July 13, 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 which can be found on our DSS COVID-19 Community Updates page.
COVID-19 Vaccination Updates
NYC is offering an incentive to community and faith-based organizations to help get people vaccinated by awarding $100 for each referral for each first dose at a City-run site. When an individual makes an appointment ahead of time or arrives for a walk-in vaccination, they can identify which community organization referred them to get vaccinated. Once they receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the referral organization will be credited $100 after the program ends. Organizations can earn up to $20,000 each. Interested organizations must sign up at nyc.gov/vaccinereferralbonus.
DOHMH is offering an infection prevention webinar on July 13. The goal of this 1.5-hour webinar is to empower community-based organizations to educate and share information with members, employees, families and friends on infection prevention and control (IPC). To sign up for the upcoming training on Tuesday, July 13th, at 1:30p.m. - 3:00p.m. please register here: IPC Training Registration Form. For any questions about this training please email IPC@health.nyc.gov.
NYC Mobile Vaccine Buses continue to provide vaccines in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens. The full schedule of mobile vaccine locations can be found online here. Walk-ups are welcome and you can also book in advance through the Vax4NYC website.
As a reminder, New Yorkers ages 12 years and older can continue to receive their COVID-19 vaccine without an appointment at select sites across NYC. Sites can be found here. New Yorkers are required to provide proof of age and residency in order to receive the vaccine. Additional information can be found here.
While walk-up vaccines are available at City-operated vaccination sites, appointments can still be made by using vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
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.
Waiver Extension Updates
As we reported previously, the state OTDA has extended the following waivers through close of business on September 30, 2021:
- Allowing Temporary Assistance (TA) eligibility interviews to be conducted by phone;
- Allowing TA recertification interviews to be conducted by phone;
- Allowing drug/alcohol and domestic violence screenings to be conducted over the phone;
- Extending domestic violence waivers;
- Enabling districts with local procedures or other processes that require frequent contact with individuals experiencing homelessness and residing in emergency housing to conduct these contacts via phone, with reduced frequency, as appropriate for the population; and
- Allowing temporary modifications to previously approved Case Supervisor Review (CSR) plans
We have requested extensions of waivers that are due to expire on the following dates:
July 20, 2021
- Waiver that provides for OTDA to suppress Income Savings Plan (ISP) notices, and DSS to apply good cause universally for clients who do not contribute to the savings plan.
July 31, 2021
- SNAP partial interview waiver; and
- Telephonic signature waiver for Cash Assistance and SNAP applications and recertifications conducted over the phone by HRA staff, which can also be used for State FHEPS applications.
Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) Distribution Update
The State OTDA reports that it has successfully distributed the first round of P-EBT benefits to the households of approximately 211,000 NYC public school children who had active SNAP or Temporary Assistance cases when the P-EBT payment distribution file was created in June. The State confirms that all cases were successfully funded to recipients’ EBT accounts. Recipients were notified of this distribution by text and email.
These benefits covered the period of September 2020 through March 2021. The amounts ranged from $132 to $924 per child with an average distribution amount of $875. As a reminder, P-EBT covered the days that schools were open for virtual learning only.
OTDA has also distributed P-EBT benefits to the households of approximately 345,000 additional NYC public school children whose households are not in receipt of either SNAP, Temporary Assistance or Medicaid and who successfully redeemed benefits that were distributed last year. Benefits were issued to these families in late June/early July. A notification was sent to these families, a copy of which can be found here. This notification contains useful additional information.
HRA Centers Re-opening
HRA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Job Center, and Medicaid locations, which had been consolidated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect clients and staff, will begin reopening to offer some in-person service to clients starting in mid-July. However, clients do not have to come into an office for assistance, and we encourage clients to use ACCESS HRA online to manage their CA and SNAP cases, receive case information and complete their applications and recertifications.
Please refer to our website for continued updates on open centers.
Dyckman
4055 10th Avenue, Manhattan
Client Reopening Date*: July 12, 2021
Concourse
1365 Jerome Avenue, Bronx
Client Reopening Date*: July 19, 2021
Dekalb
275 Bergen Street, Brooklyn
Client Reopening Date*: July 19, 2021
Rockaway
219 Beach 59th Street, Queens
Client Reopening Date*: July 26, 2021
Bushwick
2 George Street, Brooklyn
Client Reopening Date*: July 26, 2021
East New York, FSCC Satellite
404 Pine Street, Brooklyn
Client Reopening Date*: July 26, 2021
*Please note that as our teams continue to implement our reopening plan, while ensuring the safety of our staff and client any changes will be immediately communicated.
WIC Fruits and Vegetables Increase
The State has increased the WIC Cash Value Benefit for purchasing fruits and vegetables to $35/participant each month through September 30, 2021 (up from $9-11/participant). The expansion is possible through American Rescue Plan funds. To find out if you’re eligible for WIC, visit signupwic.com.
