Mineola, N.Y. -- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, joined by Deputy County Executive of Health and Human Services Dr. Mary Curtis, Deputy County Executive Arthur Gianelli, Deputy Comptroller Susan Wagner, members of the Nassau County Legislature Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck) and Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury), and representatives from several local agencies, today announced that the County has paid out nearly $8 million in cash advances to community-based health and human services agencies that contract with the County, marking the end of a contract process problem that has plagued Nassau County for decades.

Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, center, flanked by, from left to right, Maria Cuadra of COPAY; Peter Visconti of the Five Towns Community Center; Joe Smith Ph.D. of Long Beach Reach; and Richard Dina, Ph.D. of the Family and Children’s Association, announces that the County has paid out nearly $8 million in cash advances to community-based health and human services agencies that contract with the County, marking the end of a contract process problem that has plagued Nassau County for decades.

"It has taken years of hard work to correct a seemingly routine issue that we identified in our first few months in office. I commend our staff for the hundreds of hours of hard work and attention it took to dramatically overhaul this process to the point that the problems are now completely fixed; and I thank the providers who have patiently worked with us even as they have continued to provide vital services to tens of thousands of Long Islanders," said County Executive Suozzi. "These agencies deserve to be paid in a timely manner and our taxpayers deserve to have a government that does the right thing as efficiently as possible. Today's announcement reflects our continued commitment to improve how Nassau County does business."

In the past, the health and human services agencies that the County partners with have received contracts late and advances even later, in some cases more than halfway through the year. In 2002 and 2003, the County began improving this process and was able to distribute checks to agencies in February and March for programs that began in January. For the 2005 fiscal year the Suozzi Administration, together with the Office of the Comptroller, again refined the process. The County's departments and the County Attorney's office developed standardized contracts and distributed them to advisory groups for comment earlier in the contract cycle. Data were also entered earlier into the Nassau Integrated Financial System (NIFS), Nassau County's accounting and financial system. In addition, the process was managed closely and tracked electronically.

"This year, Nassau County supplied critical funding to its social service vendors in the first week of January - earlier than anyone can ever remember. It's important, because it enables these agencies to concentrate on the vital services they provide to county residents, rather than worrying about how they are going to pay their bills," Comptroller Weitzman said. "It shows what we can achieve when all parties of county government cooperate and it speaks well for the joint efforts of the Suozzi Administration and the Comptroller's Office to bring new efficiency to Nassau County government."

Among the County departments that worked together to develop a far more efficient contracts process were the Office of the County Attorney, the Office of Management and Budget, the Purchasing Department, the Comptroller's Office, the Information Technology Department, and the following health and human services departments: Social Services, Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol, Youth Board and Senior Citizen Affairs.

"This is a key step forward in our commitment to improve the way we work with our contract agencies, which we rely on to deliver critical services to our many residents," said Deputy County Executive Curtis. "By getting their payments on time - or even in advance - they can focus on the good and important work they do."

"Even while addressing Nassau's fiscal crisis, County Executive Suozzi directed his administration to examine and re-engineer every process that was broken due to years - even decades - of neglect," said Deputy County Executive Gianelli. "Through the hard work, attention to detail, and genuine commitment to serving the public exhibited by individuals at all levels across the County, the contract process was reformed and - more importantly - human service providers received essential funds sooner than ever before. It's been both challenging and gratifying to have played a part in this effort."

According to Joseph Smith, Ph.D., Executive Director of Long Beach Reach, Inc, the diligent efforts of the Suozzi administration have repaired an antiquated, inefficient and broken system. "For years, community-based agencies were forced to wait months to receive initial advance payments to meet essential expenses like payroll, rent, utilities and insurance payments," said Smith. "This year, for the first time ever, executed contracts have been received before the first of the year and payments are en route to agencies. Once again, congratulations on a job well done."

"Because of Tom Suozzi and his administration, for the first time in many, many, many years, not-for-profit human service agencies are receiving the promise that was given to them so that they can continue providing services" said Gladys Serrano, Executive Director of Hispanic Counseling Center.