NY families ask for more access to relatives in group homes
NEW YORK - Imagine not being able to see your child for three months. That has been the situation for many parents of special needs children who live in group homes.
Pamela Frank said she is concerned about her 20-year-old son, Bobby, losing skills and regressing. Bobby, who has autism and is unable to speak, lives in a group home in Suffolk County. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she hasn't been able to see him in three months.
But Gov. Andrew Cuomo is allowing group homes to resume visits starting Friday. He said each home will have the discretion to allow visitors and must follow state guidelines about wearing masks.
New York State Assembly Member Melissa Miller of Nassau County said the situation with group homes has been catastrophic and that residents have been deprived of their families. Miller has a 20-year-old son with special needs and is an advocate for families. Other than wearing masks, she is urging the governor not to impose restrictions on family visits.
"To be looking at someone who can't understand why his mom can't touch him, can't hug him," Miller said. "It's cruel."
The Assembly member wants parents to be able to go inside the group homes to visit their children, take them out for lunch, bring them home on weekends and enjoy the same benefits as the staff.
"Why am I any more dangerous to take my child home than if the staff is off this weekend and ran to the beach," Frank said. "And then they go into work on Monday?"
She said she understood the lockdown for the first couple of months but now said she and other parents believe the state needs to have a safe plan for parents to take their children home.
And if the governor limits the interactions between parents and their special needs children?
"Then we will continue to fight for it," Miller said.