May 3, 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 bi-weekly community 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 Tuesday 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.
Extension of Public Health Emergency
On April 16, 2022, the United States Department of Health and Human Services extended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency for another 90 days. The renewal will expire on July 16, 2022.
Suspension of the Billing Process for SNAP, Cash Assistance and Medicaid Overpayment Cases
Billings for recovery of overpayments and repayable grants for SNAP, Cash Assistance, and Medicaid remains stayed through July 16, 2022, which is the date of the current extension of the public health emergency. Where we are legally required to continue collection efforts and the case is approaching the Statute of Limitations, HRA is sending a payment request letter. Enforcement actions on judgments remains stayed until July 16, 2022.
HEAP Third Emergency Benefit Available
The 2021-2022 Regular HEAP benefit closed on April 29, 2022.
A third Emergency HEAP benefit will be available from May 2, 2022 through August 31, 2022, or until funds allocated to this component are exhausted, whichever occurs first. The eligibility criteria and the benefit amounts for the third Emergency benefit will be the same as the first and second Emergency benefit. Applicants must have exhausted, or have unavailable to them, the first or second Emergency benefit to be eligible for the third Emergency benefit. First, second, and third Emergency benefits cannot be issued concurrently.
Medicaid Easements and Application Updates
HRA's Medicaid clients who have questions about their case or their Medicaid card or who wish to report case changes, such as change of address, can call the HRA Medicaid Helpline at 888-692-6116.
Medicaid easements have been extended through June 2022. This includes the automatic extension for cases with an authorization that ends in January through June 2022 even if the client doesn't submit their renewal. Medicaid clients scheduled to renew a case that had or has an authorization end date in March 2020 through June 2022 automatically had or will have their Medicaid coverage extended for 12 months, even if the renewal is not returned. The NYS Department of Health is not sending notices to these Medicaid clients to let them know that their Medicaid coverage has been extended. 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 income cases will be extended for six months, but will still be expected to meet their surplus to obtain coverage. (Note: Clients with active COVID or in the quarantine may request coverage until they can make a surplus payment.)
How to submit applications:
- Approved Client Representatives can fax Medicaid applications and Medicare Savings applications on behalf of consumers to 917-639-0731
- Medicaid applications and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) Applications from individuals age 65 and older or who have a disability can be dropped off in marked drop boxes at Medical Assistance Program "MAP" (formerly known as Medical Insurance and Community Services Administration or MICSA) locations and may also be faxed to 917-639-0732.
Temporary Expansion of SNAP Eligibility for College Students
With the extension of the public health emergency through July 16, 2022, the amended SNAP federal eligibility qualifications for student now runs through August 16, 2022, or 30 days after the COVID–19 federal public health emergency is lifted.
Students granted eligibility under these amended federal qualifications will maintain student eligibility until the next recertification regardless of whether the emergency declaration is lifted at any time during the certification period.
As a reminder, the Federal Emergency Relief Act temporarily expands the SNAP student eligibility rules by amending the allowable exemptions to the rule in two additional ways:
- A student is eligible if they are eligible to participate in state or federal work-study, regardless of whether the student is actively employed or participating in work-study; and
- Any student that has an "expected family contribution" of $0 may participate in SNAP if otherwise eligible.
The expansion of SNAP eligibility for students applies to both undergraduate and graduate students.
This is a temporary further expansion of the student eligibility criteria for all students regardless of the program or school they are enrolled in. However, as we reported previously, student eligibility was also extended for CUNY students participating in career or technical programs. CUNY students are receiving their Student Verification of Enrollment forms directly through their student account. CUNY is reviewing current enrollment status for all students. Those students who satisfy all of the SNAP requirements for a career and technical education exception will receive the Verification form in their student account. The Student Verification of Enrollment form must be submitted as supporting documentation with a SNAP application.
Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Promotional Materials
The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) helps low-income households pay the cost of water and sewer services. The program can assist households who have past due bills (arrears) for water and/or sewer services.
