December 6, 2021
Dear Community Partner:
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in our shared commitment to serve New Yorkers in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following our standing weekly call, 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.
To be added to the invitations for the weekly briefing calls or to the distribution list for this weekly update, please send an email request to dssoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
We appreciate your ongoing participation in these calls and continuing to raise important issues that we are able to address in this weekly communication of the latest information, which you can share with the clients you serve. We welcome your continued questions and comments in order to help us make sure we are providing the most relevant information and clarifications about the evolving public benefits and government services landscape affecting our shared clients.
COVID-19 Vaccination Information
Mandate for Childcare & Early Intervention Programs
New York City has broadened its vaccine mandate to include all childcare and early intervention programs citywide. This expansion will impact a total of 102,000 employees, including 90,000 childcare program employees and 12,000 early intervention program employees. The deadline for employees in these positions to receive the first dose of their vaccination is December 20.
This mandate applies to the following types of child-care programs:
- Child-care programs regulated under the NYC Health Code including group child-care centers and school-based programs.
- Child-care programs authorized by the New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) including family day care, group family day care, school age child-care, enrolled legally exempt group child-care programs.
The following staff are covered by the mandate:
- All employees of the child-care program
- Graduate, undergraduate or high school students placed by their educational institution at a child-care program as part of an academic program
- Specialists providing support services, therapy, special education or other services at a child-care program
- People employed by a contractor of a child-care program, including independent contractors, who work in-person at a location providing child-care services
A detailed overview/fact sheet of these requirements can be found here.
Additional information can be found here.
Vaccine Mandates for Municipal Employees and Contractors
In response to questions received on our weekly call, a link to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the vaccine mandate for municipal employees and contractors can be found here. All municipal employees are required to be vaccinated and to wear masks both in the workplace and when interacting with the public. Those employees who have been granted an exception to the vaccine mandate are required to undergo weekly COVID testing.
For the purposes of this vaccine mandate, a contracted employee and City contractor are, respectively, an individual or entity whose salary or funding is paid, in whole or part, by a human services contract with a New York City agency to perform work within New York City.
The linked FAQ above provides the following information about school bus drivers, which was one of the specific questions received on our weekly call. Although they are not covered by orders issued by the City, on September 2, 2021, the State Commissioner of Health issued a Determination on COVID Testing that requires all unvaccinated school bus drivers to be tested at least once a week.
Eligibility
Booster shots remain available to all New Yorkers over the age of 18.
As a reminder the Pfizer vaccine is now approved and available for children 5-11 years old in NYC. Children must have a parent or guardian's consent to get the vaccine. The City has created several resources to provide useful information and help promote the vaccine for children ages 5-11:
Vaccination sites can be found at nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or by calling 877-VAX4-NYC. New Yorkers can also text their ZIP code to 438829 to receive information on vaccination sites near them, including what age groups can be served at each site.
There are now temporary sites in over 1,000 schools. School sites can be found on the DOE website. Beginning on November 30, school vaccination sites at both public and charter schools will begin providing second doses of the vaccine for students who are eligible.
For more information about vaccines and the vaccines for children, families can go to nyc.gov/covidvaccine and see this FAQ, or call 212-COVID19 with questions about the vaccine.
Incentives
As we have previously reported, New Yorkers who receive their first vaccine dose at a City-run vaccine site are eligible to receive a $100 pre-paid debit card. The Mayor recently announced that this incentive is now also available at SOMOS Community Care doctors’ offices. To schedule an appointment at a SOMOS location, visit https://www.somosvaccinations.com or call 1-833-SOMOSNY (1-833-766-6769).
An additional $3M has been allotted to extend the NYC vaccine referral bonus program through January 2022. This referral bonus continues to be available to small businesses, restaurants, and civic organizations, including community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and Parent-Teacher Associations. These are all eligible to receive a $100 vaccine referral bonus for each employee or customer who they refer to a City-run vaccine site for their first shot. The referred individual is still eligible to receive their own $100 bonus. To sign up for the program, businesses and organizations should use the same form we have previously shared, available here.
More Information
The City has created a vaccine fact sheet which can be found here, and is available in additional languages here.
Walk-up vaccines are available at most City-operated vaccination sites. To find the nearest walk-up site, or to schedule an appointment at a City-operated site, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov. NYC Mobile Vaccine Buses continue to provide vaccines. The full schedule of mobile vaccine locations can be found online here.
Flu vaccines are available at City-operated vaccination sites and can be administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine. Locations can be found at the NYC Vaccine Finder website.
Vaccination and Testing Apps
- CDC Vaccination Card. A digital photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.
