ALBANY — The state is trying to fire nearly 200 employees it says physically abused or neglected the developmentally disabled in their care.
The head of the agency responsible for care of the disabled disclosed the move yesterday as Gov. Cuomo announced a push for legislation to expand state investigation and prosecution powers in the wake of more than 10,000 reports of abuse last year.
“Any type of abuse and neglect is intolerable, and we should not have those employees working in our system,” said Courtney Burke, commissioner of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.
“As soon as something can be substantiated, the employee should be terminated.”
Burke said her agency is now suspending without pay employees with “substantiated allegations of egregious abuse,” rather than placing them on paid “administrative leave.”
The agency responsible for the care of about 126,000 people with autism, Down syndrome and other disabilities also now requires direct-care employees to hold high-school diplomas and pass psychological and drug tests, she said.
The Civil Service Employees Association, the union representing most of the 200 targeted employees, said the state should focus on ensuring adequate training and staffing.