December 23, 2022
Dear Community Partner:
Thank you for your partnership in our shared commitment to serve New Yorkers in need. We hope that this communication, as well as the community-wide conference calls, continues to serve as an important platform to share information and answer your questions. We will continue our work toward the shared goal of fighting poverty, income inequality, and addressing homelessness in our city with care and compassion for our clients, staff, and provider partners.
As a reminder, please reach out to DSS Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov to be added to the list of invitees for the community-wide call and sign up here be added to the distribution list for this weekly communication. The next community call will be held on March 14, 2023 at 4 pm. Invites with the Zoom link will be sent the week prior.
We continue to share important updates as well as an ongoing synopsis of the information shared in prior communications on our DSS Community Updates page. We encourage you to use and share this link to answer questions on the many topics we have covered during the pandemic.
DSS Community Call
As we discussed on our most recent community call, we will be moving these calls to a quarterly schedule moving forward. The email communication with updates will continue on a weekly basis, with the exception of the week of December 26, 2022, when there will be no written communication distribution. We will resume in the new year.
Please find link below to a recording of our last community call held on Tuesday December 13, 2022. Links to all of the calls we’ve held since April 2020 can be found on our Community Updates webpage. If you are not on the list to receive invitations to the monthly call, please contact DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
Access the audio recording here
Password: Covid-19
Our next quarterly community call will be held on March 14, 2023 at 4 pm.
IDNYC Identity/Residency Verification and Attestation Form at Benefits Access Centers (BAC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Centers
Effective immediately, all Benefit Access Centers (BAC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Centers will be able to assist IDNYC applicants and current HRA clients with fulfilling the IDNYC identity verification and proof of residency requirements if they are without photo ID.
After a DSS/HRA worker has found sufficient information in agency systems on a IDNYC applicant who lacks photo ID and has an active CA, SNAP, or MA case, they may provide the individual with official documentation which must be submitted to an IDNYC Enrollment Center before they can complete the application process for an IDNYC card.
2022-2023 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Regular Heater Benefit Increase and Supplement
Effective December 11, 2022, there will be an increase in the regular benefit for households that incur a direct heating expense. A system generated supplement will be issued to adjust regular benefits authorized prior to December 11, 2022. There are no changes to any other HEAP benefits.
OTDA will conduct a Mass Authorization Autopay to issue HEAP Regular benefit heater supplements to households that received a 2022-2023 Regular heater benefit (H1) at the lower base benefit amount. Supplement amounts are dependent on the household’s primary heating type at the time the original H1 was issued.
The new base benefits and supplement amounts can be found at the bottom of the communication.
Please note that add-ons are not impacted by this change.
As we have reported previously, the regular HEAP season opened on November 1, 2022. More information including 2022-23 benefit amounts and eligibility requirements can be found here.
The Emergency HEAP Benefit opens on January 1, 2023. The Emergency HEAP Benefit assists those who are in a heat related emergency. More information including 2022-23 benefit amounts and eligibility requirements can be found here.
The opening date for the 2022-2023 Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement (HERR) and Heating Equipment Clean and Tune (C&T) was Monday, October 3rd. Applications are now being accepted. Benefits will be provided on a first come, first serve basis to eligible applicants through September 29, 2023, or until funding is exhausted.
Please find more information about HERR here. More information about C&T can be found here.
As a reminder, prospective applicants can use any of the following methods to apply for HEAP:
- Fax: Regular fax number is temporarily offline. Please use 917-639-2901 in the interim to submit HEAP application by fax.
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In-person: visit one of the six designated HRA Benefits Access Centers or four community assistance sites
- By mail: send a completed LDSS-3421 application to:
NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP
PO Box 1401
Church Street Station
New York, NY 10008
- Drop off: leave a completed LDSS-3421 application with any HRA Benefits Access Center
Click here to download an LDSS-3421 application or call (212) 331-3126 to request one.
January 2023 Social Security (RSDI/SSI) COLA Increases
Effective January 1, 2023, all individuals in receipt of Social Security Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) and/or SSI will receive a federal COLA of 8.7 percent. This 8.7 percent federal COLA results in an average increase of $73 per month for SSI recipients. For the purposes of Cash Assistance and SNAP benefits, this is unearned income, and this increase may impact eligibility and/or benefit levels. OTDA will send notices to all affected households.
ACCESS HRA Updates
DSS has recently updated several features in ACCESS HRA in an effort to further improve the user experience.
