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September 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.
We continue to share important updates as well as an ongoing synopsis of the information shared in prior communications on our DSS COVID-19 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.
FHEPS
As of October 3, the maximum FHEPS rent levels will increase in line with our State approved FHEPs plan. The new levels will match those of CityFHEPS as set by the standards adopted by NYCHA. Families potentially eligible for FHEPS will receive shopping letters with the new levels. Those with shopping letters at the old rates may request a new letter by coming in to a Homebase office, by telephone or email. For those who are already in receipt of FHEPS may request an increase at the time they receive a new lease/rental agreement if their rent goes up.
In response to questions received on our monthly call, walk-in appointments are available at Homebase offices, but we strongly encourage clients to schedule an appointment for everyone’s safety and efficiency in processing applications. For those who are requesting a revised shopping letter, walk-ins are appropriate. HASA rent levels are already at the same level as CityFHEPS. FHEPS rent levels have increased to meet the level of CityFHEPS and HASA, thus HASA clients with shopping letters will not see an increase in levels.
Public Assistance Policy Changes in the 2022-23 New York State Budget
Application of the Earned Income Disregard and the Work Expense Disregard
Currently the Earned Income Disregard (EID) is applied to the difference between the eligible applicant or recipient’s gross monthly earned income and the work expense disregard. Effective October 1, 2022, the EID will be applied prior to the work expense disregard. The work expense disregard will be deducted from the remainder of the individual’s gross monthly earned income after the EID is applied.
Earned Income Disregard
The EID, which excludes a percentage of earned income, will change from 55% to 50% on October 1, 2022, and will be adjusted annually beginning June 1, 2023. However, the policy of only applying the EID for earnings up to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for those residing in temporary housing shelter types remains unchanged.
Work Expense Disregard
Effective October 1, 2022, the work expense disregard will increase from $90 to $150.
Single Individuals and Childless Couples
Effective October 1, 2022, the method by which gross earned income is calculated will change for Safety Net Assistance (SNA) cases for single individuals and childless couples. These cases, which were previously not eligible for the EID, will now be eligible to have the EID percentage deducted from their gross earned income when calculating their budgets. These cases remain eligible to have the work expense disregard deducted to calculate their total countable gross earned income after the EID is applied.
Elimination of the Gross Income Test and the Poverty Level Income Test
Effective October 1, 2022, Automated Budgeting and Eligibility Logic (ABEL) will no longer perform the Gross Income Test (GIT) and the Poverty Level Income Test (PLT). ABEL will only perform the Needs Test in determining income eligibility for PA. For recipients, net income cannot equal or exceed the PA standard of need after deducting the 50% EID and then the $150 work expense disregard. If net income equals or exceeds the PA standard of need, the recipient is ineligible. An applicant’s eligibility for PA must be determined without application of the percentage EID unless the applicant is reapplying and has been off PA not more than four whole months.
Resource Limit Changes
Effective October 1, 2022, changes to the PA resource limit policy are as follows:
- The amount of liquid and non-liquid assets that an applicant household can own and still qualify for PA will increase from $2,000 to $2,500;
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When any member of the PA household is age 60 years and older, the amount of liquid and non-liquid assets the applicant household can currently own and still qualify for PA is $3,000. This amount will increase to $3,750 for PA applicant households where any household member is age 60 years and older or is disabled; and
- All PA recipient households will have a resource limit of $10,000.
Elimination of the SNA 45-Day Waiting Period
For information pertaining to the elimination of the 45-day waiting period for SNA applications, please refer to GIS 22 TA/DC080 and GIS 22 TA/WMS032.
DSS Info Sessions for CBOs – Navigating Benefits for New Arrivals/Asylum Seekers
DSS will be providing information sessions for CBO staff providing services to recent arrivals from the southern border in order to explain issues around benefits eligibility for new arrivals to NYC. These information sessions will provide a general overview of the different immigration statuses of those newly arriving as well as potential benefits eligibility as it relates to the various immigration categories we will discuss.
Register for a session at the links below:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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 September 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. The public health emergency is currently set to end on October 13, 2022.
On October 1, 2022, new changes to SNAP levels are going into effect, resulting in an increase in the benefit issuance by household size. SNAP households have continued to receive emergency allotments on top of this permanent increase. Once the emergency allotments are no longer being issued, the permanent SNAP increase will remain in effect, but families and individuals will see a decrease in the total amount of SNAP received per month. Additional details will be shared as they become available.
Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF)
Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) payments expire after 90 days. Any remaining balance is expunged (permanently removed) from the client’s EBT card.
As a reminder, the State OTDA has been providing the Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF), allocations to provide financial support to help needy families purchase diapers and to help certain households containing an adult 55 years of age or older purchase additional food. These payments are intended to provide additional financial resources to improve economic security and well-being.
Most recently OTDA issued a Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) back-to-school payment on August 12, 2022, to eligible Cash Assistance households.
OTDA issued these payments directly to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cash account of the TA case. Households eligible for these one-time, non-assistance payments should have received a letter from NYS OTDA informing them of the payment and of their rights to an OTDA Administrative Review.
PEAF has provided funding for five separate one-time non-assistance payments to certain SNAP and CA households. Eligible SNAP and/or Cash Assistance households were issued PEAF payments for:
- Diapers (February 2022) - $140 per eligible child
- Food Assistance (April 2022) - $730 per eligible older individual
- Family Pandemic Payment (May 2022) - $250 per eligible household
- Back-to-School Payment (August 2022) - $214 per eligible child
- Infant Nutritional Assistance Payment (August 2022) - $150 per eligible child
More information is available at our Community Updates webpage and here: https://otda.ny.gov/policy/directives/2022/LCM/22-LCM-09.pdf.
Office of Child Support Services Child Support App Adds New Features for Noncustodial and Custodial Parents
While the initial release of the app made it easier for custodial parents and guardians to enroll in the program, this latest update offers features designed to simplify child support processes for parents who pay support.
One fundamental form that was recently added to the app is the Affidavit of Net Worth, which is required for multiple processes.
Others may not be needed by all noncustodial parents, but many parents do challenge administrative enforcement actions taken against them. The app now lets them complete and submit forms for:
- Federal or state tax refund intercepts
- Driver’s license or professional license suspensions
- Withholding too much additional income
- Frozen bank accounts or certain property liens
- Credit reporting information
- Denials of passport applications or renewals
The app also allows noncustodial parents to fill out and submit forms for key services to reduce or avoid debt. These include applications to our Arrears Credit and Arrears Cap programs and forms for our Modifying Orders Through Stipulation (MOTS) program. Parents whose driver’s license was suspended for not paying child support can also access the form needed to enter into a payment agreement.
For many of these forms, noncustodial parents can also submit supporting documentation through the app as well. Once we receive a noncustodial parent’s submission, we will contact them to discuss any next steps.
Simplifying Processes for Custodial Parents
Alongside other improvements to the enrollment experience for Cash Assistance clients, the most recent set of updates to the app gives custodial parents applying for or receiving Cash the ability to link their Cash case with their one for child support. By giving them direct access to notices and appointment information related to child support, we hope Cash clients will find it easier to track their case and minimize the stress that often accompanies the application and referral process.
Custodial parents, whether receiving Cash Assistance or not, can also now update their contact information using app—a small improvement that can potentially have significant benefits, especially for parents whose housing is unstable.
Helping Spread the Word
We hope anyone who works with custodial or noncustodial parents will tell their clients about the app.
Not only can parents and guardians benefit from the app’s many current capabilities, but as these most recent updates suggest, we plan to continue to expand the app’s features as part of our overall effort to improve access to child support services.
How to Download the App
Go to nyc.gov/childsupportmobile to download the app or visit the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android).
Child Support Pay It Off Program Opens
The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) will be offering its Pay It Off. Program beginning October 17th through October 31st. Noncustodial parents (NCPs) can pay off their NYC DSS child support arrears twice as fast. OCSS will match payments of at least $500 made toward their DSS arrears up to the amount they owe. For those with a current support order, the court ordered child support amount must be paid first for the full payment to be matched. Those NCPs who pay the DSS principal amount owed in full can have the entire amount owed in interest forgiven. In addition, NCPs may be eligible to enroll in other DSS debt reduction programs. The Pay It Off program over the years has been used by over 3,000 noncustodial parents to reduce $16 million of debt owed to the NYC Department of Social Services (DSS). The average debt reduction per case is $5,558. Please spread the word.
Learn more at nyc.gov/payitoff.
