Category Archives: feeney tbi

Who Pressured NY DOH into Bringing Back a Clinical Predator?

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Someone must have pressured the New York State Department of Health to enter into a contract that allows a clinical predator back into the lives of brain injury survivors, their families and those who provide services to them. Some political favor or debt has called in, someone with some pull who clearly cares absolutely nothing about brain injury survivors.

I make this observation because it is the only thing that makes sense. There are some truly good people working at the DOH who really do care about brain injury survivors. But who among them (or anyone for that matter) can say with a straight face that they are comfortable with the department’s entering into a contract that allows Timothy J. Feeney, who by all accounts is nothing but a full-blown narcissist, back into the lives of those of us living with brain injuries.

There are some good people at the DOH and I dare say many would be forced to bite deep into their tongues in order to get themselves to say, “I think it is fine that someone who lies about his credentials to everyone provides services related to the TBI Waiver.” Don’t forget, Feeney and his company are already an approved provider of waiver services which makes one wonder what will be done about the obvious conflict of interest now that the clinical predators are back as the “neurobehavioral project.”  But Feeney doesn’t stop there. Let’s not forget that only this week Feeney was up in Washington County’s Fort Ann School District working with disabled children, never mind that school officials know his credentials are bogus. So much for putting children first.

A DOH official who  I will not name said the DOH has been assured by Maria Dibble, the executive director of the Southern Tier Independence Center, the recipient of the more than $250,000 contract that will hand the work to Feeney, that the provisions of the contract will be carried out in the highest professional manner. As presented, Ms. Dibble’s reassurance would actually be funny were it not so morally and clinically troubling – not too mention absent any relationship to  reality. How on earth can you provide quality services when you know the person providing them is lying about their credentials?

An email asking Ms. Dibble to explain STIC’s support for Feeney has gone unanswered.

Back to the question of the day. Who is pulling the strings? Is it solely a coincidence that Patricia Greene Gumson, a former DOH employee and Feeney supporter used to work at STIC? Sources have made it clear that both Ms. Gumson and current DOH employee Bruce Rosen had the reality of Feeney’s invalid college degrees brought to their attention and they did nothing about it.  There is no doubt that Gumson and Rosen did some admirable things over the years, no doubt at all. But this truth does not spare them accountability for supporting a clinical predator who likes to call himself “the angel of death” and has been known to be a bully. I’ve heard him refer to himself like this and the late Dr. Mark Ylvisaker often referenced Feeney’s penchant for this macabre moniker.

But back to the question at hand. Who pulled the strings for Feeney? To where or to whom does the corruption thread lead? One possible clue would be to watch which provider Feeney buddies up with.

Anyway, the truth will out.

 

Sometimes the Reader Says It Best

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I don’t know that I have ever posted a reader’s comment as a standalone piece before, but I am posting this one. This person has successful stated what is in the hearts and minds of thousands across the New York State and beyond right now, it accurately echoes what I and others heard for years about Feeney.

“A  new comment on your post "Responding to a Reader about Feeney’s Work":

In an era when accountability and responsibility are important and stressed by the NYS government and DOH they award contracts to a facility who hires someone lying about his credentials. That’s the message that DOH chooses to give to all other providers, staff and organizations serving people with disabilities. The OMIG and the state attorney should be involved not just now but for all these years that the self proclaimed "Dr Feeney" did his work. If DOH would have elicited feedback from providers, regional offices and participants alike, they would never allow him to work with survivors as part of this program and be part of a contract they award nevertheless.”

True that.

More than a Quarter Million New York Dollars

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If, for some odd reason, you recently found yourself thinking bureaucracy couldn’t get any more dysfunctional, think again. Despite hard economic times, New York state officials entered into a contract that will funnel more than a quarter million hard-earned New York State tax dollars into a project even though they are fully aware that the implementation of the contract includes the widely discredited Timothy J. Feeney.

As the several thousand regular readers of this blog know, Feeney is the person who continues to tromp about claiming to be Timothy J. Feeney PhD or Dr. Timothy Feeney when he no more has a valid doctorate than Fred Flintstone does (apologies to Mr. Flintstone). Feeney doesn’t have a valid masters degree either.

Nonetheless, New York State decided to go ahead an enter into a contract with the Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC) in Binghamton which in turn will give Timmy a major role in the lives of brain injury survivors, their families and health care providers, all of who face enough challenges as it is, much less having to face the unwanted challenge of dealing with dishonest man who is part of a contract that with drain more a quarter million from state coffers.

While it is unclear (though we can guess) what went into the decision to funnel more than a quarter of a million dollars into a contract that empowers a fraud, there is one thing that clearly did not play a role in the decision; a sincere desire to provide the best services to people who live with brain injuries, their families, and the honorable providers that day in and day out try to provide the best services possible.

Could Feeney Be Charged Next?

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A special prosecutor has been assigned to pursue charges against Steven B. Feldman, a Saratoga County New York man who, New York State Police say, used his educational credentials from a diploma mill calling itself Hamilton College to get contracts with Saratoga County.

And what, you ask, is Hamilton College? It is a diploma mill just like Greenwich University, the diploma mill Timothy J. Feeney has repeatedly used to land himself three contracts with the New York State Department of Health and, not incidentally, take part in court cases as an expert.  Moreover, one would like to think any party who aided and abetted either Feldman or Feeney in what amounts to nothing more than a con would be criminally charged too.

According to PostStar.Com, Feldman “provided court-ordered (mental health) evaluations without adequate education.” 

In New York’s Washington County, Fort Ann New York School Superintendent Maureen VanBuren and some school board members have been informed about Feeney’s bogus credentials so if they retained their contractual relationship with him as it appears they have, who knows what may be in store for them.

Clinton County District Andrew Wylie, a district attorney from Clinton County will handle the case against Feldman.

The New York State DOH and the Southern Tier Independence Center have been fully informed about Feeney’s false credentials and both parties have received communication from brain injury survivors, family members and, in some cases, providers, asking that Feeney and his staff be stopped.  Some providers have said they will stop providing services if Feeney returns.  If STIC does sign and contract and does  give the work to Feeney, they did it once before, one has to wonder where the long arm of the law will reach next.

And hey, the alphabetical order of Feeney and Feldman is pretty tight. Wouldn’t it be amusing if people were assigned to cell blocks alphabetically? Lord knows the two would have lots to talk about.

Stay tuned.

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