Following a series of stories in the New York Times about abuse and neglect of residents of state-run group homes for persons with developmental disabilities, in March 2011, Governor Andrew Cuomo asked Mr. Sundram to serve as Special Advisor to the Governor for Vulnerable Persons. Mr. Sundram was tasked with developing recommendations to address the problem of abuse and neglect of persons in residential care. The report he made to the Governor in April 2012 The Measure Of A Society: Protection Of Vulnerable Persons In Residential Facilities Against Abuse & Neglect recommended sweeping reforms in the system for prevention, reporting, investigating and responding to such incidents in residential facilities operated or authorized by six State agencies in New York. Governor Cuomo proposed and the legislature unanimously adopted The Protection of People with Special Needs Act, implementing the key recommendations of the report, on June 20, 2012.
Media Coverage
| Date | Type | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-12 | ABUSED AND USED: AT STATE-RUN HOMES, ABUSE AND IMPUNITY | New York Times Series on abuse in state-run group homes for people with developmental disability | |
| 2011-10-13 | CUOMO SAYS HE WILL REFORM AGENCIES SERVING DISABLED | New York Times Report on Sundram briefing at a cabinet meeting | |
| 2011-10-13 | ACTING TO CLOSE GAPS IN SAFETY | Officials report on efforts to improve reporting abuse in care system | |
| 2012-05-06 | CUOMO SEEKING NEW AGENCY TO POLICE CARE OF DISABLED | New York Times coverage of creation of the Justice Center | |
| 2012-05-09 | CUOMO PLAN FOR WATCHDOG AGENCY WILL PROTECT NEW YORK'S VULNERABLE CITIZENS | Newsday editorial | |
| 2012-06-18 | JUSTICE CENTER ON TRACK | Albany Times Union | |
| 2012-06-01 | THE JUSTICE CENTER REAL REFORM FOR VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS | New York Nonprofit Press | |
| 2012-05-01 | BALANCING JUSTICE WITH SUNDRAM'S FIRST PILLAR | New Horizon Resources | |
| 2012-06-12 | EDITORIAL: JUSTICE CENTER SORELY NEEDED | Editorial in Plattsburg Press Republican | |
| 2012-06-07 | CUOMO ADVISOR EXPLAINS JUSTICE CENTER PLAN | Adirondak Daily Enterprise | |
| 2012-05-26 | EDITORIAL: SPECIAL NEEDS ACT A NECESSITY | Rockland Journal News Editorial | |
| 2012-05-16 | GET TOUGHER ON THOSE WHO ABUSE DISABLED PEOPLE | Editorial Utica Observer Dispatch | |
| 2012-05-08 | HELPING THE DISABLED | The New York Observer | |
| 2012-05-14 | ENDING ABUSE: GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED LEGISLATION WILL IMPROVE CARE FOR VULNERABLE | The Syracuse Post-Standard | |
| 2012-05-10 | CUOMO IS RIGHT TO PROTECT THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED | The Rochester Democrat Chronicle | |
| 2012-05-07 | MONITORING CARE FOR THE DISABLED | New York Times Editorial | |
| 2023-07-05 | JUSTICE FOR ALL: A CYCLE OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT | On the first installment of the "Justice for All" series, we highlight New York's response to the failings at the Willowbrook school, the creation of an advocate, and a report intended to transform care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers. | |
| 2023-07-12 | JUSTICE FOR ALL: A NEW SHERIFF IN | On the second installment of the "Justice for All" series, we highlight the work undertaken by the Justice Center over the last decade, | |
| 2023-07-19 | JUSTICE FOR ALL: UNFINISHED BUSINESS | On the third installment of the "Justice for All" series, we focus primarily on the workforce providing care to more than 1 million New Yorkers with special needs. |