55,410.69 in restitution on the day of sentencing.
How the Fraud Worked
Shuff-Porter owned Dailey Professional Counseling Services, LLC, a behavioral health practice in Meriden. Between December 2018 and April 2020, she directed unlicensed employees to meet with Medicaid clients and then billed the state health insurance program as if licensed, qualified providers had rendered those services.
Medicaid, the joint federal and state health insurance program covering low-income individuals, requires that mental health services be delivered by licensed clinicians to qualify for reimbursement. By substituting unlicensed workers and billing under her own credentials, Shuff-Porter fraudulently collected $55,410.69 from the program over 16 months.
The Office of the Chief State's Attorney publicly announced the sentencing outcome on February 17, 2026.
Guilty Plea and Charges
Shuff-Porter pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025, to two felony counts: first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, and health insurance fraud. Both charges carry serious consequences beyond the prison sentence and conditional discharge.
Because she pleaded guilty to two program-related felonies, Shuff-Porter is now subject to mandatory exclusion as a healthcare provider from certain federally funded health programs -- including Medicare and Medicaid. She is also barred from serving as a Medicaid provider for the duration of her five-year conditional discharge.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by state authorities, with the Office of the Chief State's Attorney overseeing the prosecution.
What This Means for Medicaid Oversight in Connecticut
Medicaid fraud by licensed healthcare providers is a persistent challenge for state and federal oversight agencies. Schemes involving unlicensed workers billing under licensed provider credentials can be difficult to detect without audits or patient complaints, because the services appear on paper to have been provided by a licensed clinician.
Connecticut's Medicaid program, administered through the Department of Social Services, covers more than 900,000 residents. The state relies on provider attestations and routine auditing to identify fraudulent claims, though the gap between fraud occurring and prosecution can span years. In this case, the fraudulent billing ended in April 2020, but criminal charges were not filed until November 2023 -- more than three years later.
Background on the Case
Criminal charges against Shuff-Porter were first announced in November 2023 by the Connecticut Office of the Chief State's Attorney. At the time, prosecutors alleged she had billed for services that were "not rendered," and identified the fraud as spanning from December 2018 through April 2020.
Shuff-Porter entered her guilty plea nearly two years after being charged, in October 2025. Her sentence, while not including any incarceration time due to the suspension, includes the full restitution amount and the five-year restrictions on practicing in federally funded healthcare programs.
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