Q&A
DSS response to Bronx Parent Housing Network case and subsequent oversight improvements
1:25:32
·
114 sec
Commissioner Molly Wasow Park discusses the Department of Social Services' (DSS) response to the Bronx Parent Housing Network case and subsequent improvements in oversight of shelter providers.
- Park describes the aggressive action taken in the Bronx Parent case, including leadership changes and appointment of a monitor
- She outlines improvements made since 2021, including enhanced conflict of interest forms and independent checking using LexisNexis
- The commissioner emphasizes that changes have been ongoing and not just in response to the Department of Investigation (DOI) report
Molly Wasow Park
1:25:32
The Bronx parent case is a horrific one, and my heart goes out to all of the people who both the clients and the staff who are affected by that.
1:25:42
That is an example of an issue an incident where DHS took aggressive action.
1:25:48
Our goal is is always to get a not for profit to a place where they can succeed, but if they and if they can't, to end business with them.
1:25:56
In that instance, working in conjunction with DOI, we essentially took over the organization.
1:26:02
So, leadership was was exited from the organization.
1:26:06
There was a a monitor that was appointed, and at this point, the organization is functioning as with a completely different both board and and leadership structure.
1:26:18
You know, I think we want to our goal always with the not for profit organizations, right, is to support capacity, and community based organizations when we can and to make aggressive action and changes where we can't.
1:26:32
So this that was, an unusual circumstance where we were able to actually really completely overhaul leadership.
1:26:39
That it was that instance, incident that triggered the DOI report.
1:26:44
So a lot of the changes that we have made since then, since, 2021, you know, weren't in place then are in place now.
1:26:54
Right?
1:26:54
So the level of conflict of interest forms that we're doing that that, independent checking uses using LexisNexis, a lot of this is work that has evolved over the last several years.
1:27:05
Right?
1:27:05
Not we didn't wait for the DOI report to come out.
1:27:08
We have been making aggressive changes all along.
UNKNOWN
1:27:08
Can you be a little bit more specific?
1:27:08
Because this
Molly Wasow Park
1:27:08
scheme for,
Julie Won
1:27:11
Can you be a little bit more specific?
1:27:13
Because this scheme for this case, for Victor Rivera, lasted from 2013 to 2020.
1:27:17
That is a very long time.
1:27:19
So I'm glad that we've made steps to make changes.
1:27:22
So can you be more specific?
1:27:23
What changes have been made to the COIB report?
