OMRmembersatValleyRidgefighttomaintain
jobs,qualityservices
N
BySHERRYHALBROOK
InApril2003,thengovernor
O
GeorgePatakiandstateSen.Tom
T
I
Libousopenedabrandnew,state-of-
the-artfacilitycosting$17.5million
Z
A
inthesmalltownofNorwich,
ChenangoCounty.
I
L
I
TheValleyRidgeCenterfor
IntensiveTreatment(VRCIT)washeralded
takeover,”said
B
ashaving“theverylatestintechnology
JimMoffitt,
O
andsecurityinnovations”and
Executive
representativeofthestate’scommitment
Boardmemberandthecouncilleaderof
thethreevacantPS&Tpositions.
M
tocontinuing“NewYork’srecord
PEFDivision403atValleyRidge.
ValleyRidgeisnotypicalDDSO.Itis
ofexcellenceinmeetingtheneeds
Announcedplanstoredeploy
thesecondoftwofacilitiesinthestate
ofourcitizenswithdevelopmental
threememberstoBroomealong
speciallydesignedtohouseandprovide
E
R
disabilities.”
withthreeunfilledstaffvacancies
intensiveandindividuallycustomized
B
Timeshavechanged.
havecrystallizedthemembers’fears
treatmentto60personswith
InOctober2009,PEFmembers
andledthemtoputplacardsin
developmentaldisabilitieswhohavebeen
whoworkatthefacilityare
theircarwindowsOctober8tolet
placedtherebythecourtsbecauseof
E
M
strugglingtomaintainstaffingand
theirnewfacilitydirectorCarl
offendingandcriminalbehaviors.
Letson,visitingfromBroomeDDSO
Locatedon23acres,ValleyRidgewas
M
servicesasthestateOfficeof
MentalRetardationand
wherehe’sbased,knowhowthey
describedbyOMRCommissionerThomas
DevelopmentalDisabilitiesmoves
MOFFITT
feel.
Maulwhenitopenedsevenyearsagoas
toconsolidateValleyRidge’s
AmongthemessagesLetsonsaw
exemplifying“anationallyrecognized
operationswiththoseofBroome
onhiswayfromtheparkinglottoa
treatmentprogram(that)includesclinical
DevelopmentalDisabilitiesServices
labor-managementmeetingwithMoffitt
servicesrangingfrombasiclivingskillsto
Office.
andothermemberswere,“Stop
intensiveangertherapyandrelapse-
Whilemembersofthenewsmedia
Redeployments,”“KeepJobsatCIT,”and
preventionservices.Theintensive
portraystateleadersas“trimmingthefat”
“ExporttheExcellence,NottheJobs.”
treatmentneedsoftheindividuals...
fromstategovernment,employeesat
“Ithinkithelped,”Moffittsaid.“We
servedatValleyRidgedictatetheyare
ValleyRidgefindthemselvestryingto
weretoldnomoreredeploymentsare
providedwiththehighestquality
keepagriponthestandardsofquality
beingconsideredandtwoofthethree
specializedprogrammingandcarewithin
andservicethathaveearnedtheir
whoweresupposedtoberedeployedwill
asafeenvironment.”
worksiteareputationforcompetenceand
remainatValleyRidge,althoughthestaff
“Theseareverychallengingclientsat
professionalism.
developmentspecialistwillnowbe
ValleyRidge,andthestaff,acrossall
“Wearetoldthestate‘wantstoexport
trainingthroughoutthecounty.”
bargainingunits,istightlyknit,”Moffitt
theexcellence’achievedhereatValley
Moffittsaidheisstillpressingforan
said.“Everyjobherecounts,andevery
Ridge,buttousitfeelsmorelikeahostile
answeronwhetherOMRDDwilltrytofill
membermatters.”
ExpressScriptsaddressessecuritybreach
PEFhasreceivedcallsfrommembers EmployeeRelationswithourconcerns identitytheftresultingfromthisincident,
concerningalettertheyreceivedfrom regardingthesecuritybreach,”saidPEF ESIwillprovideidentityrestoration
ExpressScriptsInc(ESI),thePharmacy PresidentKenBrynien. servicesfromKrollforalllegitimateand
BenefitManagerfortheEmpirePlan ESIisunawareatthistimeofany approvedcases.Alicensedinvestigatorat
prescriptiondrugprogramforJanuary1, actualmisuseofEmpirePlan Krollwillbeassignedtoeachcase.
1999,throughDecember31,2005. information,andiscontinuingtowork IfyoureceivedaletterfromESI
TheletternotifiesEmpirePlan withtheFBItoinvestigate.Ithassetupa advisingyouofthesecuritybreach,and
enrolleesofanincidentthatresultedin Website,www.esisupports.com,which youhaveconcernsaboutyourpersonal
unauthorizedaccesstoEmpirePlan containshelpfulinformationand information,youmaycontactKroll,atno
enrolleeinformationincludingname, resourcesforaffectedEmpirePlan chargetoyou,at866-795-9350,Monday
SocialSecuritynumber,birthdate enrollees. throughFridaybetween8a.m.and5
andpossiblyprescription ESIhascontractedwithKroll p.m.(CentralTime),tospeak witha
information. Inc,arisk-consulting U.S.-basedrepresentativetrainedin
“PEFisworkingwith company,tohelp handlingprivacybreachevents,fraud,
thestateDepartmentof peoplewhobelieve andidentitytheftissues.
CivilServiceandhas theirdatamayhave Asmoreinformationbecomes
contactedthe beenmisused.Ifan available,PEFwillpostitonitsWebsite.
Governor’sOfficeof enrolleedoesexperience —DeborahA.Miles
Page12—TheCommunicatorNovember2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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