August 31, 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. 

Monthly DSS Community Call

We would like to apologize for the technical issues we experienced on our August monthly call. In response to a number of requests for a recording of the call held on Tuesday, August 23, please see link below to access the recording. Links to all of the calls we’ve held since April 2020 can be found on our Community Updates webpage. If you are not on the list to receive invitations to the monthly call, please contact DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.

Access the audio recording here.

Passcode: Covid-19

NYC Benefits RFP

The NYCBenefits Request for Proposals (RFP) continues to solicit applicants for the cross-agency, cross-sector effort to undertake a systematic approach to connecting hundreds of thousands of eligible New Yorkers to the billions of dollars of government benefits that are currently going unused:

• The deadline to apply is 11:59 EST September 13, 2022.
• The RFP can be found on the RF CUNY website.
• Pre-proposal Webinar: the August 17^th pre-proposal webinar can be viewed HERE. The deck can be viewed HERE.
• Q&A Doc: See answers to questions submitted between July 26 and August 9, 2022 HERE.
• Answers to questions submitted between August 9 and August 19, 2022 were posted on the RFCUNY site yesterday, can be viewed HERE.
• Questions are no longer being accepted as of August 19, 2022.

NYCBenefits aims to ensure all eligible New Yorkers are aware of all of the supports available to them, that accessing those supports is easy and efficient, and that eligible New Yorkers enroll, and stay enrolled, in those support programs. NYCBenefits will bring together the many City agencies and community-based organizations that inform and administer benefits programs by providing funding and enhanced collaboration and coordination to unify and fortify the social service benefits ecosystem.

RF CUNY website.

One Shot Deal Repayment Suspension

In response to questions received on the August monthly community call, we are confirming that billing of One-Shot Deals remains suspended for the duration of the Public Health Emergency, currently through October 13, 2022. Clients may make voluntary payments. Clients with cases approaching the statute of limitations will receive letters from HRA regarding their One-Shot Deals and clients should not ignore those letters.

DHS Services for Asylum Seekers Arriving in NYC

In response to questions received on our August monthly community call, we are providing the following information on the Agency’s response to the recent influx of asylum seekers coming from Central and South America. As of 8/24, approximately 7,300 asylum seekers had come to DHS, about 5,500 of whom remained in shelter as of that date. Families with children represent the majority of the population, although we are currently seeing an uptick in the number of single men arriving. DHS is meeting its legal and moral mandate to provide shelter to all who need it, and since July have opened 14 emergency Family with Children shelters to accommodate need. In mid-August we released two emergency solicitations, one for an intake site specific to asylum seekers, and one to identify 5,000 beds of shelter capacity that will specifically serve this population. We have designated a provider for the intake site, are in negotiations, and expect to open in early September. The other RFP is rolling, and we encourage providers to apply.

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, ACS, 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 Central and South America. 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)

ACCESS HRA System Updates

New ACCESS HRA updates went live on Saturday, August 20th, 2022. Click here for a detailed overview of the changes. 

Featured updates within ACCESS HRA client portal:

• Updated User Dashboard, Benefits, and Documents pages
• Clients will now be able to view their Medicaid case information such as:
• Case Status, Coverage Dates, Eligibility End Dates, Household Members
• Surplus case status, link to surplus payments portal
• The Statement of Benefits will now be available for Closed and Rejected cases
• Applicants for SNAP or Cash Assistance who do not have an SSN will be able to connect to their case on ACCESS HRA using the SSN of the oldest child on their application with an SSN.

Featured updates within ACCESS HRA mobile app:

• Clients will be able to view their Medicaid case status within the ACCESS HRA mobile app
• Elderly Simplified Application Process (ESAP)
• Seniors and people with disabilities will be able to use the NYC HRA Document Upload app for submission of the ESAP application (LDSS-5166) and supporting documents

Featured updates within Child Support Mobile app:

• New forms available to submit for a clients Child Support case
• Update Contact information for your Child Support case
• View Child Support Appointments and Notices in the app (CA clients)

The ACCESS HRA client portal can be found here: www.nyc.gov/accesshra.

To go directly to the Fair Fares NYC application or home page, go here: www.nyc.gov/accessfairfares.

As a reminder, trainings on ACCESS HRA is available for public service organizations! Sign-up here: https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/9z3xxln8/

Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund

OTDA issued a Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) back-to-school payment of $214 per eligible child, on August 12, 2022, to eligible Cash Assistance households that meet ALL criteria below:

• The open CA case contains an active child aged 3-17 who received benefits on the case during the month of July 2022.
• The CA case remains open on the date of payment issuance.

