This troubling story was recently in The Buffalo News...
New York state employees stole cash from the personal accounts of people with disabilities to pay for everything from live shows and restaurant outings to Wal-Mart shopping sprees, according to a report released recently by the state's inspector general.
"With disturbing regularity we have seen the shameless preying on a vulnerable population by those in charge of their care, " the state inspector general wrote in a statement.
The pilfering of cash accounts by group home workers was described as "widespread and prolific". The thefts and improprieties were so common and widespread that more cases of theft and abuse were reported even while the report was being written.
The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities employs about 23,000 employees, who provide services to approximately 128,000 New York residents in institutional and community settings.
In response to the findings, the inspector general made recommendations that the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities has agreed to adopt. Recommendations include more training for the handling and oversight of personal cash accounts and new audits to better track and determine how group home residents' money is being spent.
"These heinous crimes not only need to be vigorously investigated and prosecuted," the inspector general said, "but significant reforms must also be implemented that not only make such crimes less feasible, but protects the integrity of funds in these personal accounts."
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