Below are new and improved features that are now available in the AHRA Client Portal:
- Additional information about Medicaid benefits including:
- Coverage details
- Surplus amount
- Individual status
- Coverage start/end dates
- Additional security features to gather a recovery phone number for client accounts.
- Users will now be able to optionally provide a phone number and elect to receive a text message or voice call to enable multi-factor authentication on their account.
Updates to Child Support mobile app:
- Child support payments for noncustodial parents can now be made through the mobile app.
- Credit card, debit card, PayPal, and Venmo payments are accepted.
M/WBE Contracting
On Wednesday, November 30th, DSS/HRA/DHS participated in the Department of Small Business Services’ event “M/WBE Mentors: Meet NYC Goods & Services Prime Vendors & City Agencies”. DSS was joined by the Institute for Community Living (ICL), Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs (NAICA), and Urban Resource Institute (URI) who presented on their missions and procurement processes and shared information on upcoming opportunities with more than 150 Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses who attended the event. DSS appreciates ICL, NAICA, and URI’s partnership in building pipelines for the M/WBE vendor community to participate in our shared work.
Best practices in contractor diversity have shown us that providing M/WBEs with specific points of contact is the first step toward partnership. As part of an effort to expand diversity of the contracting, DHS’ Administrator Carter recently reached out to many of you – our Human Service industry partners – to ask for your support in identifying an M/WBE Liaison within your own organization. For those who haven’t yet replied, please share the name and contact information for your M/WBE Liaison here.
There are over 11,000 City-Certified M/WBEs ready, willing, and able to help provide goods and services to New Yorkers in need with care and compassion. Please reach out to the DSS M/WBE Program Team at mwbe@dss.nyc.gov to learn more about the M/WBE Program as well as for help building pipelines and identifying M/WBEs as prospective partners.
2023 Standard Medicare Part B Premium Amount
On September 27, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2023 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs, and the 2023 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts.
Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A.
Each year the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and coinsurance rates are determined according to the Social Security Act. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees with modified adjusted gross income which is less than or equal to $97,00 for individuals, and less than or equal to $194,00 for couples will be $164.90 for 2023, a decrease of $5.20 from $170.10 in 2022. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries is $226 in 2023, a decrease of $7 from the annual deductible of $233 in 2022.
DHS Code Blue
A Code Blue Weather Emergency notice is issued when the temperature drops to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m., including National Weather Service calculations for wind chill values. No one who is experiencing homelessness and seeking shelter in New York City during a Code Blue will be denied.
Code Blue Weather Emergencies include the following options for individuals experiencing homelessness:
- Shelters: During a Code Blue, shelter is available system-wide to accommodate anyone who is experiencing homelessness homeless and is brought to a shelter by outreach teams. Accommodations are also available for walk-ins.
- Drop-in centers: All drop-in centers are open 24-hours per day when Code Blue procedures are in effect and will assist as many people as possible for the duration of the emergency. Drop-in staff can also make arrangements for homeless individuals at other citywide facilities.
- Street homeless outreach: Teams will contact vulnerable individuals on their Code Blue Priority Lists to ensure safety and bring them to shelter. DHS coordinates Code Blue efforts directly with agencies such as DSNY, and the Parks Department, at a borough level.
Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed
Rule
HRA is proposing to increase eligibility and simplify the administrative process for the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program.
The public hearing for the proposed rule will take place remotely via Zoom on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 10 am. Those who would like to attend the hearing may do so by:
Zoom (video and audio): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86144791528?pwd=SEp0aFNmanhUd1Nab0J5Um1lUmdkdz09
Or at www.zoom.us, click on “join a meeting” and enter meeting ID 861 4479 1528. Passcode is DSS.
Phone (audio only): +1 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 861 4479 1528 Call-in passcode: 844918
The proposed rule is available on our website, can be viewed at the NYC Rules website http://rules.cityofnewyork.us, and has been published in the city record.
Anyone can comment on the proposed rule by:
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Website. Comments can be submitted to HRA through the NYC Rules website at rules.cityofnework.us.
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Email. comments can be emailed to NYCRules@HRA.nyc.gov. Please include “CityFHEPSAmendments” in the subject line.
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Mail. Comments can be mailed to: HRA Rules, c/o Office of Legal Affairs, 150 Greenwich Street, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10007
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By speaking at the hearing. Individuals can sign up to speak at the hearing by calling 919-221-7220, or by emailing NYCRules@hra.nyc.gov on or before Thursday, January 5 at 5 pm. Speakers will be called in the order that they signed up and will be able to speak for up to two minutes.
