A hearing scheduled for July 9 to look into New York state’s transition of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) has been postponed to allow the Department of Health to testify, according to the hearing sponsors.

In a joint statement, state Sen. James Skoufis (D-Cornwall), chair of the Senate Investigations and Government Operations Committee, and state Sen. Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx), chair of the Senate Health Committee, said, “As the agency with oversight of this program, it is imperative that DOH is present to provide their unique insights and knowledge as it relates to the transition and ongoing operations of CDPAP. While we are incredibly disappointed about this recent development, our commitment to hold this crucial hearing this summer has not wavered and we will notify stakeholders and the public as soon as we have a new date.”

The department responded with an email statement, saying the department “looks forward to the opportunity to provide an update" and adds, “New York State prevented a fiscal crisis by cutting out hundreds of wasteful middlemen, preserving the future sustainability of CDPAP. We have made great progress in transitioning to the new CDPAP model, with hundreds of thousands of consumers and personal assistants registered with PPL, ensuring continuity of care and timely payments for workers.”

The Department of Health has come under fire for the transition of the CDPAP program to a single intermediary.

A new hearing date has not been set but the hope is for a date this summer.