“We designed the program, then the
commissioner awarded the contract to
Odyssey House to pick it up and run it,”
Sullivan said. “This is another instance of
O
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s
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m
s
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outside contractors getting preference over
New York state employees. It’s very sad.
Some of these state employees have been
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e
m
b
e
r
s
,
s
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s
there for 16 or more years. Now they are
forced to go somewhere else.”
PEF asked for a copy of the contract
between OASAS and Odyssey House to see
if it could be broken.
“The commissioner reluctantly gave us
the contract,” Chesimard said. “What we
found was a 30-day opt-out clause. She
could have broken the contract with that
clause, but she told our members it was
impossible to break. At one meeting, I
ByDEBORAHA.MILES treatment center,” Chesimard said. “And
questioned her about this. It was the first
The state Office of Alcohol and there’s nothing to say it must stay on
time she admitted it was her decision.”
Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Ward’s Island.”
stopped the Manhattan Addiction
Politics versus quality care
Treatment Center from treating new clients Done deal
“Some politics are being played here.
February 2. Diane Sullivan, the
Why would you lay-off your own staff and
The facility is scheduled to close its nurse administrator at
give the work to an outside contractor?”
doors completely April 2, leaving Manhattan ATC and a PEF
Chesimard said.
approximately 800 clients seeking services member, attended PEF
Another issue about the Edgecombe CF
elsewhere, and laying off 32 staff. Lobby Day in February.
contract with Odyssey House concerns the
PEF fought to keep the treatment center She was told by an
level of quality care for the clients.
open, but OASAS Commissioner Karen Assembly Member with the
Carpenter-Palumbo made a decision to state’s Drug and Alcohol
close the only facility tailored to help a Committee the closing of
unique segment of the population. Manhattan ATC was “a
SULLIVAN
“We have reason to believe there are
some problems on how the program is
being administered.
“Through the Freedom of Information
This story is spotted done deal” and the commissioner had
Law, PEF requested reports on how the
with many political twists formulated the plan last August.
program is being administered. OASAS did
and turns, according to “The staff was notified December 16
respond as required, but did not provide
PEF Region 10 Manhattan ATC was closing,” Sullivan
all the information we requested. PEF sent
Coordinator Vernetta said. “This was a bum’s rush.
a second request for the information.
Chesimard. “We wrote letters, we petitioned, the
OASAS responded, but failed to send
To begin with, the union was there for us. I was told by an
additional information,” Chesimard said.
Manhattan ATC provided Assembly Member we could do nothing to
“We want the legislators and public to
programs not found at prevent the closure.
know this commissioner has given out a
other centers. In addition “The real heartbreak is seeing people’s
to substance abuse
CHESIMARD
nearly $5 million contract over the course
lives being torn apart,” Sullivan said.
of the next five years to Odyssey House.
treatment, it had a full “Where will all these lesbian, gay,
Our members opened the program. They
Spanish program that transgender people and non-English
are qualified and trained to do the work,”
addressed issues such as speaking people go? The commissioner
she said. “We think the commissioner
immigration and the un-insured. The staff seems satisfied the private sector will pick
should give
also designed and implemented an LGBT up the slack. Hopefully that will happen,
consideration to
program for lesbian, gay, bisexual and but I don’t know.”
cancelling that
transgender individuals.
contract, instead
“These services are not about Members ousted
of laying off state
promoting any particular lifestyle, but To add insult to injury, Carpenter-
workers.”
recognizing some of our clients would have Palumbo awarded a nearly $5 million
difficulty going to other centers that would contract to Odyssey House to run a
PARTOFTHE
not be as open to providing services for program at Edgecombe Correctional
FIGHTBACK —
them,” Chesimard said. Facility to assist parolees with a drug or
APEFdesigned
“This particular program at Manhattan alcohol offense, rather than being shuffled
adtosave
had a dedicated staff. The services they back to prison.
ManhattanPC
provided were unique and necessary. PEF members from various addiction
Services for the black and Latino treatment centers volunteered to
L
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n
gi
i
s
n
la
T
t
he
community also are gone because of the implement the program at Edgecombe CF,
Gazette
ive
in
commissioner’s decision.” which began last summer. It was an effort
February
“The union is hoping the Legislature coordinated by OASAS, the state Division
2009.
will at least question why the of Parole and the Department of
w
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m
w
m
.p
i
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s
f
s
.o
io
rg
ner closed this particular Correctional Services.
TheCommunicatorApril2009—Page9
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