The deadline to submit comments is midnight on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Comments, including those sent by mail must be received by HRA on or before Tuesday, January 10, 2023.
Those that require assistance must inform DSS in advance if language interpretation services or a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hearing is required. Please submit requests on or before Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 5 pm by email at NYCRules@HRA.nyc.gov or by phone at 929-221-7220.
Mayor Adams Announces Plan to Provide Care for Individuals Suffering From Untreated Severe Mental Illness Across NYC
On November 29th, 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a series of initiatives aimed at addressing the ongoing crisis of unsheltered individuals experiencing severe mental illnesses across New York City and throughout the subway system. The proposed initiatives include:
- a mayoral directive which, in accordance with state law and court precedence, clarifies the responsibility of city agencies and contractors to provide care when severe mental illness prevents an individual from meeting their basic needs;
- an 11-point mental health legislative agenda that takes aim at gaps in New York State’s Mental Hygiene Law that intensify the city’s challenges in meeting the needs of its most vulnerable residents with severe mental illness and;
- the launching of a tele-consult phone line to provide first responders in the field with direct access to clinicians.
Measures outlined in the legislative agenda include:
- making the law explicit that a person requires care when their mental illness prevents them from meeting their own basic needs;
- mandating that hospital clinicians consider a range of factors when assessing a patient’s need for involuntary admission or retention, including known treatment history and current ability to adhere to outpatient treatment;
- requiring hospitals to screen all psychiatric patients prior to discharge for their need to receive “assisted outpatient treatment” (court-order care under “Kendra’s Law”);
- allowing a broader range of trained mental health professionals to perform evaluations and community removals of individuals in crisis and;
- requiring hospitals to notify known community providers when their clients are admitted or released and collaborate with community providers in preparing patients for discharge.
Currently, in advance of the winter months, the Adams administration has begun deploying subway clinical co-response teams—made up of joint patrols of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to patrol high traffic subway stations and respond with a clinician-led approach to those appearing to have serious mental health issues.
Finally, in partnership with New York State, the city will also provide comprehensive training to all clinicians, outreach workers, and first responders to ensure compassionate care that could potentially include involuntary removals when interacting with individuals in distress suffering from severe mental illness
State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
The 2022-2023 New York State budget includes additional funding for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). As a result of the additional funding, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) is actively reviewing and processing eligible ERAP applications submitted through September 30, 2022.
Applications from subsidized housing tenants whose rent is limited to a certain percentage of income (including public housing, section 8, and FHEPS) are not currently able to be paid. State law requires that these applications be paid after all other eligible applicants have been reviewed and paid. Therefore, at this time, none of the subsidized housing applications can be paid regardless of the date their application was submitted. Residents of public housing are urged to contact their public housing authority to determine if their rent can be adjusted retroactively based on a previous change in circumstances, including a reduction in income.
The following applications submitted to the ERAP portal will be denied:
- Households that have income over 80 percent of the area median income
- Households that have already received 12 months of ERAP assistance for rental arrears
SNAP Emergency Allotments
As it has in previous months, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will issue an emergency SNAP supplement to households who are issued SNAP benefits for December 2022. The emergency allotment will be the difference between their budgeted allotment and the maximum allotment for their household size or $95, whichever is greater. Further information is available here. As a reminder, these benefits are not on a regular schedule. If clients want to know when their emergency SNAP allotments are available, they can check their available SNAP balance at https://otda.ny.gov/workingfamilies/ebt/.
These emergency allotments are scheduled to continue for one month beyond the end of the federal public health emergency, currently scheduled to expire January 13, 2023.
Health Insurance: Facilitated Enrollment for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Free enrollment assistance is available to help New Yorkers apply for Medicaid and the Medicare Savings Program, which helps cover Medicare costs if you are:
- 65 or older
- Living with a disability899
- Visually impaired
To schedule a telephone enrollment appointment, please call 347-396-4705. Help is available in many languages, regardless of immigration status.
Medicaid Income Eligibility Expansion for Older Adults and People with Disabilities
In January 2023, Medicaid income eligibility will expand for people who are 65 and older or living with a disability. Currently, a single person and a married couple are eligible for Medicaid at $934/month and $1,367/month, respectively. In January 2023, a single person will be eligible at $1,563/month and a married couple at $2,106/month.