Unemployment Waiting Period Reinstated
Following the expiration of Executive Order 202, the State’s unemployment insurance (UI) unpaid waiting period rule has resumed effective June 28, 2021. This rule was temporarily suspended during the pandemic. New UI claims filed on and after June 28, 2021 will include an unpaid waiting week. Claimants will not receive payment for the first full week of a claim but must still claim weekly benefits and fulfill eligibility requirements. Information can be found on the State’s website.
Per federal law, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims do not have an unpaid waiting period. For more information, visit on.ny.gov/wwfaqs.
FEMA Funeral Reimbursement Policy Update
For certain cases, the Federal Emergency Management Agency now accepts applications for the COVID-19 Funeral Reimbursement program even if the death certificate provided with the application does not identify COVID-19 as the cause of death. This policy change applies to fatalities that occurred between January 20 and May 16, 2020. For applications that correspond to fatalities occurring during this time period, FEMA will accept a statement or letter from the certifying official, medical examiner, or coroner of the death certificate that attributes the death to COVID-19. Learn more on the FEMA website.
Camp Fees for Cash Assistance Recipients
The State OTDA has expanded eligibility for camp fees to children in receipt of Safety Net Assistance (SNA) effective June 30, 2021.
Previously, allowances for camp fees were only allowable on Family Assistance (FA) cases. The expansion allows camp fees to be paid for children in receipt of SNA as well, provided that funds cannot be obtained from other sources. The State allowance for camp fees remains unchanged at $400.00 per year, not to exceed $200.00 per week.
Voluntary Engagement – Employment Services
As we have reported on our weekly calls and in prior communications, HRA is offering voluntary employment services to those who are interested. HRA’s Career Services and Customized Assistance Services (CAS) programs are offering voluntary employment services as of June 28, 2021. Clients may begin to receive letters and phone calls inviting them to participate in remote YouthPathways, CareerCompass and CareerAdvance services or WeCARE Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS). These are voluntary services. No negative actions will be taken against clients who cannot or choose not to participate.
Non-Citizen Benefits Eligibility
As a helpful reminder, below is an overview of non-citizen benefit access quick facts:
-
All New Yorkers are encouragedto apply for benefits, regardless of immigration status.
- Non-citizen parents ARE able to apply for their US citizen children.
- Clients do NOT need to be Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) to qualify for benefits. Many different immigration statuses allow for certain benefits eligibility. Each case is assessed individually and in consideration of all available documents and information.
- HRA provides free language services for any language a client may need (including sign language), so all clients are welcome and encouraged to apply for benefits regardless of their preferred language.
- DSS produces documents in the following 12 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. One of the ways that clients can indicate their language preference for written notices is through AccessHRA.
- When submitting a benefits application, clients should include any and all documents that they think may be relevant to their immigration status. This includes documents that are expired, and documents issued from other countries.
- Copies of documents should be legible and complete, including front and back of cards, forms, and passports (including blank pages of passports).
- If clients do not have their immigration documents or have concerns relating to public charge issues, they should contact ActionNYC at 1-800-354-0365 or call 311 and say "ActionNYC" for further assistance.
-
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is available to all persons in New York regardless of immigration status. For more information, please visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/Emergency-Rental-Assistance/.
- Resources providing an overview of non-citizen benefits eligibility can be found at the following websites:
- https://otda.ny.gov/programs/publications/4579.pdf
- https://www.nyic.org/immigrant-eligibility-for-public-benefits-chart/
- However, we encourage clients to apply for benefits regardless of immigration status and to allow HRA to make the benefits eligibility determination.
-
If you have any concerns that an error has been made in a client’s benefits eligibility related to their immigration status, please contact the DSS Office of Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (ORIA) at oria@dss.nyc.gov for assistance.
Free Summer Meals
As of June 28, 2021, Grab-and-Go meals are available across the city for pick up between the hours of 9 am and 1 pm Monday through Friday for adults and children. No registration, documentation or ID is needed to receive meals. Vegetarian meals are available at all locations, and select locations are offering Halal and Kosher meals. Additional information can be found here. A list of summer Grab-and-Go locations can be found here.
Federal Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) Time Limit Waiver Extended
The federal ABAWD (Able-bodied Adult Without Dependents) time limit is a statute that limits an ABAWD to 3 months of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in a 36-month period unless the individual is working or participating in certain employment and training activities. USDA has approved OTDA’s request to waive the ABAWD time limit in all areas of the State for the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. Therefore, ABAWDs will continue to not be subject to the ABAWD requirements through September 30, 2022. New York State’s waiver of the ABAWD time limit was previously due to expire after September 30, 2021.
Individuals who are not meeting ABAWD rules will still be eligible for SNAP, and anyone who lost eligibility already can regain it without meeting the ABAWD requirements.
Digital Toolkit for Housing Resources
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched a new digital toolkit for media, intermediaries, and other stakeholders interested in providing information to renters and mortgage borrowers who continue to struggle as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The toolkit provides the most up-to-date information and resources.
To help spread the word about protections and relief options, the comprehensive digital media toolkit includes sample communications such as:
- Housing and rental relief emails
- Social media posts for renters and homeowners
- Videos in both English and Spanish
- Printed handouts in both English and Spanish
ERAP Resources
New York Public Library Reopening
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
