Advance Care Alliance of New York — Local services in New York

UPDATE: I am beyond disgusted with agency!!! I had finally managed to get in touch with Beverly Jaques my daughter’s “care manager” 2 weeks ago, we spoke about the services my daughter needs, we discussed the home visits and talked about her annual which will need to be scheduled in a few months. It seemed like a very productive conversation and I felt like things might finally get done. I should have known better! I spent all last week and yesterday trying to call Beverly to update her on something we’d talked about and every time I called the phone would go dead! Did she change her number? Did she lose her phone? NO! Yet again and for the umpteenth time my daughter’s “care manager” was changed!! (On the 10th, today is the 18th and I have yet to hear from the new person.) Without warning, without notice. Just a “You’ll take what we give whether you like or not.Either way, we DON'T CARE!) Oh, and thank you so much for following up with me as you said you would in your (now deleted) response to my original review, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your concern. For anyone that may read this in the future, I’m being facetious they never followed up with me. I however, won’t waste my time calling you as you also requested in the response you deleted, no, instead I’ll be calling and filing complaints against you with OPWDD, The Attorney General’s Office, The Governor’s Office and through the ADA. I will also be contacted everyone that gave ACA negative reviews and asking them to the same. This agency is a menace to the disabled individuals and families it claims to serve. The only thing ACA seems to be proficient at is billing Medicaid for services it has no intention of providing.

My daughter has been with ACA since OPWDD came into existence and it’s been nothing but an absolute NIGHTMARE!! Her “care managers” have been constantly changed without notifying us, so I never know who they are. The new managers never call to introduce themselves as is customary. One time I needed to speak to my daughter’s “care manager,” I called her for days, leaving message after message with no call back, I finally decided to call ACA’s 833# to speak to a supervisor and apparently, my daughter’s “care manger” had been changed again and no one could tell me who my daughter’s new “care manager” was, one person would tell me “it’s this person” then I’d get transferred and that person would say “No, I’m not, it’s this person.” All they could tell me is that there was a change. In January 2023 my daughter’s case was given to a new “care manager.” She didn’t call until February 2023 to introduce herself to us and because she needed paperwork signed and to schedule my daughter’s bi-annual meeting. She also told me she needed to do a home visit. I explained that there were some essential services that my daughter needed, (I’ve requested help with these services from almost every “care manager” my daughter has had and still have gotten no where. Every time I ask for an update, I get the same answer “I looked, but I couldn’t find anything. I’ll ask for my supervisor’s help and get back to you.” They never get back to me, and when I call, either I’m told that they are still waiting to hear from the “supervisor" or the “care manager” has changed again!) That was 3 months ago, and I have not heard from this “care manager” since! It seems like ACA only knows your name when they have paperwork that needs to be signed or a meeting that needs to be scheduled, but when it comes to offering your special needs child any help, their answer is “Don’t call us, we’ll call you, but don’t hold your breath waiting!” Oh, how I long for the days before OPWDD was created and ruined everything! When the agencies actually cared for your kids and got results for them! If I could give this horrendous agency -0...

This is revised review : I have spoken with both Director/Regional Manager regarding my son's case file. (let's call it the way it is a "file") Both Regional Manager and Director were helpful however the updates that I was given seemed "generic" or "ordinary" The agency has placed blamed on OPWDD and vice versa. Management has even explained to me that when dealing with OPWDD (they were finding it hard to get services covered for someone so young my son is five and my son might not even receive services until he is seven

My case manager likes to have month to month meetings (just to talk, and to tell me where is she (i guess that includes filling out paperwork inefficiently and sending it to just push the file to other outside agencies. case manager also likes to set up meetings last minute (sorry my time is valuable too). Case manager lacks communication skills and never told me what she was doing on the back end, the Regional Manager explained to me what was happening.

If this agency is classified as "social services" they need to more involved and "help" more. My advice to anyone who decides to use this agency BE A PROACTIVE parent. If that does not work go up the chain of command. I wanted to chose another agency however i don't want to wait another two to three years for services, but it looks like that maybe happening anyway.

Original review: i am on my second case manager, (since according to supervision the first case manager to inexperience) it's been 2 and half almost 3 years and my son still has not received services. I just had my psych social yesterday and they told me they received my son "life plan" documentation with one word answers to questions when i know i've spent many months doing face to face meetings to update all of this information. I still don't know what the role of the case manager is or what she actually does. I was told i would receive 6 hours a week for respite services (not acceptable) I have asked case management to appeal it and till this day i still do not have respite services or an...

I would like to express my deep concerns regarding the experiences we’ve had with this company. It is regrettable to say that I cannot recommend this company to anyone due to the prevalence of unethical and dishonest business practices. Specifically, we have encountered issues with one of the employees, Natalie Paul, who has taken advantage of my disabled family member’s vulnerability for personal gain.

Despite our efforts to address the situation by seeking to replace Natalie Paul as the case manager/social worker, we have faced retaliation in the form of attempts to disrupt our home services and coerce false accusations against us. Regrettably, our attempts to address these concerns with the company have been met with obstacles, further exacerbating the situation.

Given the severity of these issues, we are left with no choice but to seek assistance from adult protection services and potentially pursue legal action. It is clear that this company has failed to uphold its responsibilities in caring for our family member, and we are now actively seeking alternative options for their care.

Furthermore, it is deeply concerning that the company appears to justify their actions by soliciting feedback from family members who are not directly involved in the day-to-day care of the disabled family member and may lack understanding or empathy towards their needs. This further exacerbates the situation, as decisions regarding the well-being of my disabled family member should be informed by those who are intimately familiar with their circumstances and genuinely invested...