Income eligibility will also expand for Medicare Savings Programs helping more people to pay for Medicare costs.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Disbursement
State OTDA has issued an additional P-EBT benefit to 98,000 cases with 121,000 kids on approximately November 15, 2022. These P-EBT benefits are for any child under the age of 6 and on a SNAP case that is not attending school (did not receive P-EBT benefits previously because they were not on a school roster). These payments are visible to clients via the EBTFresh or EBTconnect sites.
Those who have received these payments should direct questions to the OTDA P-EBT Food Benefits Helpline at 1-833-452-0096.
Winter Electricity and Gas Bill Increases – Con Edison & National Grid
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice is anticipating higher prices for gas and electric services this coming winter. Con Edison & National Grid utility bills are increasing because of geopolitical events, supply constraints, and dynamic market forces which have resulted in an increase to the commodity price of fuel.
There are financial assistance and payment assistance programs available to help income-eligible customers manage their utility bills:
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Con Edison’s Energy Affordability Program – apply online or on paper (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, or Korean)
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National Grid’s Energy Affordability Program – sign up online or on paper. National Grid offers help through their consumer advocates. Call (718) 643-4050 or email ConsumerAdvocatesNYC@nationalgrid.com.
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The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) – administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Visit the OTDA website or call (800) 342-3009.
- Emergency Temporary Assistance – may be available for income-eligible customers. Payment of past-due bills may be available if the customer’s utilities are shut off, are about to be shut off, or a 72-hour disconnect notice has been received.
Visit OTDA, NYS myBenefits, or HRA.
HOPE Count 2023
The City is actively recruiting volunteers for its annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) count, which will be held on January 24, 2023 from 10pm – 4 am. This annual survey helps the City support unsheltered New Yorkers and encourage them to come in off the streets and subways. Thanks to the efforts of past volunteers along with the ongoing 24/7/365 efforts of our street outreach teams, we have referred more than 5,000 New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness to transitional and/or permanent housing in FY22 alone.
Volunteers will begin at a HOPE location of their choosing and will then canvass nearby streets and subways. Sign up to be a HOPE 2023 volunteer here.
ACCESS HRA Multi-Factor Authentication
As a reminder ACCESS HRA's optional multi-factor authentication process will become mandatory when clients try to access their SNAP, Cash Assistance, Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Fair Fares, or Medicaid case data online in 2023.
In an effort to simplify this process for more of our clients, as of December 10 clients can now use either email or a phone number to set up multi-factor authentication. Previously this could only be done through email. Now clients can receive a phone call, text, or email in order to authenticate.
DSS is exploring methods for clients without an email address or phone to access their benefit information online, such as via challenge questions, to be in place when multi-factor authentication becomes mandatory in 2023.
EBT Scams Currently Impacting Recipient Households
The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has been made aware of increasing incidents of temporary assistance and SNAP benefits theft via several scams, including phishing and card skimming. Phishing scams have employed deceptive tactics ranging from “smart tablet giveaways, in which recipients are asked to submit personal case information to participate. OTDA will never send correspondence prompting a recipient to provide their account information. OTDA has shared information that can be used by households to help safeguard their benefits going forward by:
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Frequently changing the EBT account PIN. It is recommended that cardholders avoid selecting a PIN that is easy to guess such as a repeated or consecutive numbers.
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Reviewing the account and transactions on a regular basis. Households should regularly review their account transactions and balances and immediately report their card lost or stolen should they notice any suspicious or questionable activity or transactions.
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Reporting suspicious devices and activity. If they notice any sign that a skimmer may be in use, it’s recommended that they alert the retailer and refrain from using the possible compromised machine.
Households may report their card lost or stolen at the EBT Customer Service Helpline (1-888-328-6399), or on the web here, or on the ConnectEBT mobile app. For additional information about what steps can be taken to safeguard information and benefits, please click here. A flyer with useful information about fraud prevention and protection can be found here.
City Services for Asylum Seekers Arriving in NYC
As of December 21, over 32,900 asylum seekers have come to New York City seeking services, over 22,400 asylum seekers of whom remain in the City’s care. The City has opened 62 emergency shelters and 4 HERRCs to meet this unprecedented need. This does not reflect the total number of asylum seekers in New York City, it does not include those who are staying with family, friends and networks here after being connected.
Additional information on the City’s efforts to support asylum seekers can be found here.