New outreach materials are available to promote the Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), providing information on the types of assistance available and how to apply for the benefits. A brochure, flyer, palm card, and poster have been developed to provide information about the Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP, which is administered by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
Documents are available at the following links:
GetCoveredNYC: Open Enrollment 2021-2022
GetCoveredNYC helps New Yorkers in the five boroughs enroll in health insurance, including low- or no-cost options, under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare).
The deadline for health coverage Open Enrollment is still extended in line with the current public health emergency. Enroll by the 15th of the month for health coverage starting on the 1st of the following month.
New Yorkers who don't have health coverage can connect with the GetCoveredNYC team by:
NYC Tenant Helpline
The Tenant Helpline was launched in April 2021 by NYC to serve as a one-stop shop to inform New York City tenants about their rights and connect them to housing-related resources, including free legal services:
- Information and education on tenant rights
- Referrals for enforcement
- Landlord/tenant mediation
- Referrals to cash assistance, SNAP, Homebase
- Other resources to help tenants feel safe and secure in their homes
The Tenant Helpline is staffed by housing Specialists from PEU's Tenant Support Unit (TSU) who can triage a wide variety of calls and immediately determine whether a client will need comprehensive case management or a simple referral (to another agency or CBO). To accurately identify a client's needs and provide them with the personalized care necessary to address sensitive cases requires extensive training, and our Specialists are uniquely equipped with the skills required for these conversations.
Affordable Connectivity Program - Save $30 Every Month on Internet Service!
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal benefit that offers up to $30 a month on internet service bills and equipment rentals. Eligible households can also get a one-time device discount of up to $100 off for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (there is a copay between $10 and $50). Find out more about how to apply by visiting AccessNYC’s ACP website here.
Households participating in the following may be eligible:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Medicaid
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit
- Pell Grant Recipient (2021-2022)
- Attend NYC public school K-12
Getting enrolled in the ACP takes three steps:
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Check for eligibility here
- Apply for the program on the official website
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Once approved for the program, participants must sign up with an internet provider of their choice. To find out more about local providers, visit Companies Near Me.
Interested New Yorkers can also apply by mail or by calling their current internet service provider. For help, contact the ACP Helpline at 877-384-2575 (9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern time; 7 days a week)
ACCESS HRA Updates
We are pleased to announce the following new features available in ACCESS HRA.
Featured updates within ACCESS HRA client portal:
- New HEAP Cooling Application:
- Clients will now be able to submit an application for HEAP Cooling Assistance on ACCESS HRA. The HEAP cooling season opened on May 2, 2022. As a reminder, an applicant household member does NOT need to have a medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for HEAP Cooling Assistance.
- View HEAP Benefits on ACCESS HRA:
- Clients will now be able to view their HEAP case information such as
- Application/case status for this season and last season
- Payment information
- Vendor name
- Request Child Care on Cash Assistance Cases
- Active Cash Assistance clients will now be able to request or change their child-care. As a reminder, cash assistance clients must be working or participating in an HRA work activity in order to be eligible for childcare from HRA
- Ability to pursue Child Support on Cash Assistance Cases
- Clients submitting a Cash Assistance application or recertification will now have the ability to indicate if they are able to pursue child support for an absent parent or if they are unable to for fear of potential harm to them or the child(ren)
- Fair Fares Document Completion
- Clients will now have the ability to indicate they have completed the upload of the required documents needed to process the Fair Fares initial and Fair Fares Renewal applications to bypass the 10-day document upload hold
- Fair Fares Access-A-Ride Request
- Clients will now have the ability to cancel their Access-A-Ride request, if their application is pending approval or has not been verified by NYCT
- Fair Fares Access-A-Ride and MetroCard Question
- Updates were made to make it clear to clients that they can only choose either a Metro Card or Access-A-Ride discount
Featured updates within ACCESS HRA mobile app:
- HEAP Benefits on ACCESS HRA Mobile App
- Clients will be able to view their HEAP benefits within the ACCESS HRA mobile app
- Clients who have submitted a HEAP cooling application will see a list of documents they need to return to the agency and will be able to submit them directly from the ACCESS HRA mobile app
Additional Resources and Information
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Application Extended
The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is the nation’s largest youth employment program, connecting NYC youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer. Learn more here.
