When an organization famous for its consummate support of its members and their endeavors breaks the usual mold to poke holes in well-intended efforts with massive ramifications, the greater community listens.
That is exactly what the Suffolk AME did on Wednesday, Dec. 11th, when its president released a statement opposing a new initiative crafted to provide enhanced assistance for children with Special Needs on the clerical front.
Per their leader, Daniel C. Levier, the Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees—which boasts New York State Department of Health employees who “play a critical role in ensuring that 5,000 children with special needs receive the critical services” they need—views the ‘Early Intervention Hub’ as an "unnecessary and cumbersome burden.”
Timeliness is of the essence when it comes to entering key data into any system. Input of key data here especially serves as the gateway for logistical—and literal—-services to be approved and allocated to children with special needs, according to the Suffolk AME.
“Before it only took a matter of minutes to process intake forms,” said Levier. However, with ‘early intervention’ put into place by the state, it now takes Suffolk AME members “close to an hour” to enter data and “expedite” the provision of said essential services.
Therefore, what was first offered as “help,” just became another challenge to face—an overall hassle for all involved.
Last month, reports confirmed that Gov. Kathy Hochul had approved a 5 percent rate raise for all things early intervention, effective this past April.
Several months later, children with disabilities are still not receiving the vital services from the “slowest [early intervention program] in the nation.”
“Our members have worked tirelessly around the clock to ensure families are still receiving the type of services they deserve and require, despite the unexpected challenges with this new system,” Levier said, before putting the ball back in the state’s court.
“It's now time for the state to work with us and with the county to let our previous system remain in place indefinitely to ensure all necessary data is properly entered until the issues with the 'Early Intervention Hub' are fixed."