October 22, 2007

Testimony on the Wellness, Comprehensive Assessment, Rehabilitation, & Employment (WeCARE) Program

This testimony was given to the New York City Council by Robert Doar, commissioner of the New York City Human Resources Administration of the Department of Social Services. He highlighted the program's progress and challenges during the first three years of operations.

The WeCARE program has about 24,000 clients at any one time. Of those, 22% are employed or engaged in vocational rehabilitation activities; 24% are engaged in wellness plans; 27.4% have federal disability applications pending; and 26% are in other phases of the process. In about three years, about 100,000 people, nearly 80% of those referred to WeCARE, have completed the biopsychosocial assessment process. About 14,200 have completed wellness plans and 5,225 have obtained employment. Commissioner Doar noted that the WeCARE contractors, Arbor Training and Education and F.E.G.S. Health and Human Services System faced the following implementation challenges:

• Training staff, medical contractors, employers, and participants to focus on abilities rather than disabilities
   

• Recruiting and training large numbers of multidisciplinary staff
   

• Developing and using complex automated systems
   

• Accommodating a higher than projected volume of referrals