In This Edition:
News:
COVID-19 Stimulus Checks and Updates
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NJHMFA Update:
Suspension of Rent Increases
for Agency-Financed Properties
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Data on COVID-19 Effects on Patients, Employment,
and Safety in Behavioral Health Organizations
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CMS Announces New Reporting Requirements for
Long-Term Care Facilities with COVID-19 Outbreaks
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$201.5 Million in New Funds for
Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program
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Coronavirus Construction Limits: State-By-State Tracker
From Builder Online
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Webinars, Videos, and Resources:
Still Time to Register for Tomorrow's SHA Webinar
Lunch & Learn Webinar:
Technology and Remote Supports Strategies
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SobelCo Town Hall Webinar
"Facing the Unimaginable: Are You Insured for
Business Disruption During a Pandemic?"
April 23rd
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Maximizing Funding for Non-Congregate
Shelter Opportunities During the COVID-19
Pandemic: California’s Project Roomkey
April 23rd
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April 28th - CSH Training:
Resident Loss and Bereavement
Supporting Tenants and Staff
April 28th
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Webinars From The National Council for Behavioral Health
COVID-19 Financial Response Strategy Echo Series
April 28th and May 5th
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In Case You Missed It
National Alliance on Mental Illness
"Wellness Strategies for Managing Crisis"
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COVID-19 Stimulus Checks and Updates
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As stimulus payments have started to reach accounts via direct-deposit, here is the latest information for individuals who have filed taxes in 2018 or 2019, and those who may not usually need to file taxes.
SSI/SSA Beneficiaries with Dependents – Action Needed by April 22nd
Please see the attached SSA press release
concerning action needed for social security beneficiaries who do not file tax returns and also have dependents to receive a $500 per child payment.
The Social Security Administration recently announced that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive automatic Economic Impact Payments directly from the Treasury Department. Treasury anticipates these automatic payments no later than early May.
SSI recipients with no qualifying children do not need to take any action in order to receive their $1,200 economic impact payment. The payments will be automatic.
Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability insurance beneficiaries (who don’t normally file taxes) will also qualify for automatic payments of $1,200 from Treasury. These payments are anticipated to start arriving around the end of April.
The Treasury Department, not the Social Security Administration, will make these automatic payments to beneficiaries. Recipients will generally receive the automatic payments by direct deposit, Direct Express debit card, or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their SSI or Social Security benefits.
Please note that the agency will not consider Economic Impact Payments as income for SSI recipients, and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months.
To help explain recent updates, the
Treasury Department has released two short videos providing guidance for non-filers and social security recipients.
For those who need to enter payment information, you can use the following tool:
Do NOT use this tool if you will be filing a 2019 return. If you are
required to file a return
, using this tool will NOT speed up your Economic Impact Payment and will likely slow down processing of your tax return and receiving any refund.
While there has been some issues among users when the page was launched a few days ago, you can check the status of your payment using the website below:
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NJHMFA Update:
Suspension of Rent Increases
for Agency-Financed Properties
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Pursuant to Section 6 of
Executive Order 103
, executed by Governor Murphy on March 9, 2020, NJHMFA has suspended the NJHMFA rent increase rules at N.J.A.C. 5:80-9.4, 9.5, 9.8 through 9.11, 9.14 and 9.15. NJHMFA has determined that in light of the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, low and moderate income families in New Jersey are at tremendous risk of losing both employment and income. Such households will face challenges in paying rent, let alone absorbing a rent increase. As such, NJHMFA has obtained the approval of the Governor as well as unanimous consent of the NJHMFA Board to suspend the rent increase rules during the pendency of EO 103.
The suspension is effective as of April 16, 2020.
Specifically, the following rent increase rules are suspended: N.J.A.C. 5:80-9.4*, 9.5, 9.8 through 9.11, 9.14 and 9.15. The suspension of rent increases will remain in place until such time as the COVID-19 emergency has ceased and Executive Order 103 has been terminated. Thereafter, the standard rent increase application process will resume, and properties in the Agency’s portfolio may apply for/implement rent increases in accordance with the Agency’s regulations at N.J.A.C. 5:80-9 et seq.
As a point of clarification, the suspension of the rent increase rules does NOT apply to units funded solely through Low Income Housing Tax Credits or to Section 8 projects where rents are adjusted in accordance with a federal Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract. The suspension also does not apply to projects financed through the Agency’s Conduit Bond Program.
While the suspension does not cover all affordable units, the NJHMFA encourages all property owners to refrain from instituting tenant rent increases during this pandemic to limit the financial burden on low and moderate income households.
Should you have any questions with respect to this Bulletin, please contact your HMO via email to
AM@njhmfa.gov
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* As stated above, N.J.A.C. 5:80-9.4(b), which provides for the adjustment of rents at projects covered by a federal Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, is not suspended. The suspension does, however, apply to Agency-financed Section 236 projects.
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Data on COVID-19 Effects on Patients, Employment,
and Safety in Behavioral Health Organizations
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Earlier this month, The National Council for Behavioral Health and
ndp | analytics
conducted an online survey of 880 behavioral health organizations across the country to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on patients, employment and safety. Here is a glimpse of the results:
- PROGRAM & PATIENT IMPACT: 61.8% of organizations closed at least one program.
- EMPLOYMENT IMPACT: 46.7% of organizations have had to, or plan to, lay off or furlough employees.
- PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE): 82.9% of organizations do not have enough PPE for two months of operations.
- RESILIENCE: 62.1% of organizations believe they can only survive financially for three months or less under the current COVID-19 conditions.