OMNY for Senior Citizen Reduced-Fare
- contactless credit card
- contactless debit card
- smartphone
- MTA-issued OMNY card (similar to a MetroCard)
Fill out this short form to register; the MTA will be reaching out this summer with more information about the options and how and when to switch.
Special Education Website to Support Families and Education Professionals
The Educational Partnership is a professional development and technical assistance network run through the New York State Education Department’s Office of Special Education, and is designed to support and empower schools and families in improving equity, access, opportunities, and outcomes for students with disabilities.
The Educational Partnership has recently launched a new website, intended to be used by the public, including parents and families of students with disabilities, young adults with disabilities and education professionals. The website includes contact information for Regional Educational Partnership Centers and Family and Community Engagement Centers as well as links to register for upcoming professional development and training offerings.
Questions or requests for more information may be directed to the Office of Special Education at osepartnership@nysed.gov.
DYCD Young Sharks Entrepreneurship Competition for NYC Youth Ages 14 to 24
The DYCD Young Sharks project-based activity is an entrepreneurship competition for youth aged 14 to 24. The initiative incorporates not only business basics and product design, but also financial literacy, work readiness, and leadership development. Through the six-week, hands on workshop sessions, youth will have the opportunity to create a socially responsible business plan that will address community violence with an intentional focus on gun and gang violence prevention in their community.
With support from the “Daymond on Demand” digital business curriculum, youth will create a product design, develop a business plan, and construct a prototype for the opportunity to win up $2500 to the first-place team, $2000 to the second-place team, and $1500 for an “Audience Choice Award for the team with the most pledges against gun violence.” Top three finalist will meet and receive mentorship from "The People's Shark" Daymond John, co-star from the world-renowned four-time Emmy Award winning TV Show, Shark Tank and showcase their business idea at the DYCD Anti-Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 3rd 2022.
City & State Diversity Summit for MWBE’s
New York’s government is striving to promote equality of economic opportunities for MWBEs & working hard to eliminate barriers to participation in state contracts. Connect with key government agencies, prime contractors and state & local representatives at the City & State Diversity Summit, a full-day conference dedicated to fostering business partnerships between the state and local government, prime contractors and MWBEs.
Thu, May 19, 2022
9:00 AM – 3:35 PM EDT
Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion
1 West 4th Street
New York, NY 10012
ActionNYC! Immigrant Resources
As a part of Immigrant Heritage month, the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (ORIA) wanted to remind staff of a free NYC resource for our city’s immigrant community: ActionNYC! ActionNYC offers free, confidential immigration legal assistance to all New Yorkers. Services are linguistically and culturally responsive and delivered by a network of more than 30 trusted community-based organizations and legal service providers. Anyone can call the City-funded, free and safe ActionNYC Hotline at 800-354-0365, or call 311 and say "ActionNYC," between 9AM to 6PM, Monday to Friday, to get:
- Answers to immigration-related questions
- Information on immigration policy
- Connections to City-funded, free and safe immigration legal help including comprehensive immigration legal screenings and legal representation
- Referrals to other community-based resources and support services
Assistance with Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
The Social Security Administration is offering a new tool to provide assistance with applications for Social Security Income (SSI). The process takes 5 – 10 minutes and asks for basic information about the person who wants to apply for SSI. A Social Security representative will schedule an appointment and send the appointment information by mail (or email, if provided). In some cases, a Social Security representative may call to schedule the appointment.
Using this tool documents intent to file an application and establishes a protective filing date. The protective filing date determines when payments can begin if an application is approved.
Certain third parties, such as parents of minor children, family members, representatives, or members of advocacy groups, can also use the tool to express interest about applying for SSI on behalf of someone they are helping.
If you have any questions, please email your Public Affairs Specialist, or regional contacts at ny.rpa@ssa.gov.
DOE - Family and Caretaker Zoom Series
- May 11 - “Responding to Increased Community Violence”
- June 8 - “Tips on how to Advocate for your Student's Needs in School”
CUNY College Now
For the 2022 summer semester, CUNY College Now will be offering a mix of online, hybrid, and in-person courses open to NYC public high school students entering grades 11 or 12 in September 2022. Participation is free. For more information, click here.
