Cuomo Establishes New State Agency to Protect Special Needs Persons

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation to create a new state agency he says will better protect about a million New Yorkers with disabilities and special needs under state-funded care.

The law will establish a new Special Prosecutor and Inspector General, with more than 400 staff, to oversee six state agencies and their contractors. It will establish a single point for reporting and screening abuse allegations for those in residential care and day programs.

The agency will have a hotline, statewide incident database and a list of employees banned from working with the disabled because of abusive behavior.