New York Justice Center Strengthens OPWDD Early Alert System

In December 2013, the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) placed two developmental disability service provider organizations on Early Alert warning status due to governance or oversight problems identified by the state’s new Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs (Justice Center). The Justice Center is a new law enforcement agency, which has concurrent jurisdiction with local law enforcement agencies and District Attorneys across the state to investigate and when appropriate prosecute allegations of abuse and neglect affecting people with special needs. The Justice Center began operations on June 30, 2013. The . . .