Notes to Self

CSEA Defends Developmental Disabilities State Workers

This came out earlier today, but I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight an amazing investigation by NY Times Capitol Bureau Chief Danny Hakim that revealed widespread problems in the more than 2,000 state-run group homes. 

The story is pretty harrowing and demonstrates that workers who systematically abused people who were unable to defend themselves – and in some cases even tell anyone what was happening to them – were relocated to other homes instead of disciplined and defended by their union in the rare cases when they did get into trouble. 

CSEA released the statement that appears below that says the charges in Hakim’s story are “serious and disturbing” and abuse of clients “under any circumstance is not acceptable and not to be tolerated.” 

That said, the union insists the allegations are “just that until proven.” It also notes CSEA is required by law to provide members with a “vigorous defense” if they’re brought up on charges, and their employer – in this case the state – is obligated to prove those charges.

CSEA OPWDD Response pdf