Inadequate emergency management coordination left those in group homes at risk during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to an audit released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
The audit claims The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) did not provide consistent guidance to 6,929 group homes across the state. The OPWDD is the office responsible for certifying and regulating these facilities and providing guidance to staff at both state owned and non-profit group homes.
The audit also admitted the difficulty many group homes had in getting personal protective equipment early in the pandemic and the great difficulty in social distancing while helping individuals with such tasks as bathing, dressing, and eating.
The OPWDD reported over 13,000 people in their care contracted the virus, resulting in 657 fatalities between March 2020 and April 2022.
DiNapoli recommends the OPWDD do the following:
- Periodically review and update as necessary the EMOP and supplemental documents to ensure all homes implement current policies and procedures in the event of another public health emergency.
- Develop procedures to ensure facility-level emergency plans encompass planning for and responding to public health emergencies.
- Establish effective communication with individuals responsible for infection control policies and procedures when pertinent deficiencies are identified.
- Ensure monitoring and review protocols address infection control practices, are well developed, and are consistently applied when conducting reviews at homes.
“Group homes are supposed to offer people with developmental disabilities safe places to live as independently as possible,” DiNapoli said. “Our audit found the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities did not issue timely, consistent guidance to the vast majority of their certified group homes. Inconsistent emergency management coordination and oversight put residents, families and staff in harm’s way. I urge OPWDD to implement our recommendations before the next public health emergency.”