New York families, therapists say new Early Intervention Program hub is causing service problems

NEW YORK — In New York, 70,000 babies and toddlers rely on therapy to be able to walk and talk, but nearly a dozen families and therapists tell CBS News New York services to help these children have grinded to a halt.

They blame a new state database called the Early Intervention (E.I.) Hub, which launched Oct. 15. It's where providers enter child data, approve services and issue payments.

An online petition titled "Help Address Critical Issues Impacting Early Intervention Services in NY State" has nearly 12,000 signatures on Change.org.  

In a statement, the Department of Health acknowledges "some initial issues as these types of platform transitions are always difficult," but they say, "There has been no interruption of services."

The state acknowledges some aren't getting paid, and they say they're cutting checks to providers who request it.

E.I. Hub is "a disaster," service coordinator says

"Children's data is missing ... We can't send each other paperwork," said early intervention service coordinator Kimberly Torello. "We've known from the beginning that the hub was going to be a disaster."

Torello says she traveled to Albany to train for the hub two years ago. As a coordinator who matches families with services, she spends hours on the site. She shared screenshots of the system's glitches.

"The therapist are ready to start, but we cannot get the authorizations approved because of little glitches in the system," Torello said.

"Was the old system broken?" investigator Mahsa Saeidi asked.

"No. Never," Torello said.

"These kids, they're not getting this time back"

Samantha Reyes' 2-year-old son, Shakir, is diagnosed with autism. To help him, Reyes enrolled him in New York's Early Intervention Program. She says he was evaluated and matched with a behavioral therapist.

"It's been approved since September," Reyes said.

But that therapist is on hold.

"It's a lot of stress because you want your kid to succeed in everything. I want him to meet every single milestone he has, and I can't because I'm not getting the help," Reyes said.

Shakir's speech therapist is continuing sessions, but says she hasn't been paid.

"I can go work in a hospital, I can go work in a private practice. But these kids, they're not getting this time back," speech and language pathologist Stefanie Burgio said.