Ride for Half Price – Fair Fares
Encourage everyone to ride for half price with Fair Fares by sharing our Social Media Fair Fares toolkit and short video. Share and amplify!
The Fair Fares NYC program offers eligible New Yorkers regardless of immigration status a 50% discount on NYC subway and eligible buses and Access-A-Ride paratransit fares. NYC residency requirement does not include a minimum timeframe.
Fair Fares enrollment is simple and can be completed online: Apply for Fair Fares on ACCESS HRA!
If you need assistance to apply or have questions please visit the Fair Fares website to find a location near you. Fair Fares enrollment assistance is also available at the NYC Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center.
Clients who need a replacement card or a refund can visit an office or mail in their damaged or expired card to:
Fair Fares NYC
P.O. Box 7099
New York, NY 10008-7099
Clients who mail their card must include their Fair Fares Client ID number, first and last name, date of birth, in the envelope with the card.
All new cards and replacement cards will be mailed to the client.
The City has created Fair Fares outreach materials - including palm cards, brochures, and posters that can be ordered by community organizations and others. Please use the Design and Print Ordering System (DPOS) website, after registering on the login page.
Additional Resources and Information
Homeowner Tax Exemption and Rent Freeze Application Assistance for Older New Yorkers
The Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU), in collaboration with their partners at the NYC Department of Finance (DOF) and NYC Department for the Aging (NYC Aging), launched a week of action to enroll eligible residents to housing benefit programs, like Homeowner Tax Exemption and Rent Freeze programs, that help New Yorkers save money on housing costs. To kick off the week of action, PEU, DOF, and NYC Aging held a press conference Tuesday, December 13th at YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood. The press conference highlighted the importance of enrolling in both rent freeze and homeowner tax exemption programs as soon as possible before its March 15th deadline. Staff from PEU, DOF, and NYC Aging were onsite canvassing with information about the programs and helping people enroll.
Learn about eligibility requirements for these programs by visiting PEU’s Tenant Support Unit website or by calling PEU’s Rent Freeze Hotline at 929-252-7242 to connect with a PEU Specialist for assistance.
Domestic Worker Mediation Program
On December 6, 2022, the City announced the launch of a new Domestic Worker Mediation Program to help domestic workers and their employers resolve workplace issues in a respectful, confidential, and free way without going to court.
Mediation is voluntary, beneficial to both workers and employers, and available to resolve workplace issues related to:
- Unpaid Wages
- Minimum Wage and Overtime
- Paid Safe and Sick Leave
- Retaliation
Under the Domestic Worker Mediation Program, mediation is free, confidential, offered regardless of immigration status, and provides a fair resolution faster than pursuing legal action in court. If the worker and employer agree to mediation, a neutral mediator from OATH’s Center for Creative Conflict Resolution will meet with the two parties to understand the issues and reach an agreement that is fair for everyone. A Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) staff member and worker or employer representatives may also participate in mediation.
In general, mediation will be at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, 66 John Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038.
For more information or to make an appointment, New Yorkers can visit nyc.gov/workers for a multilingual overview, email OLPS@dcwp.nyc.gov, or call 311.
DYCD Citywide Community Needs Assessment
As a reminder, the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) is conducting a citywide Community Needs Assessment (CNA), to hear from New Yorkers about their highest priority needs and priorities for their communities. This data helps inform how DYCD directs funding, designs its programs, assesses program success, and understand how to improve services. The survey takes under 10 minutes to complete, and any NYC resident (ages 14+) is eligible to participate. Follow this link to an electronic link to the survey.
Department of Education Admissions Changes for Gifted and Talented and Kindergarten
The Department of Education (DOE) has made some changes to Kindergarten and Gifted and Talented admissions that aim to make the process more accessible.
The application will now be the same for both regular and G&T programs, beginning with the 2023-2024 admissions process. Any family that lists a Gifted and Talented program anywhere on their application will be considered for eligibility. Waitlisting will also become available at the same time for both Kindergarten and G&T. Families will only be able to accept one offer at a time—but the G&T offers will be provided sooner.
Applications are open through the MYSchools account. The 3-K and pre-K applications will be available in late January.
More changes, according to the DOE:
Central Open House Calendar – Parents can use the new events calendar in MySchools to find all admissions events and school open houses and tour information in one place. Families will be able to add events to their personal calendar and RSVP to events directly from MySchools.
