Public Advocate's Corner

A Troubled Reorganization at the Department for the Aging

MANHATTAN—A 2008 redesign of case management services at the Department for the Aging (DFTA), launched to accommodate a growing and increasingly diverse older population, left many case management agencies with insufficient funding and large numbers of seniors without services. According to a survey released today by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, many of these problems remained fifteen months later, as clients faced longer average wait times to receive services, and the average caseload for case managers was greater than it was before the reorganization.

Read the Full Release

Read the Report

Gotbaum's Final Annual Report Reflects on Two Terms of Accomplishments

Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum released her office’s 2009 annual report. In order to cope with a 40% budget cut sustained this year, the Office decided not to print and mail copies of the report. Instead, the annual report will be eco-friendly, available online and distributed through e-mail. Printed copies will be available to those without internet access upon request.

Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said, “Improving access to city services has been the unifying theme of my tenure. During my two terms in office, my ombudsman unit alone has fielded calls from more than 90,000 New Yorkers, solving problems and advocating for some of  the city's most vulnerable -- its immigrants, its working poor, its special ed students, its women in need. I've introduced or co-sponsored more than 300 bills before the City Council. And my policy staff has conducted studies and investigations that led to lasting change. Over the last eight years, the Office of the Public Advocate helped improve the lives of New Yorkers. We identified needs. We offered solutions. And we got results.”

Read the Report

Summer in the City: Check Out these Free Events!

There's no better time to be in New York City than the late summer, when the crowds have thinned and free events abound. If you haven't found something fun and free to do on a given August weekend or even a weeknight, check out the many options on www.nycgo.com. Among its listings are weekly picks of "free in nyc" events. For example, from July 31 to Aug. 31, nycgo.com lists 13 free events in Brooklyn, 28 in Manhattan and two in Queens.  

 

Movies: The Department of Parks sponsors Free Summer Movies. For additional free Parks-related activities, check out their coming events calendar as well as Urban Park Rangers activities. You also may want to download the Parks Special Events Calendar for 2009.

 

Music: Among free New York City concerts are the Seaside Summer Concert Series at Asser Levy/Seaside Park in Brooklyn. The concerts run Thursdays through Aug. 27. 

Check out the Central Park SummerStage calendar. On August 6, SummerStage features Asbury Shorts: An Evening of the World’s Best Short Films, along with the Mingus Dynasty Quintet.

Theater: Shakespeare in the Park runs through Aug. 30.  Now playing at Central Park's Delacorte Theater: "The Baccae" by Euripides. 

 

Museums: Nyc.gov offers information about free or discounted admission at city museums. Admission at the National Museum of the American Indian in Battery Park, for example, is always free.

 

Camping: The city Department of Parks & Recreation offers overnight family camping in city parks, complete with cookout, night hike, stargazing and breakfast.  Parks even provides tents.  Registration is required for this free urban adventure, but all you need to bring are sleeping bags. Urban Park Rangers run the program, which was featured recently in The New York Times.

 

Other Events: The Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking in the Hudson River at three locations: Pier 40 at Houston Street, Pier 96 at 56th Street and, in Riverside Park, at 72nd Street. All equipment is provided, also for free. You must wear a life jacket, know how to swim, abide by Downtown Boathouse rules and sign a liability waiver. Kayaks are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. At Pier 96, three-hour trips are available as well as introductory classes.

 

Take the ferry to Governors Island, a former military base that only recently became accessible to the general public. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, National Park Rangers lead 1.5 hour walking tours of this National Historic Landmark District.

 

And watch out for Summer Streets, in which certain streets between the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park will be closed to motor vehicles from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on three consecutive Saturdays -- Aug. 8, 15, and 22. A city website featuring videos and other information suggests that, on these Saturdays, "...the city streets are your playground. Come out and let your imagination run wild!"  

Are you prepared?

New Yorkers should take steps to prepare themselves in the event of a citywide emergency, a natural disaster or an infrastructure collapse. For example, every home should have a “Go Bag”, a disaster preparedness kit containing emergency supplies – like copies of vital documents, food and water, flashlights and batteries, and first aid supplies – stored in an easy-to-carry container. Two years ago, Public Advocate Gotbaum toured the five boroughs with the American Red Cross, passing out Go Bags and raising awareness about emergency preparedness.

Additionally, families should choose a meeting place, plan an exit route, and designate an out-of-state relative or friend as an emergency contact.

The city Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has compiled user-friendly guides on what to include in your Go Bag, a household disaster plan and what your emergency supply kit should include. You can also find a compilation of "Ready New York" publications relating to disaster preparedness and a primer on potential hazards in New York City. 

More Resources:

• Public Health Emergency Preparedness, provided by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). It includes links to emergency preparedness, as well as a link to advice from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry on Talking to Children About Terrorism and War
• Don't be Left in the Dark!, a state Department of Health pamphlet on how to weather floods, storms and power outages.
• Prepare Today, Cope Better Tomorrow, a DOHMH pamphlet with basic information on handling the stress and anxiety that accompanies any disaster.
• Tips for Seniors, an emergency preparedness guide provided by the city Department for the Aging.
• Are You Ready, an in-depth emergency preparedness guide issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Three Steps to Preparedness, an American Red Cross guide.
• Ready: Prepare, Plan and Stay Informed, a guide from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• The American Red Cross offers information on how to prepare for specific emergencies, ranging from blackouts to flu epidemics to winter storms.

