County Cuts Ties with C.D.R.

13 Wham July 23, 2010
Reported by: Sean Carroll
Email: scarroll@13wham.com

Rochester, N.Y. – It is not a pleasant parting of the ways for Monroe County and the Center for Disability Rights. Monroe county is making serious claims of neglect against a program that C.D.R. administers; C.D.R. is in turn denying most of those claims and blaming the county for acting in haste and with no intention to resolve the issue through meetings or conversation.

Stuck in the middle of this are some 300 families and clients who now find themselves facing important decisions about the care they receive. Jake Monheim of Webster and his family are one of those 300.

Jake’s father says his 18 year-old son suffers from mental retardation and autism. Monheim’s days depend on routines and for seven years Rachel Barone, his C.D.R. approved aid, has been a part of Jake’s routine. Monroe County’s decision to cut ties with C.D.R. results in an uncertain time for Monheim’s family; one that in all likelihood is going to result in Barone no longer caring for Jake.

“The relationship that Jacob and I have developed over time and the importance of it to him and he’s used to the routine and without me being here and without that routine it’s really going to be detrimental to Jacob,” Barone said. “It really will be.”

While the Monheim’s have no complaints with how C.D.R. oversees Jake’s care; Monroe County see’s problems elsewhere with C.D.R.’s program.

Out of 12 cases recently investigated the county claims four have been deemed serious enough to terminate C.D.R.’s contract. Three of those cases dealt with clients left unattended for hours or even days. Another case involves an aid showing up drunk and a supervisor threatening to put a woman in a nursing home if she complained.

“It’s absolutely not political, again this is an advocacy group but that doesn’t make them any different from any vendor that we do business with in the county,” Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks said. “We evaluate the quality of care and the service that they provide, they have fallen short of providing good service they have put people and lives at risk in the community.”

C.D.R. disputes these claims and says five out of six county residents in this personal assistance program choose C.D.R. to manage their care.

“I want to suggest that that’s probably not an accident,” Chris Hilderbrant of the Center for Disability Rights said during a Friday press conference. “Individuals are offered the chance to switch service providers really whenever they want but they’re specifically offered the choice every six months by the county and we have five-sixths of the individuals in this program are choosing to stay with C.D.R.”

For families like the Monheim’s that don’t know who or what to believe with regards to these claims; their concern turns simply to what is best for their loved one.

“They have been nothing but a phenomenal agency for us,” Chris Monheim, Jake’s father said of C.D.R. “It’s kind of scary not knowing what we’re going to do.”

For now Monroe County is telling families like the Monheim’s to choose from five other local vendors that provide this service. The county hopes decisions are made within the next ten days but they will allow more time so as to provide a seamless transition in care.

Officials for C.D.R. are hoping the door to resolve these issues with the county remains open. The county stands firm in their decision and says the N.Y.S. Attorney General’s Office is even investigating some of these claims. A spokesman for the A.G.’s office said he can not confirm ongoing investigations but that one investigation into aides under C.D.R.’s supervision has already resulted in criminal charges and prosecution.