PEF Leaders Give Lawmakers Insight on Safety Risks, Solutions at Residential Facilities Operated by OPWDD

ALBANY, NY - The President of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) gave legislators a list of ways to prevent and reduce abuse and neglect at facilities operated by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). The testimony at a legislative hearing on safety and quality of care in Albany today, comes on the heels of a scathing article in the New York Times about incidents of client abuse and neglect.

"The article has cast suspicion on all OPWDD employees, painting the overwhelming majority of conscientious employees with the same dirty brush as a few unscrupulous offenders," said PEF President Ken Brynien.

Brynien, an OPWDD employee for more than 25 years before becoming a union leader, testified PEF feels strongly that any employee who has perpetrated such offenses should be disciplined, and if appropriate, terminated or prosecuted. But he also noted effective intervention and prevention must be part of the equation.

"Short staffing and the de-professionalization of the work force have contributed to an environment where situations of abuse and neglect are more likely to occur," Brynien testified.

PEF offered legislators several suggestions on how to prevent and reduce potential abuse and neglect including increased training, adequate professional staffing and allowing Medicaid service coordinators to do more face-to-face visits with clients and families to better monitor care.

Ed Snow is a union leader who works at Sunmount Developmental Disabilities Services Office (DDSO). "Working with developmentally disabled is not an easy job and not everyone can or should do it," Snow testified.

"The overwhelming majority of professional employees in OPWDD treat consumers with respect and report abuse or neglect if they see it. Quality training and appropriate staffing levels are a critical part of treating and caring for the most vulnerable among us," said Snow.

Ken Brynien's Testimony in its entirety here.

Ed Snow's Testimony in its entirety here.

Quality of Care at Risk Amid Proposed Changes at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

Manhattan - A member of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) with 26-years experience caring for the developmentally disabled warned a Senate task force of the dangers related to recent cost-cutting initiatives at the agency.

Ed Snow, an Intermediate Care Facility Program Manager at Sunmount DDSO, testified about changes related to Medicaid Service Coordination (MSC) which is leading to increased caseloads and a substantial decrease in the number of face-to-face visits with consumers. (MSC assists community based developmentally disabled consumers and their families in gaining access to supports and services appropriate to their needs.)

“These drastic changes will severely and negatively impact those consumers served by the state,” Snow said. “Case managers will now only meet with their clients, face-to-face in their homes once each year, as part of the cost-cutting measure. How can we effectively update a consumer’s care by only seeing that consumer once?” Snow said.

Higher caseloads which have recently increased from a ratio of 1:30 to as high as 1:50 expected this Fall is transforming MSC from a consumer-based service to a paper-based service.

“That is not in the best interest of the consumer,” Snow said. “Private providers already cherry pick the easiest consumers, leaving the state with the most challenging to serve consumers. We have become the provider of last resort, and now more than ever, quality of care for our consumers is in jeopardy,” Snow testified.

The agency’s own website boasts of a mission to help people with developmental disabilities live richer lives by putting people first. The changes related to MSC severely limits the hands-on work case managers currently provide and seems to put cost cutting ahead of the people it serves.

“We urge the task force to take a closer look at salaries and qualifications of employees at private providers when considering recommendations for cost savings. This is where savings can be realized without compromising the needs of consumers and the agency’s vital mission.” Snow added.

Snow gave his testimony to the Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency exploring spending at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). PEF represents 4,800 members at OPWDD.