- NYC Vaccination Record or other official immunization record, including from a health care provider. A digital photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable. If you are unable to get this record, call 311.
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NYC COVID Safe App. Android. iOS. This app can be used to upload a photo of a vaccine card and/or a recent COVID test. The vaccine card will stay on the app unless removed, but test results will disappear from the app after seven days.
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CLEAR Health Pass. Android. iOS. Individuals can use the digital vaccine card option in the CLEAR app if they are age 18 or older and are fully vaccinated.
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NYS Excelsior Pass (or Excelsior Pass Plus). Allows an individual to find and store proof of vaccination right on their phone with a QR code, or to print out their QR code instead. New York residents who were vaccinated out of State can learn more about their options at the Excelsior Pass FAQ. The app, called NYS Excelsior Pass Wallet, is available for download on iPhone and Android phones.
Vaccine Records
Individuals who are fully vaccinated but have lost their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or need verification of their vaccine status can request a copy of their COVID-19 vaccination record. Individuals cannot get a replacement COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card at this time but can get an official record noting they have been vaccinated. For more information and to submit a request visit: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/cir-parents-guardians.page
COVID-19 Testing
Free testing continues to be available throughout the five boroughs. A schedule of mobile testing locations throughout the City as well as detailed information on locations and types of testing offered at regular testing sites (including rapid testing and antibody tests) can be found here. Locations of testing sites can also be accessed by texting “COVID TEST” to 855-48. These are no cost testing sites open to all New Yorkers.
The Test-and-Trace Corps offers the COVID 19 Wait Times Dashboard, which displays estimated wait times for NYC Health + Hospitals COVID-19 testing locations. This wait time information is updated by site staff every two hours.
Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)
The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) is effective as of December 1, 2021.
While New York State has the highest SNAP participation rate of any state among adults age 60 and older and individuals with disabilities, historically the participation rate among this population has been lower than among the general population. To ease access to and improve the participation of older adults and adults with disabilities in SNAP, New York State applied to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has been approved to implement and operate an ESAP beginning in December 2021.
The ESAP is intended to simplify the SNAP application, recertification and verification processes for eligible households, where all adult members are aged and/or have disabilities, thereby facilitating access to and preventing interruptions in receipt of benefits for these households.
Participation in ESAP is limited to households where:
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All adult members are seniors (age 60 or older) and/or have disabilities and are not otherwise eligible to participate in the New York State Combined Application Project or NYSCAP (formerly known as the New York State Nutrition Improvement Project or NYSNIP); and,
- No household members have any earned income.
For the purposes of ESAP, the following definitions apply:
- “Adult” is an individual age 18 or older.
- “Senior/aged/elderly” is an individual age 60 or older.
- “Disabled” - an individual must be in receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits or receiving other federal or state-administered disability or blindness benefits considered permanent under the Social Security Act or other standard.
Additionally, single individuals in receipt of SSI who are eligible for both ESAP and NYSCAP (formerly NYSNIP) are required to be enrolled in NYSCAP.
Under ESAP, eligible households may now have SNAP certification periods of up to 36 months.
ESAP eligible clients can download the application form LDSS-5166 form here or call Infoline to have the form mailed to them. The application can be completed in hard copy and submitted by mail to:
Centralized Mail Unit
PO Box 29008
Brooklyn, NY 11202
All applications for SNAP will be evaluated for the ESAP extended certification period of 36 months, regardless of whether the LDSS-5166 form is used, or if the regular application is submitted through ACCESS HRA or by mail.
NYS Excluded Workers Fund Update – Impact of Funds on Benefit Eligibility
We have received an update from the State regarding the impact of funds received under the Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) on Cash Assistance and HEAP benefits. For both benefits, the State has determined that the EWF monies received are considered a one-time lump sum payment and are therefore counted as a resource if they are received in the month of application for HEAP or CA. If the funds are received prior to application, the funds remaining at the time of application will be considered a resource, in accordance with regular income and resource rules.
As we reported previously, for SNAP benefits, one-time lump sum payments are excluded from consideration as income for in the month of receipt of lump sum and as a resource for 12 months following receipt of benefit. Any remaining balance from these payments could affect a household’s eligibility after 12 months if a household subject to a resource test were to have a remaining balance from the payments and the remaining balance caused the household to exceed the resource limit for the benefit for which they were applying.
Medicaid Easements
Medicaid easements have been extended through February 2022. This includes the automatic extension for cases with an authorization that ends in February 2022, even if the client does not submit their renewal. These cases will be extended for 12 months. Any case that is closed during the COVID-19 emergency for failure to renew or failure to provide documentation will be re-opened and coverage restored to ensure no gap in coverage. Excess resources cases will be extended for 6 months.