DHS Services for Asylum Seekers Arriving in NYC
As of September 21, 2022, over 13,600 asylum seekers have come to DHS, over 10,300 of whom remain in shelter as of that date. DHS is meeting its legal and moral mandate to provide shelter to all who need it, and since July have opened 38 emergency sites to accommodate need. These numbers are updated weekly as this information changes daily.
Meeting the needs of this population goes well beyond DHS; we are collaborating closely with our colleagues at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA). MOIA opened a “Navigation Center” which will provide a range of services at a centralized location to those recently arrived in New York City. Other agencies involved in the effort include Education, Health, Emergency Management, etc. As Mayor Adams has noted, we are a welcoming City, DSS and its collaborating agencies across the City are committed to meeting the needs of asylum seekers.
DHS RFP for Shelters for Asylum Seekers
DHS is soliciting proposals for providers to run shelters for Asylum Seekers. We are looking to stand up 5,000 units of capacity to serve the influx of Asylum Seekers coming from the southern border. DHS is seeking providers who are prepared to quickly stand up sites, and who can provide culturally competent services to this population. The RFP can be found here: HRA/DSS - Doing Business with HRA (nyc.gov)
Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the period of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela. The TPS designation for Venezuela originally became effective on March 9, 2021, and was recently extended due to the extraordinary and temporary conditions that continue in Venezuela, which prevent nationals from returning safely.
TPS is not automatically granted to non-citizens. To receive TPS, non-citizens must apply for it by submitting the necessary information to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS is responsible for making the TPS eligibility determination. If Venezuela’s TPS designation is terminated, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) will issue guidance regarding the change. OTDA recognizes non-citizens with TPS as Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL) for the purposes of Safety Net Assistance (SNA) eligibility. If otherwise eligible, non-citizens with TPS may receive SNA. Non-citizens granted TPS are ineligible for Family Assistance (FA), the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), unless in some other qualifying non-citizen status.
Fair Fares NYC Enrollment
The Fair Fares NYC program continues to offer eligible New York City residents a 50% discount on subway and eligible bus fares or Access-A-Ride paratransit trips. Fair Fares enrollment is simple and can be completed online, without visiting an HRA office. Apply for Fair Fares on ACCESS HRA!
While there is no need to visit an HRA office to apply or renew, Fair Fares NYC locations are available to help with applications, renewal applications, document upload, or to report an issue with a MetroCard. To find a location please visit the Fair Fares website.
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 first and last name, date of birth, and Fair Fares Client ID number in the envelope with the card.
All new cards and replacement cards will be mailed to the client.
Fair Fares Updates and Outreach Materials
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.
We encourage our partners to help get the word out about Fair Fares with our Social Media Fair Fares toolkit and short video. Please share and amplify!
Additional Resources and Information
“The People’s Money” City-Wide Participatory Budgeting
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) Chair and Executive Director Dr. Sarah Sayeed announced the launch of “The People’s Money” — New York City’s first-ever citywide participatory budgeting process. All New Yorkers, ages 11 and up, will be able to decide how to spend $5 million of mayoral expense funding to address local community needs citywide. “The People’s Money” builds on the foundation laid by the CEC’s 2021 local process, which engaged residents of the 33 neighborhoods hardest hit by COVID-19 in a $1.3 million participatory budgeting process.
Through a robust and inclusive engagement process with over 220 groups, entities, and community-based organizations’ (CBOs) proposals, CEC will host idea generation sessions across the five boroughs in an effort to give New Yorkers the opportunities to brainstorm ideas for creative projects. Those projects will then be developed into ballot proposals, which will be voted on by residents in each borough. Winning projects will then be implemented starting in 2024.
Beginning with a week of action, starting on September 19th, the CEC and a diverse group of 86 partner organizations will be opening their doors to host idea-generating sessions. Residents will also be able to submit ideas and find further idea generation sessions via the CEC’s online platform.
Learn more here: https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/663-22/mayor-adams-civic-engagement-commission-launch-first-ever-citywide-participatory
Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative
The Biden-Harris Administration announced the launch of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, a national network of more than 200 employers and industry organizations, labor organizations, educators, workforce intermediaries, and community-based organizations who are committed to strengthening and diversifying Registered Apprenticeship. Registered Apprenticeship is a high-quality, debt-free, equitable “earn and learn” model with a nationally recognized credential system that helps employers hire a more demographically diverse workforce and provides workers with on-the-job learning experience, job-related instruction with a mentor, and a clear pathway to a good-paying job.