Download their full report
to learn how COVID-19 is impacting providers’ ability to deliver the high-quality, comprehensive care people expect and deserve.
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CMS Announces New Reporting Requirements for
Long-Term Care Facilities with COVID-19 Outbreaks
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced
new regulatory requirements that will require nursing homes to inform residents, their families and representatives of COVID-19 cases in their facilities. In addition, as part of President Trump’s Opening Up America, CMS will now require nursing homes to report cases of COVID-19 directly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This information must be reported in accordance with existing privacy regulations and statute. This measure augments longstanding requirements for reporting infectious disease to State and local health departments. Finally, CMS will also require nursing homes to fully cooperate with CDC surveillance efforts around COVID-19 spread.
New Jersey has taken steps to address the transparency of available information with the release of a
list from the NJ Department of Health
covering long-term care facilities and outbreak information around the state, sorted by county.
CDC will be providing a reporting tool to nursing homes that will support Federal efforts to collect nationwide data to assist in COVID-19 surveillance and response. This joint effort is a result of the CMS-CDC Work Group on Nursing Home Safety. CMS plans to make the data publicly available. This effort builds on recent recommendations from the
American Health Care Association and
Leading Age, two large nursing home industry associations, that nursing homes quickly report COVID-19 cases.
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$201.5 Million in New Funds for
Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program
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The new funding was discussed during the latest HUD’s Office Hours on April 17th with invited homeless assistance providers and their partners covering COVID-19 planning and response. Presenters from the following federal agencies and their partners were available for a live question and answer session:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- National Healthcare for the Homeless Council (HCH)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
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Coronavirus Construction Limits: State-By-State Tracker
From Builder Online
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Currently, millions of Americans are required to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To ensure the safety and prosperity of their communities, governors and other authorities are allowing “essential” businesses to stay open.
This dashboard
tracks how states with a stay-at-home mandate classify Construction and Building Material Suppliers. Please check back frequently; we will provide additional details and resources as they become available.
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New Webinars, Videos, and Resources:
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Still Time to Register
SHA Presents A Lunch & Learn Webinar:
Technology and Remote Supports Strategies
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April 22, 2020 – 12:00-1:00 PM EDT
The COVID-19 pandemic has moved CMS and with them our nations service providers to embrace flexible remote service delivery options. Experts in the field from SimplyHome and At Home Technologies identify how agencies can step up to the challenge and opportunity.
Space is limited, you may RSVP to
Joseph Christensen
. Pending availability, attendees will receive an email to complete their registration for the meeting.
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SobelCo Town Hall Webinar
"Facing the Unimaginable: Are You Insured for
Business Disruption During a Pandemic?"
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Thursday, April 23, 2020 | 8:30 - 9:30 am
Join Sobel & Co, as well as Meeker Sharkey for a dynamic discussion led by insurance experts who have spent their careers insuring and consulting with the business community. As the depth of the economic impact continues to unfold in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, our panelists will share their real world insights, provide practical suggestions, and do their best to answer your questions regarding how you can mitigate the cost of business disruption in your organization.
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Maximizing Funding for Non-Congregate
Shelter Opportunities During the COVID-19
Pandemic: California’s Project Roomkey
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Join federal partners to get updates about the COVID-19 response and learn about California’s efforts to maximize federal, state, and local funding through Project Roomkey.
Panelists:
*Clare Francavilla and JR Heimbecker, FEMA
*Kim Nash, HUD Region 9
*Jill Albanese, VA Homeless Programs
*Corrin Buchanan, California Department of Social Services
*Kathleen Clanon, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency
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CSH Training:
Resident Loss and Bereavement
Supporting Tenants and Staff
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In our current reality, many of us have been or will be impacted by loss associated with the COVID-19 virus. Now more than ever, there is a need to understand how to support residents and staff with loss and bereavement. In this unusual time, we may experience grief differently. How you support both residents and staff may change as the response to the pandemic continues. Join us for this conversation as we navigate these emotional and challenging times.
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The National Council for Behavioral Health Offers
COVID-19 Financial Response Strategy Echo Series
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To support providers in navigating these unprecedented times financially to sustain operations, the National Council, with support from the Delta Center for a Thriving Safety Net, has engaged CohnReznick to provide a COVID-19 Financial Response Strategy ECHO Series. This three-part series will provide guidance on financial/operational strategies for remaining financially viable during these trying times.
Who should join? This series is open to all, however content in these sessions will be most applicable to leadership and financial management staff of community behavioral health organizations.
- Extending the Runway – Leveraging Stimulus/Relief Efforts: Review of relief packages available to behavioral health providers and case studies/experiences from the field in accessing these financial relief efforts.
- Sustaining the New Normal: Guidance on evaluating the “levers” that can be pulled to stabilize operations in the new normal, such as improving forecasted cash flows including staffing adjustments, revenue opportunities and extending credit.
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In Case You Missed It
National Alliance on Mental Illness
"Wellness Strategies for Managing Crisis"
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Focusing on our own wellness is more important now than ever before. Take a wellness break with Peggy Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA. On April 15th, the renowned researcher, teacher, and innovator shared her knowledge in "
Wellness Strategies for Managing Crisis
" helping individuals cope with current world events.
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Advocate ● Educate ● Support
The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey unites its diverse coalition of members engaging development, resources, and information to sustain supportive housing systems within New Jersey. Since 1998, our statewide mission seeks to enhance lives and accessibility to enable independent living within our communities.
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Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey
185 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ 07079
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