Senior Spotlight By John Toscano
Mixed Reaction To City's Delay Of Senior Reforms RFP

An announcement last week delaying the issuance of a controversial RFP that was the key to the Bloomberg mayoral administration's plans to perhaps close some centers, phase out some services drew a mixed reaction.

Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs said the issuance of the RFP was delayed to September to allow for continued discussion of the city's plans to prepare for a growing senior population and collaboration with other city officials and senior advocates.

"While certain details of the proposal still need to be fleshed out, I believe today's announcement is truly a significant step in the right direction," Gibbs stated.

"This phased reform process recognizes the importance of community-based providers and ensures services that meet the diverse needs of New York City's senior community."

Responding, Comptroller William Thompson Jr. said he thanked the mayor for "acknowledging feedback from the community, from my office and from others across this city who feel passionately about this fundamental restructuring".

But City Councilmember Leroy Comrie (D- Jamaica) stated that while the city agreed to delay the issuance of "a counter-productive RFP", no way have the issues of resource allocations and the cultural significance of the meals program been adequately addressed.

Comrie also said he had reservations regarding the Home Delivered Meals RFP, which, according to Gibbs' announcement, would be released on May 1.

Referring to the RFP, Gibbs said the May 1 release was being done to allow awards to be made before the Senior Center RFP is released, allowing providers more time between reforms.

The DFTA announcement said of the phasing-in of senior center reforms: "Enhancements to the meal program will provide greater efficiency flexibility and choice to frail homebound seniors while providing them with healthy and specialized dietary meals."

But, Comrie countered, "The present RFP places our local senior centers at a disadvantage- some centers do not have the capacity to cook or flash-freeze 800 to 1,200 meals daily. Centers should be judged on the actual services they deliver and not for the under-utilization of meals they deliver."

Comrie also emphasized, "I am of the belief that home-delivered meals should at the very least be culturally sensitive and reflective of the diversity of our city. A frozen meal or uniform hot meals for an entire borough (which currently is implemented in The Bronx) just doesn't make sense.

"Local senior centers- who have intimate knowledge of their client base- are best equipped to address this issue, rather than one borough or citywide provider whose primary concern is the budgetary bottom line."

Comrie also complained, "There still has been no broad-based agreement on enhancements... no one still has answered the fundamental question on how many of the 329 senior centers will be closed or what will be the geographical limits of the service areas proposed."

Another critic of the administration's reforms, Councilmember James Vacca, chair of the Subcommittee on Senior Centers, noted: "For many of our elderly, their senior center is their second home, and it is crucial that we maintain that sense of community as we move forward."

The Brooklyn lawmaker added: "Today's agreement is a definite step in the right direction in that it recognizes that every existing senior center deserves an opportunity to participate in a modernization program and engage in collaboration to meet the needs of growing senior populations in the years ahead."

The city's modernization of aging services is a far-reaching effort to strengthen and improve the services seniors receive today and to prepare for the growing and diverse needs of tomorrow's seniors. Enhancements made to services provided for seniors will result in more seniors being served, providing more options without a loss of services to seniors. The city will continue to work daily with providers to answer questions, resolve concerns and ensure transparency in its efforts to provide enhanced services for seniors.