Household Income Limits for CityFHEPS Renewals
In accordance with DSS’s recently published final rule, total household income limits for CityFHEPS renewals will now be based on Area Median Income (AMI) instead of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Previously, the maximum gross income for households was up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
HASA Rental Assistance
In order to align rental assistance levels for HASA clients with the recent changes for our CityFEHPS program, we will be providing rental assistance grants to HASA clients in private-market apartments up to the NYCHA Section 8 payment standard. Over 55% of HASA (HIV/AIDS Services Administration) clients reside in independent, private-market apartments. These maximum rent levels can be found on the DSS website on the CityFHEPS page at https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/hra/downloads/pdf/cityfheps-documents/DSS-8r-E.pdf.
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Updates
As of November 12, State OTDA reports that nearly all eligible public-school children have been issued their P-EBT benefits for the 2020-21 school year. OTDA is working to complete the distribution of P-EBT benefits to eligible children who attended charter schools and private schools in New York City during the 2020-21 school year. Due to card production issues, some children who were recently issued P-EBT benefits may experience delays in receiving their P-EBT benefits card. OTDA is working to resolve this issue. Information can be found on the OTDA website, which will be updated as additional information becomes available on the resolution of these delays. The State operates a P-EBT Food Benefits Helpline at 1-833-452-0096. Questions can also be submitted through the P-EBT Information Form.
ERAP Determinations for One-Shot Deal/Emergency Assistance Applications
In accordance with State OTDA’s determination, as of Monday, November 15, 2021 an ERAP application and determination are no longer required to apply to HRA for a One-Shot Deal. Those who applied for ERAP before the OTDA portal closed on November 14, 2021 will still need to provide proof of submission of an ERAP application and determination with an application for emergency assistance, in accordance with State requirements.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Regular Arrears Supplement (RAS)
As we have reported previously, the State HEAP RAS is a one-time benefit funded with the HEAP appropriation received under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This benefit is available to help pay gas and/or electricity utility arrears and will be available through September 30, 2022 or until funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
The application for the State HEAP Regular Arrears Supplement (RAS) is the regular HEAP application in conjunction with the HEAP RAS worksheet. The RAS worksheet is completed by HRA staff. Once a HEAP application is submitted HRA staff will assess for both regular HEAP and RAS by reaching out to the client to conduct a phone interview. The applicant must be eligible for HEAP to be eligible for RAS. If eligible, the RAS worksheet will be completed by HRA staff at the time of the interview.
Applicants are required to complete the regular HEAP application (and the RAS worksheet will be completed during their interview) under any one of the following circumstances:
- Did not receive a regular HEAP benefit this season (2021/22 HEAP season);
- Moved since receiving their HEAP benefit;
- Closed Cash Assistance or SNAP case since receiving regular HEAP benefit.
These applicants must first complete a new HEAP application and be found HEAP eligible in order to receive the RAS benefit.
Clients who need to submit an application for HEAP can do so as follows:
- Apply in-person at one of the 6 designated HRA Job Centers or 4 community assistance sites (please see HEAP Eligibility section below)
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Download an application here or call 212-331-3126 to request an application.
- Mail a completed LDSS-3421 to NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP; PO Box 1401, Church Street Station, New York, NY 10008
- Drop off a completed LDSS-3421 at any HRA Job Center.
HEAP applicants will be required to have an interview, which, due to COVID-19 restrictions, will be conducted by telephone. Applicants will receive a call from an HRA worker to conduct the eligibility interview for HEAP and RAS, if also applying for RAS. Existing HEAP recipients (those with an open HEAP, CA or SNAP case, who haven’t moved) applying for RAS do not need to have a telephone interview; they just need an HRA worker to complete an RAS worksheet for them.
The one-time benefit is based on the actual amount of current utility arrears, up to a maximum of $10,000 per applicant household. Benefits are paid directly to the household’s gas and/or electric utility vendor(s), and only one RAS benefit per current electricity and/or gas account is permitted.
Households may be eligible if:
- Heat is natural gas or electricity;
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Income is at or below the current income guidelines as posted in this table or the applicant receives Family Assistance, Safety Net Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) or Code A Supplemental Security Income;
- All of the eligibility criteria to receive a Regular HEAP benefit in the current program year have been met;
- The applicant must be the customer of record for the electricity and/or gas account(s), or must document that they pay the utility vendor(s) directly for the bill(s);
- The vendor is paid directly for gas and/or electricity usage; and
- The current gas and/or electricity account(s) is/are in active collection, or otherwise facing disconnection or termination due to unpaid arrears.