Clearer Admissions Information – Additional information will be displayed about a student’s chance of getting an offer to various programs.
Information Sessions and Admissions Events – Parents are encouraged to sign up for an information session for help with this application year’s process. The DOE will be hosting elementary school admissions events for families applying to Kindergarten and 3k/pre-K, with more information on both opportunities available at schools.nyc.gov/ESEvents. If families have any additional questions they can email ESenrollment@schools.nyc.gov.
Opportunities to Connect with GetCoveredNYC to Enroll in Health Insurance
The Public Engagement Unit's GetCoveredNYC team is partnering with the Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) to provide free 1-on-1 assistance with health coverage in Arabic from a GetCoveredNYC Specialist. Ongoing office hours will be held on the first and third Fridays of each month from 1 to 5 p.m. in Brooklyn (6740 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11220) to discuss the health insurance enrollment services that GetCoveredNYC offers. The next office hour will be held on Friday, December 16th, when GetCoveredNYC Specialists will go over the health insurance enrollment services that GetCovered provides.
Additionally, tune in live to GetCoveredNYC's virtual information session in collaboration with NYCDOHMH, NYSDOH, OCHIA on Thursday, December 8th at 12:30pm via the PEU Facebook page to learn more about enrolling in health insurance with coverage starting January 1 at http://on.nyc.gov/GCInfoSession
Assistance Connecting Veterans with Health Coverage
The Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit (PEU) and the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) announced a new partnership to connect more New York City Veterans with health coverage. Through this partnership, New York City Veterans will have new pathways to get enrolled in the health insurance plans that are right for them. Veterans who text “CoveredNYCVet” ("SeguroNYCVet" en Español) to 877877 will receive a call from a GetCoveredNYC specialist who will help connect them to an appropriate healthcare coverage option, including for VA healthcare, if they are eligible. This partnership will ensure that no Veterans are left behind.
Learn more about the partnership from our community and ethnic media partners in English, Spanish, and Russian.
Department of Transportation Alternate Side Calendar
The City DOT has released the 2023 Alternate Side Parking calendar at this link (PDF).
Property Tax Rebate Application Deadline Extended
The deadline to apply for a $150 NYC property tax rebate has been extended to 3/15/23 for homeowners who couldn’t apply by the 11/15 deadline due to an extenuating circumstance. The rebate may be available for a primary residence where the owner has an adjusted gross income of $250,000 or less. To apply visit: www.nyc.gov/propertytaxrebate
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Free Tax Prep – Brochures Available
The External Affairs division of the New York City Department of Consumer & Worker Protection (DCWP) is working on the distribution of Free Tax Prep brochures for the 2023 tax season. If your agency would like to order these brochures in order to help get the word out about this important resource, please do so by completing the Google form: 2023 Tax Season Literature request form. Please submit orders as soon as possible, before December 10th, 2022.
Federal Student Loan Repayments - Extended
As a result of the federal student loan debt cancellation litigation, the student loan payment pause has now been extended again until the U.S. Department of Education is permitted to implement the debt relief program or the litigation is resolved. Payments will restart 60 days later. If the debt relief program has not been implemented and the litigation has not been resolved by June 30, 2023 – payments will resume 60 days after that. Borrowers will be notified before payments resume. Information about contacting loan servicers can be found here.
Federal Student Loan Debt Cancellation Paused
On November 14, the federal U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit issued an injunction against the Biden Administration halting the student loan debt cancellation plan. As a result, the Federal Student Aid Office has paused acceptance of applications until further notice. More information can be found on the Federal Student Aid website here.
OMNY for Reduced Fare MetroCards
OMNY, the MTA’s contactless fare payment system, is now available for Reduced-Fare customers (this does not include Fair Fares at this time). There is no need to re-apply for Reduced-Fare program – if you have a Reduced-Fare MetroCard, you can make the switch to OMNY immediately.
You can now put your Reduced-Fare benefit on a contactless credit or debit card or the digital wallet on your smart phone or wallet at any time, from anywhere, using the MTA’s online Digital Assistant. It is as easy as 1-2-3: go to omny.info to create an OMNY account, open the Assistant and enter your Reduced-Fare program info, and enter your payment info.
In order to switch to the OMNY system, customers will need their Reduced-Fare MetroCard number along with the bank card number that will carry the Reduced-Fare benefit. Once the contactless debit/credit or digital wallet is linked to the Reduced-Fare MetroCard, users will receive a success message and can begin using the selected payment method immediately. Those using a physical credit or debit card can tap and go using the physical card at the turnstile. Those using a smart phone or watch need to make sure the card chosen for payment is uploaded into that digital wallet.
