Health Department Blocks Public Access to Information

In 1999, the New York State Department of Health has taken action against six nursing homes in New York City who have failed to comply with state regulations.

Brooklyn-Queens Nursing Home  (Brooklyn) and Aishel Avraham  (Brooklyn) were each fined $2,000, and Workmen's Circle (Bronx) was given a $4,000 fine. Beth Abraham  (Bronx) received notice of an imminent fine and will have to post a "Notice of Enforcement."

The Department has forced Carmel Richmond  (Staten Island) and Clearview (Queens) to institute Directed Plans of Correction to remedy violations of the nursing home regulations.

While FRIA is pleased to see that the DOH is finally exercising some regulatory muscle, we continue to be frustrated by their lack of response to consumer requests for information.

In our attempts to find out the nature of the above violations, FRIA staff met numerous roadblocks.  We were tossed back and forth between the Albany and New York City office and found no one who could provide information that is supposed to be public.

The Department assured us over one year ago that deficiency information would be posted on their website. This information is still unavailable. The Federal government's website continues to have incomplete information on New York nursing home violations.