Summer Rising 2022: Kindergarten Through Grade 8
Summer Rising is a partnership between the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), and will connect elementary and middle school students to fun, culturally relevant, hands-on experiences to strengthen their academic, social, and emotional skills. Summer Rising is free and open to any NYC student currently in kindergarten through grade 8. Seats are limited, so families should apply early to secure a seat at their preferred location. Students who are required by their school to attend over the summer are guaranteed a spot.
The program will begin July 5, and will run Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the months of July and August. Students will be provided with free breakfast and lunch, with snacks available in the afternoon on request. Learn more at nyc.gov/SummerRising. Applications for the program opened on April 25 on a first come first served basis. For questions or support with the application, contact summer@schools.nyc.gov.
COVID-19 Related Updates
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 & Trace 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.
“Test-to-Treat” Pharmacy Program
A new federal Test to Treat program gives people a fast and easy way to get lifesaving treatment for COVID-19. In this program, people can get tested at Test to Treat sites. If they test positive and treatments are appropriate for them, they can get a prescription from a healthcare provider and have the prescription filled all in one location. People can also bring test results obtained from a home testing kit to Test to Treat sites and get evaluated by a healthcare provider for treatment.
People can use the COVID-19 Test to Treat Locator to find Test to Treat sites near them. A call center is also available at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages – 8:00 am to midnight ET, 7 days a week. The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is also available to specifically help people with disabilities access services. To get help, call 1-888-677-1199, Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm ET or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org.
Learn more about the program and download fact sheets in numerous languages here.
Home Delivered COVID Antiviral Medication
The City is providing free home delivery -- as long as there is a prescription-- of oral antiviral pills Paxlovid (made by Pfizer), and Molnupiravir (by Merck), via Alto Pharmacy, a medication provider which has partnered with the City. Since supplies of the new drugs are extremely limited, deliveries will be prioritized to those who test positive and considered to be at higher risk for COVID.
Those who have tested positive and are otherwise qualified can visit Virtual ExpressCare for a phone or video visit or call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) and press 9.
COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 Test Scams
There have been reports of scams which claim to provide at-home COVID-19 test kits in exchange for personal or medical information. Individuals should not give out Medicare Numbers for COVID-19 test kits.
As a reminder, each household in the U.S. can access four free COVID-19 at-home tests shipped directly to their home at no cost. Visit COVIDtests.gov to order tests or learn more about testing.
Call 800-MEDICARE to report suspected fraud.
At-home COVID Testing for Immunocompromised Individuals
Free, at-home testing for COVID-19 is now available to all immunocompromised New Yorkers and those ages 65 and older. To schedule an in-home appointment, call (929) 298-9400 between 9:00 AM and 7:00 p.m. (7 days a week). For more information visit the NYC COVID-19 Testing Locations site
Testing in NYC
Free testing continues to be available at City-run sites throughout the five boroughs. The NYC Health and Hospitals COVID-19 Testing Sites page includes detailed information about all City-run mobile, brick-and-mortar, and micro testing sites across the five boroughs, including location, schedule, and types of testing offered. 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.
COVID-19 testing at most City-run sites is walk-in only. All New Yorkers are tested on a first-come, first-served basis. Some sites allow pre-registration through this link, which will streamline check-in upon arrival.
To search for all nearby testing sites, including those not affiliated with the City, please visit the NYC Testing Locations site. NYC Test & Trace recommends calling these testing sites before visiting. Please note that some sites that are not City-run may charge for testing.
Community-wide Conference Call
We look forward to your continued participation on our bi-weekly briefing calls and your ongoing work to help make sure that the critical information shared here and in our bi-weekly calls is being communicated to our shared clients.
The information contained in this communication is a synopsis of what was shared on our bi-weekly call 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 bi-weekly calls, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Advocacy and Outreach at DSSoutreach@dss.nyc.gov.
In partnership,
Gary P. Jenkins
DSS Commissioner