OTDA issued a Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF) Infant Nutritional Assistance Payment of $150 per eligible child, on August 12, 2022, to eligible Cash Assistance households that meet ALL the criteria below:

• The open TA case contains an active child under the age of 3 who received benefits on the case during the month of July 2022; and,
• The TA case remains open on the date of payment issuance

OTDA will issue these payments directly to the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cash account of the TA case. Households eligible for these one-time, non-assistance payments will receive a letter from NYS OTDA informing them of the payment and of their rights to an OTDA Administrative Review.

PEAF provides 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

PEAF payments will:

• have no effect on the household’s eligibility or benefit amounts for CA, SNAP, or HEAP;
• not be part of regular recurring CA or SNAP grant;
• be excluded from the CA standard of need;
• be excluded as income to the CA and SNAP household;
• be excluded from CA and SNAP resource limits;
• be excluded from the State sixty-month time limit for CA;
• not be offset by child support collections;
• not offset CA or SNAP overpayments;
• not be subject to overpayment determinations/calculations;
• not be included in Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR).

Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus (HWB) Program

We received many questions on this week’s call regarding eligibility for the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus Program. We are providing information here, but encourage those who are interested to reach out to the New York State Department of Health for additional information at (866) 682-0077.

New York State’s Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus (HWB) Program has launched, providing frontline healthcare workers (with base salaries under $125,000) bonuses for their dedication during the COVID pandemic. Learn more about the requirements here.

This program establishes a fund of $1.3 billion to be disbursed in bonuses to certain eligible frontline healthcare workers across New York. Depending on title, number of hours worked, and salary, employees may qualify for up to $3,000 in bonuses. Employers must apply to the HWB Program on behalf of eligible employees for them to receive bonuses. A list of eligible employee titles and criteria for eligible employers can be found on New York State Department of Health’s website, here.

Applications must be submitted by September 2, 2022, to claim funds for the first vesting period in the Program. Please note that the HWB Program also enables the State to penalize employers for up to $1,000 per employee if they fail to identify, claim, and/or pay bonuses for eligible employees.

The State has established a hotline for more information about the HWB Program: (866) 682-0077.

OTDA has issued guidance on how these payments will impact recipients of TA, SNAP, and HEAP, available here.

Temporary Assistance (TA)

Health Care Worker Bonus payments received by eligible individuals are excluded as income when determining eligibility for Cash Assistance. In addition, the bonus payment(s) are also excluded as a resource for Cash Assistance and emergency assistance. 

The Health Care Worker Bonus payment(s) is also excluded as a lump sum for the month of receipt of the bonus payment(s) and the following two months.

For example, if a household receives the bonus payment(s) in April 2023, the district must not count it as income or a resource for April and must exempt it as a countable resource for May and June. In July, if the household has remaining funds from the bonus payment(s), the district must count the remaining funds as a resource.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

For SNAP, any Health Care Worker Bonus paid to individuals are excluded from consideration as income. For any household subject to a resource test, these payments are considered countable resources in the month received and in subsequent months as long as they remain readily available to the household.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)

Health Care Worker Bonus payments are excluded as countable income and liquid resources for HEAP eligibility determinations.

Fair Fares Program Overview and Application Webinar

The Office of Community Outreach has created a webinar providing a general overview of the Fair Fares transportation discount program and which will also simulate a mock Fair Fares application. After completion, participants will be familiar with the Fair Fares benefit and the application process. Sign up for the webinar here.

To start, we will offer these sessions weekly through the end of September.

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 have reopened and 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 will also be able to request an in-person appointment by calling 311.

Clients who need a replacement card or a refund must mail in their card to: 

Fair Fares NYC

P.O. Box 7099

New York, NY 10008-7099

Clients 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!

SNAP – Fiscal Year 2023 Cost-of-Living Adjustments

The USDA announced the COLA adjustments that will go into effect October 1, 2022. Amongst a number of other elements for determining SNAP eligibility, this includes a 12.4% increase in the maximum SNAP benefit allotments. The table at the end of this communication showsthe numbers that went into effect 10/1/21 and those that will be in effect as of 10/1/22. Learn more here and access documents that identify the other COLA adjusted amounts.  

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 August 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 has been extended and is currently set to end on October 13, 2022.

On October 1, 2021, permanent changes to SNAP went into effect, resulting in a sizeable 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.

Electric and Gas Utility Bill Credit Program for Low-Income Families

A one-time, low-income utility bill credit is now available to help low-income electric and gas utility customers pay off past utility bills. This credit, which will be applied to affected customers' bills by the utilities, requires no action by existing low-income customers enrolled in the EAP to receive the benefit. The bill credit is expected to be applied to customers' accounts by August 1, 2022. Any eligible low-income customer that enrolls in EAP before December 31, 2022 will be included in the bill credit program.

