Monroe County Responds to CDR Concerns

Rochesterhomepage.net, July 28 2010

Monroe County’s Human Services Committee held a public forum Tuesday night so CDR clients and aides could tell the people responsible for cutting the CDR contract exactly what’s on their minds.

And the county answered back.

Following more than 20 speakers at the county’s human services committee meeting, County Legislator Carrie M. Andrews had a few questions for the woman who recommended CDR’s contract be severed, Kelly Reed.

Reed says she does not apologize for her decision and continues to feel it was the right one.

“At the end of the day my job is to make decisions that are in the best interest of this community and its most vulnerable citizens. I don’t get paid to be popular.”

She says of the 12 investigators she sent in to evaluate CDR’s aides, all 12 of them came back reporting problems.

Earlier in the day, County Executive Maggie Brooks said four CDR aides have been prosecuted for crimes they committed at clients’ homes.

Reed added “I don’t believe you can be the best advocate for the disabled in this community and disavow yourself of that responsibility yourself. And that CDR is doing that, for me, is an extraordinary concern, and it should be for other people as well.”
Reed believes many of the people continue to protest because there’s a miscommunication about what the severed contract will mean for their future.

“There are 5 other providers who provide exactly that same service. Those providers are prepared to look at the current aides to see if they are qualified for their organization and if they are, they’ll receive seamless service with exactly the same provider.”

Reed also responded to confusion over the letter the county sent to clients last Thursday which said they had 10 days to choose a vendor.

She says the 10 day deadline is just to get a head count of where every client wants to go, and that each case can take as long as necessary to ease the client into the next relationship.