Note that there is no resource test for the RAS benefit and arrears for domestic electricity do not have to be heat related. When and why the arrears accrued will not impact eligibility. The RAS can be awarded for both an electricity and a gas account for a single household.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Eligibility
Recipients of HEAP benefits may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year to help pay for heating costs. Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, the primary heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, is age 60 or older or has a permanent disability. Regular benefits for households that pay directly for heat based on actual usage are paid directly to the vendor that supplies the household's primary source of heat. HEAP recipients can use HEAP approval letters as documentation to support Con Ed reduced rate programs and Verizon Lifeline.
A household may be eligible for a regular benefit if:
- Clients and/or household members are United States Citizens or qualified immigrants;
- The household's gross monthly income is at or below the current income guides; or
- The applicant is in receipt of:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or
- Temporary Assistance or
- Code A Supplemental Security Income (SSI Living Alone)
To apply, please contact 212-331-3126 or visit the ACCESS HRA website for instructions here. HEAP applications are available for download here. Please note, the HEAP application can be downloaded from ACCESS HRA, but cannot be submitted through ACCESS HRA at this time. All HEAP applications need to be completed, signed by the applicant or their authorized representative and returned by mail or dropped off at a designated HEAP assistance location. There is no need to come into a Center. The completed application can be mailed back to HRA at:
NYC DSS/HRA/HEAP
PO Box 1401
Church Street Station
New York, NY 10008
Applicants can check on the status of a HEAP application by calling the State OTDA Helpline at 800-342-3009.
HEAP Application Assistance
While there is no need to come into an HRA Center to apply for HEAP, HRA has representatives providing HEAP application assistance to potential clients in six designated HRA Job Centers and in four community sites. These representatives provide assistance with completing applications and will forward applications to the HEAP central office for processing. Individuals applying for benefits can also drop off applications and documents at these locations.
These HEAP assistance locations are not able to provide assistance with RAS applications, which need to be completed by HRA staff. Our request to the State OTDA to permit community locations to provide assistance with RAS applications was denied. Once a HEAP application has been completed and submitted to HRA, an HRA representative will contact the applicant to complete a phone interview, assess for eligibility, and complete a RAS application. Clients must be found HEAP eligible in order to receive RAS.
The designated HRA sites are listed below (open Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm, with the exception of City holidays):
Waverly Job Center
12 W. 14th Street
4th floor
New York, NY 10011
Coney Island Job Center
3050 West 21st Street
Brooklyn, NY 11214
Rider Job Center
300 Canal Place
Bronx, NY 10451
Crotona Job Center
1910 Monterey Avenue
5th floor
Bronx, NY 10457
Queens Job Center
32-20 Northern Boulevard
(enter on Honeywell Street)
2nd floor
Long Island City, NY 11101
Richmond Job Center
201 Bay Street
2nd floor
Staten Island, NY 10301
HRA representatives are also located in the following community locations (please note, hours of operation have been updated below):
Boro Park Jewish Community Council (Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays 9 am – 5 pm)
1310 46th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Margert Community Council (Mondays 9 am – 5 pm)
325 Beach 37th
Far Rockaway, NY 11691
Assemblyman Ron Kim's Office (Wednesdays and Thursdays 9 am – 5 pm)
136-20 38th Avenue, Suite 10A
Queens, NY 11354
State Senator Leroy Comrie's Office (Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 am – 5 pm)
113-14 Farmer's Boulevard
Queens, NY 11412
Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
The NYS Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) to help New Yorkers pay overdue water and wastewater bills is accepting applications as of December 1, 2021. Applications are available on the OTDA website and can be submitted online or by mail. More information can be found here, including information on how to apply online and/or download a paper application.
Benefits are based on the amount of unpaid water and wastewater bills owed by applicants and could go as high as $2,500 for each service. LIHWAP benefits are based on the actual amount of drinking water and/or wastewater arrears, up to a maximum of $2,500 per drinking water or wastewater provider, or $5,000 if drinking water and wastewater services are combined, per household. Benefits are paid directly to the household’s drinking water and/or wastewater vendor(s).
Eligibility and benefits are based on household income, household size, whether a household includes a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or qualified immigrant, and the amount owed to drinking water and/or wastewater provider(s).
Applicants will be required to provide the following documentation with their application:
- Proof of identity for the primary applicant.
- A valid Social Security Number for the primary applicant.
- Proof of residence.
- A drinking water, wastewater, or combined drinking water and wastewater bill listing your permanent and primary residence.
