Governor acts on PEF bills
Nursingdisclosurebillnowlaw
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BySHERRYHALBROOK couldbedonein-house. Thefateofthe
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TheNursingCareQualityProtection Thebillwouldhaverequired singleremaining
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Act(A.1752A/S.3527)wassignedintolaw authoritiestoperformacost-benefit majorbillPEF
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byGov.DavidPatersonSeptember17. analysisdemonstratingsavingspriorto supported,thathas
S
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PEFsupportedthelegislation,which enteringintocontractsforprofessional, passedbothhouses,
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requireshospitalstodisclosecertain maintenance,clericalandtechnical maybelinkedto
indicatorsofnursingqualitysuchas:the services. thosediscussions
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numberoflicensednursesproviding Inhisvetomessage,thegovernorcited betweenthegovernorandlawmakers.
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directcare;theratioofRNstopatients; thepossibilitythelegislationmightadd ThatbillisthePublicAuthority
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staffingpractices;thenumberofadverse costsanddelaystothecontracting ReformAct(S.1537C/A.2209C).Itwould
patient-careincidents;medicationerrors; process,andincreaselawsuitsfromlabor increasepublicoversightoverthestate’s
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patientinjuries;andcomplaintsfiledwith unions. morethan700publicauthoritiesand
regulators. Still,thegovernorleftthedooropento publicbenefitcorporations;establishan
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“Thisisanotherimportantwinforour negotiatechangesifitssponsors, AuthoritiesBudgetOfficetoexaminetheir T
nurses,whohavelobbiedlongandhard AssemblyMemberRichardBrodskyand finances,reviewtheirfunctionsand I
toimprovetheirworkingconditionsand Sen.DianeSavino,wanttoresubmitit. recommendtheirconsolidationwithother
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thequalityofcarepatientsreceive,”said “WhileIdisagreestronglywiththe governmentalbodies;sethigher N
PEFPresidentKenBrynien. mechanismcreatedbythisbill,the standardsforfiduciaryresponsibilityand
Thegovernoralsorecentlysignedthe underlyingissueofmakingsurepublic accountabilityfortheirmanagement;
ProfessionsAccountStabilizationBill moneyisnotwastedonunnecessary requirethemtogetlegislativeapproval
(S.4200/A.8219)thatprovidesan contractsisanimportantone,”Paterson beforecreatingnewsubsidiaries;and
additionalrevenuesourcetosupportthe said.“Iamcurrentlyengagedin empowerthestatecomptrollertopre-
stateEducationDepartment’sOfficeof discussionswiththeLegislatureonthe audittheircontracts.
theProfessions,whichemploysanumber issueofpublicauthoritiesreform.Ihave BrianCurran,PEF’slegislativedirector
ofPEFmembers. directedmystafftocontinuediscussions andcounsel,saidlegislatorsareholding
Thegoodnews,however,wasoffsetby ontheissuesraisedbythisbillinthat offonsendingthePublicAuthority
Paterson’svetoofthePublicAuthority context,inanefforttoreachagreement ReformActtoPatersonpendingthe
Contractingbill(S.3508/A.4343)that onaprocessforensuringthatauthority outcomeofthosediscussions.Brodskyis
wouldhavelimitedtheabilityofpublic contractingisdoneinthemostcost- alsotheAssemblysponsorofthatbill,
authoritiestocontractforservicesthat effectivemanner.” alongwithSen.BillPerkins.
U.S.reportcries“reform”instate’sjuvenilejusticesystem
By DEBORAH A. MILES
communitiesandclosingstatefacilities membersandbackedbystudies.More
TheU.S.DepartmentofJustice
exacerbatestheveryconditionsthe thanhalftheyouthsinjuvenilejustice
recentlyissuedascathingreporton
commissionersoughttocorrect.Thishas facilitiescarryabonafidementalhealth
conditionsatfourstateOfficeofChildren
lednotonlytoadeteriorationofservice diagnosis,comparedto15percentto18
andFamilyServices(OCFS)facilities.
levelsatthefacilities,buttoeveryone’s percentinthegeneralpopulation.
ItcitestheconditionsatLansing,
worstfear–thebrutalmurderofayoung Brynienacceptedaninvitationto
LouisGossettJr,andtheTryonBoysand
grouphomeemployeebyayouth furtherdiscussPEF’sresponsetothe
TryonGirlsResidentialCenters,and
inappropriatelyplacedinacommunity DOJreportatTheCenterforNYCAffairs
documentstheresultsofafailedpublic
settinginLockport,”Bryniensaid. attheNewSchoolinapublicforumon
policytowardresidentialplacementof
ThemurderfollowedtheJanuary thejuvenilejusticesystem.
juvenileoffendersandjuvenile
shootingofaRochesterpoliceofficerbya Thepublicforumisbeingscheduled
delinquents.
youthplacedinacommunityresidence forthisfall.
MuchofthereportechoeswhatPEF
byOCFS,andariotandfrequentAWOLS Carrionisexpectedtobeonthepanel
hasbeenbringingtotheattentionof
fromRandolphChildren’sCenterHomein eventhoughthefamilyofReneeGreco
legislativeleadersandOCFS
CattaraugusCounty. hascalledforCarrion’sresignation.
CommissionerGladysCarrionfornearly
“Thestate’sapproachhasbeena Greco,24,wasbludgeonedJune8,
twoyears.
correctionalmodelwithminimalstaffing allegedlybytwoyouthsatAvenueHouse,
“Thecurrentpoliciesandprocedures
andminimalfocusoneducation,mental aprivatelyoperatedgrouphomein
atyouthresidentialcentersaren’t
health,alcoholanddrugtreatment,” Lockport.Greco’sfamilyisholding
working,”saidPEFPresidentKen
Bryniensaid.“Theprofessionalstaffwho Carrionultimatelyresponsibleforthe
Brynien.“Notonlyaretheyendangering
workinthesystemmustbeasolid death.
thewelfareoftheyouthsdetainedin
partnerinreform.OurPEF-represented “Ourtroubledyouthsneedand
thesefacilities,theyhavecaused
counselors,teachers,socialworkers, deserveourhelpandguidancetoturn
sometimesirreparableharmtothe
psychologistsandnurseshave theirlivesaround,”Bryniensaid.“Reform
employeeswhoprovideservicestoour
tremendousknowledge,experienceand asmandatedbytheJusticeDepartment
troubledyouths.
commitment.” isthefirststepintherightdirection.PEF
“Thecommissioner’szealtotransform
TheDOJreportincludesextreme looksforwardtoworkingwithOCFSto
thestate’ssystembymovingyouthsinto
deficienciesinmentalhealthcare,an ensurepositivechangestakeplace.”
www.pef.org
areaconsistentlyreportedbyPEF
TheCommunicatorOctober2009—Page13
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