Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services

Unlicensed Nursing Services

The Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (“OMRDD”) and the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (“OASAS”) entered into four separate contracts with Hurtig Evans International, Inc. (“Hurtig Evans”) to provide licensed nursing services to individuals in the State’s care at several facilities.  The three OMRDD contracts were valued at $3.8 million and the OASAS contract was valued at $1.4 million.  We examined payments under these contracts to determine if the agencies paid Hurtig Evans for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who were properly licensed at the time they provided those services consistent with Education Law.  We found that because agencies did not have effective monitoring processes in place, they paid Hurtig Evans $3.2 million for 50 nurses (35 nurses worked at more than one facility) who were either unlicensed, or not appropriately licensed for the level of services for which they were hired. 

OMRDD:  $2.4 million for 43 improperly licensed nurses
OASAS:    $839,000 for 39 improperly licensed nurses