Sen. Seminara: DSS performance audit “deeply concerning”; recommendations “largely ignored.”

For Immediate Release

Sen. Lisa Seminara, the Ranking Senator on the Aging Committee and the Human Services Committee, issued the following statement regarding the State Auditors’ Jan. 3 follow-up report about the Department of Social Services’ Community First Choice (CFC) performance audit which reveals that DSS appears to have only partially or fully implemented 31% of the Auditors’ 16 prior recommendations.

“This deeply concerning report shows that our auditors’ recommendations regarding the CFC Program have been largely ignored. That’s unacceptable.  This is a program which allows elderly and disabled individuals to hire personal care attendants. Recommendations aimed at improving the program’s efficiency and effectiveness must be heeded. The importance of providing essential services and support to the elderly, vulnerable, and disabled individuals who rely on the CFC program for their well-being and independence cannot be understated. We can – and must – do better in terms of providing vital human services for our neediest residents.”