New NY law supports families of abused disabled people

ALBANY -- New York can no longer prohibit families from using reports that their disabled relatives were abused in state facilities under a new law that one parent said will end intimidation of suffering families.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo yesterday signed the law that seeks to correct what stressed and grieving families have long complained about when attempting to deal with abuse and neglect of their disabled children and other relatives in state facilities.

Since 2007 under the reform act known as Jonathan's Law, state reports of abuse and neglect were provided to families. But they were stamped "confidential -- do not disclose." That hindered families from pursuing abuse cases involving their loved ones through legal action and even to refer the case to law enforcement.

"This type of secrecy is never good public policy," said Assemb. Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach) who co-sponsored the bill. He recently settled a federal lawsuit alleging his disabled son Ricky, now 55, was hit and verbally abused at a Long Island group home.

"It became personal," Weisenberg said.

The new law was prompted in part by a series of New York Times articles that exposed allegations of widespread abuse in state facilities and what the state acknowledges was an unacceptable lack of referrals to law enforcement.

-- AP