Report: WeCARE program is failing city, BX residents

A city audit claims a program intended to help employ welfare recipients with physical or mental disabilities is failing.WeCARE costs the city more than $200 million and is supposed to help about 45,000

News 12 Staff

Oct 22, 2007, 1:02 PM

Updated 6,275 days ago

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A city audit claims a program intended to help employ welfare recipients with physical or mental disabilities is failing.WeCARE costs the city more than $200 million and is supposed to help about 45,000 people with disabilities. The program is meant to focus on job training, help in getting a job and ways to improve the health of those with disabilities. A Daily News report says the audit found staff members aren't being trained properly, don't communicate with their bosses at the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and conducted limited medical exams.The city will be renewing WeCARE's contract in December. The HRA's commissioner praised the program for making several improvements recently and getting jobs for about 3,100 people.The City Council's General Welfare Committee will hold a hearing Monday to examine the program and the audit's findings.