The Apprenticeship Ambassadors have existing Registered Apprenticeship programs in over 40 in-demand industries and have committed to expand and diversify these programs over the next year by collectively: developing 460 new Registered Apprenticeship programs across their 40 industries, hiring over 10,000 new apprentices, and holding 5,000 outreach, promotional, and training events to help other business, labor, and education leaders launch similar programs.
Please find the full Fact Sheet here
SUNY Application Fees Waived
Starting Aug. 1, 2022, all students at designated public high schools across New York State can apply to up to seven SUNY schools for free. SUNY has automatically waived application fees for every student at the 500 high schools statewide with the highest percentages of students receiving free lunch.
Additionally, any student at any high school in the state who receives free lunch will also have their fees waived. Please click here for additional information and to see which schools qualify.
FAFSA Opening October 1st
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filing season opens on October 1st! Through FAFSA, students could receive federal grants, loans, and work-study jobs to help fund their education. The earlier families fill out the FAFSA, the better their chances are to receive aid, since some financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, or from programs with limited funds. Here are some of the documents needed to apply, including tax documents and information about any investments or savings your family has. A Social Security Number is required, although students with undocumented parents can still apply.
Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Pause
The Biden Administration announced plans for some student loan forgiveness and a final extension of the student loan repayment pause through December 31, 2022.
Read FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most
Please visit studentaid.gov/debtrelief for additional information and updates.
DFTA Bill Payer Program
The Bill Payer Program helps adults, 60 years or older, manage their household bills. DFTA has partnered with SilverBills, a financial-technology company, to provide services. A Bill Payer representative will make a one-time visit to the home to help with budgeting and enrollment. After that, the program will continue to review and process the payment of bills each month and inform the participant of any discrepancies or potential fraud.
To qualify for the Bill Payer Program, a person must:
- Be 60 years or older;
- Live in one of the five (5) boroughs of NYC;
- Have an annual income below $60,000 per individual, OR below $100,000 per couple;
- Have the financial capacity and willingness to make their own financial decisions;
- Have enough money to pay their basic bills, such as rent, utility, healthcare, and insurance; and
- Have a checking account or be willing to open one.
Enrollment into the Bill Payer Program is contingent upon referrals. Referrals must be made through case-management agencies.
Once a person has enrolled, the Bill Payer Program staff will do the following for the participant every month:
- Provide individual bill payer services remotely (out of home);
- Provide customer service to handle all questions and problems related to bills;
- Eliminate paper bills by handling all bill management electronically;
- Pay any household bill(s) on time; and
- Help manage bills for clients using Pooled income Trusts (PIT).
Assistance will be available upon request for the following:
- Account monitoring for fraud; and
- Help finding alternatives to cash via smart or debit cards.
DYCD’s 2022 Community Needs Assessment (CNA)
The Community Needs Assessment (CNA) is a stakeholder engagement process through which the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) collects feedback from community members in Neighborhood Development Areas (NDA) about the programs and services needed in their community. DYCD and Neighborhood Advisory Boards (NAB) use the feedback to develop program priorities and allocate federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds.
DYCD collects and uses data to inform program design and assess program success after CSBG funds are allocated as part of a continuous quality improvement process. NAB members, DYCD staff, and volunteers solicit feedback from community members through surveys, interviews, hearings, and other feedback collection methods.
The City has created a flyer and media tool kit to help raise awareness and increase involvement. The flyer can be found here, and the media toolkit can be found here.
The online survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2022CNANYC.
Below is a list of upcoming public hearings:
- 9/29, 6:30-8:30pm NDA Brooklyn 8 (Crown Heights North
- 10/4, 6:30-8:30pm NDA Brooklyn 3 (Stuyvesant Heights, Bedford)
- 10/13, 6-7:30pm NDA Queens 9 (Richmond Hill, Ozone Park)
September Webinar Series on Addressing Healthcare Inequities for People with Disabilities
Every Wednesday in September at 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET
During the month of September, the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities will be a hosting #WebinarWednesdays, in which they will be presenting recommendations that will help close gaps in healthcare inequities experienced by people with disabilities.
