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December 2017 Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Benefits for People with Disabilities The 2017-18 regular HEAP benefit opened November 13, 2017. Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, the primary heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older, or permanently disabled. Households may also be eligible for an emergency benefit if they are in danger of running out of heating fuel or having their utility service shut off. The 2017-18 emergency HEAP benefit opens January 2, 2018. Emergency HEAP benefits and eligibility are based on income, available resources, and the type of emergency. To find out more, you can contact New York City Human Resources Administration/HEAP online at http://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/ default.asp?county=New%20York %20City#result or by phone: (212) 331- 3126, Monday - Friday. You can also call CIDNY at 212-674-2300 and ask to speak to a benefits counselor to see if you are eligible or if you need help applying. Fair Housing Act Training Update CIDNY has done numerous trainings on the Fair Housing Act [link to website] with tenants and landlords/management companies. It has been a very worthwhile effort. Participants needed advocacy assistance to obtain reasonable accommodations (change in rules, laws, policy) and/or modifications (physical changes to buildings). We partner with participants to advocate for the needed changes. Two accommodations we successfully advocated for were: Allowing access through an accessible basement entry since the accessible front door was locked after 9 PM. Removing garbage pails from the front of the building due to a childhood memory being triggered for the person with PTSD. Two modifications we successfully advocated for were: Changing an entry door to a building to an automatic door because it was too heavy to open. Lowering cabinets because a tenant recently became a wheelchair user. CIDNY learned quite a bit from the trainings with landlords and management companies. Many did not know that the Fair Housing Act, a Federal law, sets a higher standard and has to be followed over State, City or local laws. They were also confused about the rights of people with invisible disabilities such as mental illnesses. They often looked to us for legal advice. We would, naturally, refer them to their attorneys as our role is on behalf of people with disabilities. If you are a landlord, management company, or organization that wishes to have training conducted for your group, please contact Chris Chalfant, Advocate/FHA Trainer, at 347-863-4508 or [email protected]. CIDNY’s Poll Site Accessibility Summary for the 2017 General Election
Transcript of CIDNY€¦ · Web view11/29/2017 14:03:00 Last modified by Microsoft Office User Company Microsoft...
December 2017
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Benefits for People with Disabilities
The 2017-18 regular HEAP benefit opened November 13, 2017. Eligibility and benefits are based on income, household size, the primary heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older, or permanently disabled. Households may also be eligible for an emergency benefit if they are in danger of running out of heating fuel or having their utility service shut off. The 2017-18 emergency HEAP benefit opens January 2, 2018. Emergency HEAP benefits and eligibility are based on income, available resources, and the type of emergency. To find out more, you can contact New York City Human Resources Administration/HEAP online at http://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/default.asp?county=New%20York%20City#result or by phone: (212) 331-3126, Monday - Friday. You can also call CIDNY at 212-674-2300 and ask to speak to a benefits counselor to see if you are eligible or if you need help applying.
Fair Housing Act Training UpdateCIDNY has done numerous trainings on the Fair Housing Act [link to website] with tenants and landlords/management companies. It has been a very worthwhile effort. Participants needed advocacy assistance to obtain reasonable accommodations (change in rules, laws, policy) and/or modifications (physical changes to buildings). We partner with participants to advocate for the needed changes.
Two accommodations we successfully advocated for were:
Allowing access through an accessible basement entry since the accessible front door was locked after 9 PM.
Removing garbage pails from the front of the building due to a childhood memory being triggered for the person with PTSD.
Two modifications we successfully advocated for were:
Changing an entry door to a building to an automatic door because it was too heavy to open.
Lowering cabinets because a tenant recently became a wheelchair user.
CIDNY learned quite a bit from the trainings with landlords and management companies. Many did not know that the Fair Housing Act, a Federal law, sets a higher standard and has to be followed over State, City or local laws. They were also confused about the rights of people with invisible disabilities such as mental illnesses. They often looked to us for legal advice. We would, naturally, refer them to their attorneys as our role is on behalf of people with disabilities.
If you are a landlord, management company, or organization that wishes to have training conducted for your group, please contact Chris Chalfant, Advocate/FHA Trainer, at 347-863-4508 or [email protected].
CIDNY’s Poll Site Accessibility Summary for the 2017 General Election On Election Day, CIDNY staff and volunteers conducted comprehensive polling site survey for accessibility. The survey findings showed many of the same problems identified in previous years. This demonstrates that the New York City Board of Elections has not sufficiently addressed the barriers faced by voters with disabilities. With surveys completed at 59 polling sites, we found that 35, or 59%, of the sites had at least one physical access barrier. Those barriers included narrow doorways, inadequate signage, pathways with broken concrete, non-ADA compliant ramps, and poorly placed machines. For more information, please see our blog post at https://www.cidny.org/poll-site-accessibility-surveys/.
Latest Blog Posts
Get Food HelpAre you or someone you know looking for food help this holiday season? CIDNY can help New Yorkers with disabilities connect to food pantries
December 2017
in your neighborhood and/or apply for long term food help. Learn more at: https://www.cidny.org/get-food-help/.
ICAN Helps New Yorkers Who Need Long-Term CareNew York State’s Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN) program helps New Yorkers with disabilities with their health insurance and long-term care problems. Long-term care includes care in a nursing home or in your own home with help from an aide. Learn more at: https://www.cidny.org/ican/.