HRA mails notices to our clients periodically throughout the year about the Energy Affordability Program (EAP) offered by Con Ed and National Grid. Clients who are in receipt of CA, SNAP, and HEAP benefits receive a letter that instructs them to contact us by a specific date to opt-out of EAP, otherwise they will be automatically enrolled in their utility provider’s EAP. Clients who call after the deadline to respond are instructed to contact their utility provider directly to opt-out of EAP.

Medicaid (MA) consumers must contact their utility provider to enroll in EAP.

Learn more about the Con Ed and National Grid EAPs.

Learn more about the Utility Bill Credit program here.

Temporary Assistance Implication

Temporary Assistance (TA) funding may continue to be utilized to pay utility arrears when the applicant presents with an emergency or immediate need, after first exploring the availability of HEAP. A payment can be made to prevent termination if it is determined that an immediate threat of shut off is present and the applicant/recipient (A/R) is otherwise eligible.

Additional Resources and Information

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. The Student Loan Debt Plan includes the following:

• Forgiving debt for qualifying federal student loan borrowers with annual income below $125,000 if filing as single or $250,000 if filing jointly or as head-of-household.
• Up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt cancellation for those who attended college and received Pell Grants
• Up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt cancellation for those who went to college and did not receive Pell Grants

A limited number of borrowers will have relief automatically applied but many will need to self-attest their incomes. To be notified when the process for self-attestation opens, sign up at the Department of Education subscription page.

• Extending the federal student loan repayment pause to 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.

Public Service Loan Repayment Credit

For a limited time, federal student loan borrowers who work in public service may receive credit for past periods of repayment that did not previously qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The Help Tool at the U.S. Department of Education’s website, StudentAid.gov/PSLF, can be used to determine eligibility. This tool usually takes less than 20 minutes to complete.

The deadline to apply is October 31, 2022.

Family Enrichment Center (FEC) Request for Proposals

The NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS) recently released a Request For Proposals (https://tinyurl.com/2sszvu4x) to expand the Family Enrichment Center (FEC) model to nine new neighborhoods in the coming year. FECs will be expanded to a total of 30 sites across the City over the next two years. This is an important effort to connect communities and families in areas hit hard by COVID-19 to the resources and supports they need. ACS is seeking local community-based providers, with deep ties to their communities, to operate the new sites. 

Interested parties can learn more about the FECs in this short video.

FECs, which were launched in 2017, are warm, home-like, walk-in centers that are co-designed with community members enabling individuals, families and children to connect with neighbors, volunteer their time, and access activities and resources they need to thrive. Community members who engage with an FEC can expect a stigma-free, voluntary, locally-managed resource in their community. The new centers will be located in the priority neighborhoods identified by the City’s Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity (TRIE), based on their equity burdens and the impact of COVID-19. 

IMPORTANT: In order to respond to the RFP, organizations must be registered and prequalified in the City’s Procurement and Sourcing Solutions Portal (PASSPort) system. PASSPort is the web-based system maintained by the City of New York to manage procurement -- the process by which the City secures good and services. Only organizations with an approved Prequalification Application will be eligible to propose to this RFP. In these two links, you will find information about registration and prequalification. Please be aware that prequalification can be a lengthy process, so interested applicants should begin the process immediately. 

The deadline to submit proposals is September 30, 2022. 

For this RFP, the new sites will be located in the following nine catchment areas.

Bronx 

• BX03: Morrisania/Crotona & BX06: Belmont/East Tremont 
• BX05: Fordham/University Heights 

Brooklyn 

• BK04: Bushwick 
• BK17: East Flatbush 

Manhattan 

• MN12: Washington Heights/Inwood 
• MN03: Lower East Side/Chinatown 

Queens 

• QN03: Jackson Heights 
• QN04: Elmhurst/Corona 
• QN09: Ozone Park/ Woodhaven & QN10: South Ozone Park/Howard Beach   

NYC Small Business Resource Network

Mayor Adams announced $1.5 million in new funding for the NYC Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) which will extend its programming through 2023. SBRN is a public-private partnership which provides free, one-on-one support, for small businesses recovering from the pandemic—assisting with grant and loan applications, digital tools, accounting and legal services, marketing assistance, and business strategy. In particular, its “Open + Online” initiative has helped businesses with website creation, search engine optimization, and brand development, which expands businesses’ presence beyond their local neighborhoods; they will complete 800 projects by the end of the summer.

