NEW YORK – Early intervention therapy is critical to some children’s development, but New York families say Services have been postponed for weeksputting the future of these babies and toddlers at risk.
On October 15, the Ministry of Health launched a new online system for the Early Intervention Program, the Hub. It’s where providers enter child information, approve services and make payments to therapists.
In interviews, emails to CBS News New York and an online petition, thousands of people have reported a disruption in care statewide, with many therapists saying they are not being paid regular salaries.
The New York State Department of Health is no longer denying the problem, but frustrated families and health care providers tell CBS News New York researcher Mahsa Saeidi they still need a solution.
DOH cites safety and stability as the reason for the switch to the Hub
According to a recent state audit, the New York program had problems, including a shortage of providers, with only three out of four children receiving timely therapy.
The auditor also found that the old online system was inefficient and needed an upgrade. The DOH also says it has concerns about the security and stability of the system.
That’s why they hired the vendor Public Consulting Group (PCG) in 2019 to develop and implement the Hub. When Saeidi contacted DOH about disruptions in November, they denied the problem.
Part of their statement read: “There has been no service disruption at this time.”
New York City-based pediatrician Dr. Nick Faraci responded to this statement.
“That’s not true. Services haven’t even started for a long time, and we’ve never seen this before,” he said.
DOH has now updated their statement “based on supplier feedback.” They now say that “significant improvements” have been made to the Hub, “including improving the speed of system performance.”
The DOH also claims they have made payments to 20% of providers, paying out $5 million.
Long Island officials are calling for an investigation into the contract
Long Island Assembly members Jodi Giglio and Ari Brown have heard complaints from constituents and counties administering the Early Intervention Program.
“It used to take five to 10 minutes, now it takes three to seven hours to put one person in there,” Giglio said. “The system is not working.”
“I’m calling for an investigation into how this contract got started in the first place. Other than the rollout, how was this contract approved?” Brown said.
Giglio claims that the supplier, PCG, stopped meeting with the provinces after the Hub rollout.
“They just said, this isn’t productive, we’re not going to have any more meetings,” she said.
The DOH says the weekly meetings with PCG continue and have never stopped.
In the meantime, the old system will go offline on December 31.
“One solution is to run both systems side by side, where you can still retrieve information so people can still get care?” Saeidi said.
“Yes, yes, and to get the providers paid,” Giglio said.
“They care about the kids, but they also have to survive,” Brown said.
A DOH spokesperson told Saeidi that they are assessing whether the old system should remain available through 2025. Saeidi also called and emailed PCG, but did not hear back.
‘It’s the children who pay for this’
Without solutions to the ongoing problem, children like Laura Dakins’ granddaughter, Nova, continue to be affected.
Nova was born prematurely and immediately received therapy through New York’s Early Intervention Program, and Dakins says it’s working.
“I brought in a team. The team was great… But now all of a sudden there’s a glitch in the system,” Dakins said.
Dakins says Nova’s services are being delayed.
“Now when I need Nova to get the services in, she’s not even at the computer,” she said. ‘Say it straight. It is the children who pay for this.’
New York’s state comptroller has sent a letter to DOH Commissioner James McDonald, asking him to take action now and saying he is concerned that children are not receiving therapy during a critical developmental period.
Mahsa Saeidi
