Nysha Recent News

Hamaspik Coordinates with OPWDD to Streamline Its Family Care Program

January 31, 2017        

By Mendy Hecht, Hamaspik Gazette

Hamaspik is New York’s largest non-profit provider of the Family Care program—and now, the agency’s Family Care efforts in Orange and Rockland Counties not only support sizable numbers of families caring for children with special needs, but do so more efficiently, too.

 

As January 2017 closed, Hamaspik’s Family Care offices in the Hudson Valley streamlined their operations. 

 

The improvement was coordinated with the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)—making the program run better for both organizations, and in both upstate counties.

 

The now-changed status quo took root several years ago with former Hamaspik of Rockland County Family Care Coordinator Elazar Klein. 

 

During Mr. Klein’s tenure, five of the Rockland County families he supported had moved at various times to Kiryas Joel in Orange County.  But after Mr. Klein cleared it with the OPWDD, they stayed on as Family Care providers under Hamaspik of Rockland County.

 

Over that same period, two Kiryas Joel families had moved to Rockland County—likewise remaining Hamaspik of Orange County Family Care providers though living in Monsey.

 

That inefficient setup had Hamaspik of Rockland County Family Care Liaison Nachmen Ciment frequently driving up to Kiryas Joel for regular family visits and other job requirements—and likewise, Hamaspik of Orange County Family Care Liaison Mendel Rosenfeld regularly dashing down to Rockland to support families under his purview but not living locally.

 

A few months ago, both Hamaspik divisions agreed that the families needed to simply switch Hamaspiks—Medicaid Service Coordinators (MSCs), paperwork, Liaisons and all. 

 

And on Jan. 31, with the help of Larry Buckley, the OPWDD’s longtime top compliance officer for the Family Care program in the Hudson Valley region, and regional Habilitation Specialist Michelle Dubaldi, MSW, the administrative process to make that switch was completed.

Messrs. Ciment and Rosenfeld now have a lot less driving to do.  But in supporting their Family Care providers, they remain as driven as ever.