A system that serves children with disabilities is broken, prompting state officials to call on the Department of Health to fix it.
At a press conference in Albany to raise awareness of the problem, legislators said the Early Intervention Program's online portal is experiencing serious technological issues.
Hosting the event was Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, who said concerns have been raised about the program’s El-Hub system by providers and parents.
“The system is plagued by service disruptions, people are having problems using it, payments are not going out on time,” according to Giglio, who added that children are not being matched up with the services and support they need in a timely manner.
The Early Intervention Program is designed to support children who exhibit developmental delays or have diagnosed physical or mental conditions.
It aims to enhance the development of these children and provide essential assistance to their families. The program provides evaluation, health and therapeutic services, special instruction, family support and respite, transportation, and assistive technology.
Launched in October, its online portal has failed in its capacity to provide these services, the officials stressed.
“The EI-Hub system has struggled with reliability, creating barriers for children with disabilities to access critical services,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano in urging the health department to straighten things out.
“Designed to improve efficiency, the system’s flaws have instead caused significant challenges. Children are being left on hold for months, providers aren't being paid, and precious data is being lost. These issues must be resolved to ensure no child is left without the support they require.”
The legislators asked for a full inspection of the system by the health department to ensure its efficiency and reliability.