The Center for Dignity is working on identifying and reducing life-limiting healthcare inequities for people with disabilities. These inequities are often rooted in stigma and ableism. The Center has focused their efforts in healthcare inequities within prenatal diagnosis, mental health and suicide prevention, aging and end of life, and organ transplantations.
During September, they will dedicate each Wednesday to hosting a discussion on recommendations to close the gap in each of those areas. ASL Interpreters will be provided. If you need any additional accommodations, please contact Leah Smith.
Register for the webinars.
Subscribe to NYC Parks Newsletters
Sign up to the NYC Parks Weekly Highlights newsletter, and find events all across the city. Sign up here: https://www.nycgovparks.org/newsletters/. New Yorkers can also sign up for the customized version of Weekly Highlights for their neighborhood or borough, to find out about upcoming events in their neighborhood and in neighborhoods around them, as well as important citywide news.
AARP Resources
Sign up for the terrific Senior Planet newsletter from AARP here. Or visit the Senior Planet website and/or YouTube channel.
Health-Related Updates
GetCoveredNYC
The Mayor, Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, and NYC Care recently teamed up to promote GetCoveredNYC, NYC Care, and the importance of accessing high-quality primary care.
The Open Enrollment Period for health insurance continues to be extended and GetCoveredNYC is available to support New Yorkers through the process of signing up for the health coverage they deserve. GetCoveredNYC provides free assistance for New Yorkers seeking to enroll in health care, regardless of immigration status or income. GetCoveredNYC Specialists speak more than 20 languages and conduct outreach to proactively identify uninsured New Yorkers and help them get access to health care and other health-related benefits.
Contact GetCoveredNYC:
Monkeypox Information
Information about Monkeypox in New York City is available at http://on.nyc.gov/monkeypox.
New Yorkers can also text MONKEYPOX to 692692 for updates. For alerts in Spanish text MONKEYPOXESP to 692692.
To stay up to date on information regarding vaccination appointments, please check the NYC Health Department Monkeypox website, follow @NYCHealthy on Twitter, and sign up to receive text alerts from the City for updates on appointment availability.
More information about how you can prevent monkeypox is available here and Monkeypox 101 information is here.
Palm Cards, information for providers, and other materials are available in multiple languages here.
Additional Resources
Polio Information
In August 2022, health officials found poliovirus in NYC sewage samples. This followed a case of paralytic polio identified in Rockland County in July. Officials are investigating the positive case and potential ongoing spread of the virus in several upstate counties and the NYC area. There have not yet been any identified cases in the city.
The most important way for children and adults to protect themselves from polio is to get vaccinated right away, if they have not received all recommended polio vaccine doses. New Yorkers who have questions or need to be vaccinated should contact their health care provider or their child's Pediatrician. Those who do not have a primary care physician for them or their child can call 844-692-4692 for help finding one. Make an appointment for children age 4 and above here.
For additional information about polio and the polio vaccine, please visit the following websites:
New 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.
Vaccine Booster Updates
CDC has expanded eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older, recommending that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.
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.
Updated COVID-19 Guidance for NYC Public Schools
The NYC Department of Education (DOE) has released the much-anticipated COVID-19 guidance for NYC public schools, which aligns with the updated CDC guidance. Please visit the following NYC DOE website to view the guidance: NYC Department of Education (DOE) Fall 2022 COVID-19 Guidance
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.
The Test & Treat Corps also announced on Aug. 1 the expansion of the country’s first-ever mobile “Test to Treat” program to over 30 units, including units that will focus on providing COVID-related care to homeless New Yorkers.
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.
Free At-home COVID-19 Tests for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
The Biden-Harris Administration has launched a new initiative to expand the availability of at-home tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. The tests work with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone/tablet app to provide users with audible instructions, and audible test results. Read more about the tests.
Although the program that has provided free standard COVID-19 tests will be suspended on Sept. 2, this does NOT apply to the tests for people who are blind or have low vision. Orders will be accepted while supplies last.
People will now receive 12 test kits with each order. In addition, anyone who is blind or who has low vision is now encouraged to order the more-accessible tests.
Individuals who placed an order before July 7 and received only two tests may place another order now to receive 12 additional tests.
How to get the tests:
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Order online or by calling 1-800-232-0233.
- Each order will include two rapid-antigen tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.
- Orders will ship free, while supplies last.
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 COVID-19 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, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Community Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
In partnership,
Gary P. Jenkins
DSS Commissioner
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