- Documentation of income for the primary applicant.
NYC Paid Safe and Sick Leave
The NYC Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law went into effect on January 1, 2021 and has since been expanded. Under New York City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law), covered employees have the right to use safe and sick leave for the care and treatment of themselves or a family member, to seek legal and social services assistance, and more.
Amendments to NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law include:
- Employers with 100 or more employees in New York State must provide up to 56 hours of paid leave.
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Employers with four or fewer employees in New York State that have a net income of $1 million or more must now provide PAID leave despite their size.
- Employers must provide domestic workers with 40 hours of paid safe and sick leave.
- Employers must allow employees to use safe and sick leave as it is accrued, with no waiting period for new hires.
- Employers can require documentation when employees use more than three workdays in a row for safe and sick leave; and employers must reimburse employees for any fees paid for the required documentation.
- Employers must inform employees of their accrued, used, and total leave balances on a document issued each pay period (e.g., paystub) or through an employee-accessible electronic system.
Employers and employees can visit nyc.gov/workers or call 311 for more information about the NYC Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law, including the required Notice of Employee of Rights, which is available in 26 languages, one-page overviews for employers and employees, and the complaint form.
Additional information:
Half-Off Farm Box Program
New Yorkers who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get a pre-assembled box of locally grown farm fresh fruits and vegetables for half off the price of a full box. Prices vary by site. Each box contains six to 10 items and must be pre-ordered one week in advance.
Hosting a Health Department Nutrition Workshop
The NYC Health Department is offering to partner with organizations to provide bilingual (English with Spanish interpretation) remote healthy eating workshops. Each workshop includes an interactive nutrition activity and a delicious seasonal recipe demonstration. Workshops last about 45 minutes. View replays of past workshops here.
To ensure an engaging workshop, partnering organizations need to host the workshop via a virtual platform such as Zoom or Webex and recruit at least fifteen community members who are interested in attending. If needed, the Health Department can share a recruitment package with tips for increasing participant attendance.
Interested organizations can contact Jeneé Grannum at jgrannum@health.nyc.gov for more information and to schedule. Please plan to schedule at least two weeks in advance. Workshops are limited and offered through the week of February 14, 2022.
NYC Civic Impact Funding
Free in NYC: YouTube Video for NYC Seniors and People Living with a Disability
HRA’s YouTube channel now features the first Free in NYC video for New York City residents who are age 65 and older or have disabilities. This new video provides important information about free enrollment assistance that helps New Yorkers apply for Medicaid and the Medicare Savings Program. The assistance is provided by the New York City Facilitated Enrollment Program for the Aged, Disabled and Blind program and is funded by the New York State Department of Health.
The video, “Free help to Enroll in Medicaid for Seniors and People with Disabilities” is a first in a series of explainer videos created by HRA’s Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access to help NYC seniors and people with disabilities learn more about Medicaid and the Medicare Savings Program, and how to access these programs.
You can view the video here! Please share the video with clients and partners to help us increase awareness of this free program.
Community-wide Conference Call
We appreciate your continued participation on our weekly briefing calls and your ongoing work to help make sure that the critical information and details about changes we are making in response to the pandemic are being communicated to our clients. Your active engagement is appreciated, and your questions and suggestions help us better understand the needs of those we serve and respond accordingly.
The information contained in this communication is a synopsis of what was shared as well as new developments.
Each week, we will provide all of the information included in each of our prior communications on our website on the COVID-19 Community Updates page. If you would like to reference a specific prior communication, links to each of the prior communications can be found on the community updates page.
As a reminder, we have a standing informational call on Tuesdays at 4:00PM. In the event that the date or time of the weekly call needs to change due to extenuating circumstances, a notification is sent out from DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov, in addition to an updated calendar invitation to those who have signed up to join the calls. To be added to this list, please reach out to DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
Please note that there are several hundred participants on these weekly calls, and as a result they may start a few minutes late to allow as many people to join as possible and hear all the information. In addition, the large number of participants does not allow us to have individual conversations efficiently, which is why we respond to individual inquiries through the chat box. If you have additional questions after the call, please reach out to DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov or the appropriate contact area listed on our COVID 19 Community Updates page.
CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is available during these calls as an accommodation for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Please contact oria@dss.nyc.gov at least four hours prior to the call to enable this service.
As always, thank you for your continued partnership in serving New Yorkers in need, particularly now when our clients need us more than ever. If you have any questions or concerns about the changes we have made and are continuing to develop to address the COVID pandemic, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Advocacy and Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
Sincerely,
Steven Banks
DSS Commissioner
New York City Department of Social Services