If you don’t have access to the internet and are interested in learning more about these topics, please contact Jess Powers, Director of Communications, at 646/442-4154.
What Would You Like to Learn More About?
CIDNY offers a variety of free workshops and events to help you learn more about issues that affect you. We also bring people together for cultural events. We have had workshops on financial basics, cooking on a low budget, organizing your documents, health care coverage options, job readiness, searching for housing online, and more. We have also offered access to free cultural events like museum and theater tours and events at New York City parks.
As the New Year begins, we’d like to hear from you so that our workshops meet your needs. You can let us know what kinds of workshops you would like CIDNY to hold and how you would like to participate. Please fill out our survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cidnyworkshops or call CIDNY’s receptionist at 212-674-2300 for a copy of the survey if you don’t have access to a
computer. If you need an alternate format, like large print or Braille, or someone to help you fill it out, please let us know.
CIDNY Testifies at Assembly Hearing on Nursing Home Care
CIDNY’s Health Policy Director Heidi Siegfried testified at a hearing held by the NYS Assembly Committees on Health and Aging on nursing home quality of care and patient safety and enforcement. She emphasized theimportant role that the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP) plays in protecting the rights of residents faced with closure of the facilities where they live, in addressing complaints about involuntarydischarges and transfers, and in the growing trend of proposed discharges to homeless shelters.
In the last 10 months alone, CIDNY’s Ombuds Program has worked with 15 nursing home residents faced withproposed discharges to shelters and was able to obtain proper discharge planning and/or care planmodification that resulted in an outcome other than discharge to a homeless shelter for 13 of theseresidents.
Compared to other states of comparable size and Long Term Care bed-count, state funding in New YorkState has been a fraction of what is required. The State had not been able to meet the standardrecommended for determining adequate staffing.
CIDNY will continue to advocate for adequate fundingfor this important program with the NYS Legislature during the 2018 Session.
Donate
Help us level the playing field for people with disabilities in NYC. We help people access benefits, work for accessible transit, polling places, housing, inclusive health care, deinstitutionalization, and many more. CIDNY services remain free, but if you’re able to give,
NEED HELP?Walk in to get the help you need. Staff will be available during these times for housing and benefits-related
help.
Walk-In Days—Manhattan
Every Monday and Tuesday, 10 am to 1:30 pm Every Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm
Walk-In Day—Queens Every Monday 10 am to 3 pm
Important Dates in DecemberDecember 25th – Christmas Day – Office closed
CIDNY Action Network (CAN) Meeting
Wednesday, December 20th, 2017, 1 pm-3 pm
Save the date! Lobby Day is February 12th, 2018!
Join us and help CIDNY develop its policy agenda.
Start drafting your stories based on CIDNY’s agenda items for this legislative session.
Come help us make strategies to engage lawmakers as well as other consumers about disabilities rights.
Please RSVP to Laurette Hamilton at 212/674-2300. If you need an accommodation, such as large print or interpretation services, please let us know by Wednesday, December 13, 2017.
Refreshments will be served.
Housing Workshop - Queens
Wednesday, December 27th, 10 am to 2 pm CIDNY’s housing workshop covers housing options: NYCHA, HPD, HUD listings; NYC Housing Connect and other programs; what you qualify for; in-come and family size; and how to get and go over your credit report. CIDNY is a full-service center and other benefits will be discussed; we don’t offer housing, but can provide information and assist with applications.
Space is limited. You must call John Rivera at 646/442-1520 to reserve a spot. Also, let us know if you need an accommodation like American Sign Language or large print.
CIDNY’s Writers’ Group
This group meets every Thursday at CIDNY’s Manhattan office, 841 Broadway. The writers’ group is a facilitated, non-judgmental writing group that promotes individual expression and creativity in a supportive atmosphere. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact CIDNY at 212/674-2300.
All events are at CIDNY, 841 Broadway, Suite 301, New York, NY 10003 unless otherwise stated. To RSVP for events, contact the receptionist at 212/674-2300 or [email protected].
If you need an accommodation, please let the receptionist know. For ASL interpreters, let us know one week in advance. We cannot guarantee accommodations like ASL interpreters if we do not have advanced notice.
DECEMBER 2017 CALENDARSun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 4
Walk-in Day10 am-1:30 pm
Walk-in Day - Queens
10 am-3 pm
5
Walk-in Day10 am–1:30 pm
6 7
Walk-in Day10 am-3 pm
Writer’s Workshop 3:30-5:30 pm
8 9
10 11
Walk-in Day10 am-1:30 pm
Walk-in Day - Queens10 am-3 pm
12
Walk-in Day10 am–1:30 pm
13 14
Walk-in Day10 am-3 pm
Writer’s Workshop3:30-5:30 pm
15 16
17 18
Walk-in Day10 am-1:30 pm
Walk-in Day - Queens10 am-3 pm
19
Walk-in Day10 am–1:30 pm
20CIDNY ACTION NETWORK MEETING1 pm-3 pm
21
Walk-in Day10 am-3 pm
Writer’s Workshop3:30-5:30 pm
22 23
24
31
25Office closed
26
Walk-in Day10 am–1:30 pm
27
Queens Housing Workshop10 am–12 pm
28
Walk-in Day10 am-3 pm
Writer’s Workshop3:30-5:30pm
29 30