A video demonstration of how make the switch can be found here, or call users can call the OMMY call center at 877-789-6669 (8:00 AM-5:00 PM EST any day of the week) for assistance.
Health-Related Updates
COVID Vaccines
The CDC has approved the use of updated Covid booster shots that specifically target the two prominent omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5.
To be eligible for the new bivalent booster you must be at least two months out from completing your primary two-dose vaccination series or your last booster and be aged 12+ for the Pfizer shot and 18+ for Moderna. If you have recently had Covid, you must be fully recovered with negative tests to receive another vaccine.
Find a location to receive your booster shot here.
COVID-19 Testing
Resources and information about COVID-19 Testing is available at the NYC Test and Treat home page, as well as our COVID-19 Community Updates page.
As of Friday, September 2nd, the federal government is no longer providing free COVID-19 at-home rapid testing kits.
Test-and-Treat
The New York City Test & Trace Corps, established during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, is rebranding as the Test & Treat Corps to reflect the priority to provide New Yorkers with life-saving COVID-19 treatments.
New Yorkers can visit nyc.gov/covidtest to find a city-run testing site most convenient and accessible to them. Multiple COVID-19 treatments are available for people ages 12 and older and can be delivered to New Yorkers’ homes for free.
For more information on COVID-19 treatments, call 212-COVID19 and press 9 or visit nyc.gov/health/covidtreatments. Calling 212-COVID19 provides New Yorkers an immediate connection to a clinician who can refer them to monoclonal antibody treatment or prescribe antiviral medications, like Paxlovid, and arrange to have it delivered to their home that same day.
Federal COVID-19 Resource Website
The Biden administration has introduced covid.gov, a federal website meant to help Americans who are infected with the virus find the treatment they need quickly and at no cost. On the website, people can find locations to get tests and anti-viral pills, find the locations of vaccination sites and places to acquire high-quality masks; fill out a form to order eight free at-home coronavirus tests per household; view their community’s risk level according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and get general information on Covid symptoms, treatment, testing and travel.
The website is available in English, Spanish and Chinese. The administration is also making all of these tools available over the phone through the national vaccine hotline at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489), which supports over 150 languages.
AfterCare Program for Long COVID
The NYC Test & Treat Corps AfterCare program has launched a hotline for New Yorkers seeking information and resources to recover from Long COVID. New Yorkers who are suffering from or suspect they may have Long COVID can now call AfterCare Navigators directly. AfterCare Navigators are health outreach specialists with experience supporting people during their COVID infection and will assess patients for their specific health and social needs and connect them to Long COVID resources. AfterCare Navigators connect patients to holistic resources – including physical and mental health referrals, community support, and financial assistance – to address the various physical symptoms, as well as the social and economic impacts, that New Yorkers with Long COVID may experience.
New Yorkers can call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319), select their preferred language, and press 4 to speak directly to an AfterCare navigator. Learn more on the AfterCare website and through AfterCare’s Long COVID recovery guide.
Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL)
The trained staff at the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) can provide assistance with:
- Ordering tests.
- Understanding instructions for test administration and test results.
- Providing alternative instructions for traditional at-home tests for people who are unable to access, read, or understand the manufacturer’s version.
- For those who cannot use an at-home test, DIAL operators can:
- Assist with ordering “swab and send” kits to collect a sample and mail it back for results.
- Connect callers to local organizations for assistance locating other testing options in their community, including in-home testing programs or transportation or companion support to visit a community-based testing site.
Call 888-677-1199 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Eastern) or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org.
Community-wide Conference Call
We look forward to your continued participation on our monthly briefing calls and your ongoing work to help make sure that the critical information shared here and in our monthly calls is being communicated to our shared clients.
The information contained in this communication is a synopsis of what is being shared on our community-wide conference calls as well as new developments and useful information regarding other City benefits and services. All of the information included in each of our prior communications, since March 2020, is available on our website on the Community Updates webpage.
Thank you for your partnership in serving our fellow New Yorkers in need of our services. If you have any questions or concerns about the issues covered in this communication or on our community-wide conference calls, or if you would like to be added to our distribution or community call invitation list, please reach out to the Office of Community Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
In partnership,
Gary P. Jenkins
DSS Commissioner
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