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:

1. 9/13, 6-8pm NDA Queens 8 (Briarwood/Jamaica Hills, Pomonok/Flushing Heights/Hillcrest)
2. 9/15, 6:30-8:30pm NDA Brooklyn 9 (Prospect Lefferts Gardens/Wingate, Crown Heights South
3. 9/21, 6-8pm NDA Bronx 5 (Mount Hope, University Heights)
4. 9/22, 6-7:45pm NDA Queens 3 (North Corona, East Elmhurst)
5. 9/29, 6:30-8:30pm NDA Brooklyn 8 (Crown Heights North
6. 10/4, 6:30-8:30pm NDA Brooklyn 3 (Stuyvesant Heights, Bedford)
7. 10/13, 6-7:30pm   NDA Queens 9 (Richmond Hill, Ozone Park)

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

• CDC: Monkeypox

Hurricane IDA Supplemental Funding Program

NYC Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations may be able to help those who were impacted by Post Tropical Storm Ida. New Yorkers may be eligible for assistance up to $72,000 to cover the cost of the repairs to make the home habitable and for mitigation measures to protect against future damage if:

• They own a 1-4 family home that was uninhabitable because of damage from Ida; and
• They applied for FEMA or were not eligible for FEMA assistance because they are a landlord; and
• They have either been denied or received less than the amount needed to complete repairs that would make the home habitable.

Application Deadline September 12, 2022

For more information, please contact (212) 615-8329 or IdaAssist@recovery.nyc.gov

Composting Initiatives Funding Application

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has launched a pilot $50,000 Composting Initiative to support composting throughout Manhattan, funding projects between $5,000 – $7,500 aimed at composting education programs for youth, for seniors, or general community engagement. 

Apply here by close of business 8/26/22 (use code: MCI2023). Learn more here. 

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

The Department for the Aging’s network of community based partners is distributing Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) coupons. This is a federally funded program by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the goal of giving low-income older adults access to locally grown fruits and vegetables.

The coupons are worth $25, and come in a booklet of five with each coupon worth $5.The coupons can be exchanged for fresh produce at participating local farmer's market or stands.

The SFMNP coupons are available to all eligible older adults and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at Older Adult Center’s and Naturally Occurring Retiring Communities (NORC). Individuals do not need to be a member of an Older Adult Center to be eligible.

In order to qualify, individuals must be 60 years of age or older and make $2,096 for a one-person home, $2,823 for a two-person household, or $3,551 for a three-person household per month. 

To find the closest Older Adult Center or NORC in their community, New Yorkers can visit the DFTA service finder at nyc.gov/aging/services

For more information including participating farmers markets visit DFTA’s Farmers' Market Nutrition Program website.

Rent Freeze/Tenant Support Unit

Mayor Eric Adams hit the streets earlier this week with the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit’s Tenant Support Unit (TSU) in The Bronx. Watch a video of him talking about it here! 

Together, they knocked on doors to spread the word about rent benefits for tenants across the City. 

The Tenant Support Unit (TSU) provides free information on tenants’ rights, assistance navigating housing-related issues, and connection to a range of resources, including the Tenant Resource Portal, anti-eviction legal assistance through the City’s Right-to-Counsel program, the home repairs program, and rent freeze and homeowners tax exemption programs.  

To contact the Tenant Support Unit:

• For information on tenants rights and the Right-to-Counsel, call 311 and ask for the “Tenant Helpline,” or visit nyc.gov/TenantSupportUnit
• For information on rent freeze and homeowner tax exemption programs, call the hotline at (929) 252-7242 or visit nyc.gov/RentFreeze.

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:

• nyc.gov/GetCoveredNYC
• Call 311 and say “Get Covered”
• Or text CoveredNYC to 877877

Student Loan Forgiveness Program for Behavioral Health Professionals

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Health + Hospitals announced the launch of a new student loan forgiveness program for behavioral health providers, funded by a $1 million contribution from an anonymous donor. The new program is designed to help attract and retain doctors, nurse practitioners, and other clinicians who care for New Yorkers with mental health or substance use needs as the U.S. faces a national mental health professional shortage.

NYC Health + Hospitals will offer psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers between $30,000 and $50,000 of debt relief in exchange for a three-year commitment to serve the public health system.

NYC Health + Hospitals provides about half of all behavioral health services for children and adults in New York City. The loan forgiveness program will be available to eligible employees and new hires for the next year or until the $1 million donation has been distributed. 

Applications opened on Monday, July 25, 2022.

Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=varKAPjLK-0

COVID-19 Related Updates

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.

NOTE: Due to very limited supplies when the program began, each order included only two test kits. People were asked to order these tests only if they did not have options for using the traditional kits. As of July 8, the program expanded. 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:

• 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.

Test-and-Trace is now 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.

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.

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.

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