You may want to take an online survey, "Test Your RQ (Readiness Quotient)" prepared by the Council for Excellence in Government, to find out your level of emergency preparedness. For more information, please call the Office of the Public Advocate at 212-669-7250.

Accessing Services: Summer Safety Tips

As the summer season begins, it can be a good idea to take some common-sense safety precautions, whatever your summer plans entail. City agencies offer a number of useful suggestions about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from a variety of seasonal hazards. Many are contained in a downloadable brochure, Ready New York: Beat the Heat. But individual city agencies also offer tips on how to stay healthy this summer. Read on for helpful tips from NYC agencies.

 

Safety Tips

The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) offers Summer Safety Tips on, among other things, safe food preparation and protection against West Nile Virus.

The city Office of Emergency Management (OEM) provides information about the hottest days of summer, including heat-beating tips. During a heat wave, the city opens cooling centers throughout the five boroughs, typically in senior centers. The city Department for the Aging (DFTA) also provides a list of Hot Weather Preparedness Tips for Seniors.

 

This year, DFTA and DOHMH are promoting a program where seniors (60 +) without airconditioning and who meet the income eligibility criteria for HEAP can apply (through their doctor) for a free air conditioner. Find out more about the program here.

 

To avoid heat-related illness, it's important to drink plenty of water or liquids with electrolytes. People with heart, kidney or liver disease or on a fluid-restricted diet should check with their doctor on increasing fluid intake.

 

FDNY Tips
If you'll be spending a lot of time outdoors, the New York Fire Department (FDNY) offers common-sense suggestions and tips on what to tell kids about keeping safe around traffic.

 

What's the Most Common Summer Safety Hazard?

At the top of the list is overexposure to the sun, which may lead to sunburn and skin cancer. The American Cancer Society (read their skin cancer facts) recommends that you wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15, and apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors and every two hours thereafter.

 

More Summer Safety Information

• Swimming pools and beaches: Closely monitor children. Before they learn to swim, fit children with floatation devices, which will help their heads stay above water. Teach children swimming safety rules, including not running near pools and not diving in water less than five feet in depth.

• Bites and stings: Usually they're harmless. But for people who are allergic, bites and stings may cause anaphylactic shock, which is potentially deadly. Treat it as a medical emergency. DOHMH provides additional online information about stinging insects and anaphylactic shock. In wooded areas, wear long sleeves and pants to prevent tick bites. Many types of ticks spread Lyme Disease.

• Travel: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 40 percent of off-the-road car crashes are due to driver distractions. This includes reading, eating and cell phone use. Stay focused and be aware of drivers and surrounding conditions. Always wear a seatbelt. Insist that your passengers do, too.
  

• Bicycles: Make sure your bicycle is the correct size for your height and weight. Always wear a helmet, and make sure it fits. At night, use a bike light and wear light-colored clothes.

Accessing Services: Preventing the Spread of Swine Flu

Given the recent concern about the H1N1 Virus, commonly known as “swine flu”, it's a good time for New York residents to review how to prevent the spread of any contagious illness. The Center for Disease Control recommends that you: 

• Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Alcohol-based hand cleansers also are effective. 
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, but use a tissue or your arm rather than your hand. Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
• If you're sick, stay home.
•  For specific information about swine flu, download the following:
• Swine Influenza:  What New Yorkers Need to Know, issued by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) in a question and answer format.
• Ready New York: Pandemic Flu, issued by the city Office of Emergency Management. 
• A list of links to swine flu sites, provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• CDC updates.

For more information, check World Health Organization updates, the Health Department website or click here for a list of Swine Flu school closings.

Gotbaum Bill Would Give Equal Access to Pharmacy Services for All New Yorkers

Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, joined by Councilmember Gioia and advocates, called for passage of a bill that would help give equal access to pharmacy services for all New Yorkers. Public Advocate Gotbaum introduced legislation in October 2008 known as the Language Access in Pharmacies Act of 2008 (LAPA). The bill requires every chain pharmacy to provide free translation of prescription medication labels, warning labels and patient information sheets to each LEP individual filling a prescription.

Read the Full Release

 

Accessing Services: How to Avoid Identity Theft

Credit cards and internet shopping are excellent modern-day conveniences, but both generate major financial headaches if they lead to identity theft. The city Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Office of Financial Empowerment offers basic information about this widespread crime. DCA also provides tips for victims of identity theft.

How Fraud Happens:  Some thieves simply pick through your trash, looking for discarded bank or credit card statements. Some steal your mail. In what is known as "skimming," some thieves make a duplicate imprint of your card and sell the number to third parties, who then make internet or telephone purchases. Others try random groups of numbers until they find one that matches an account in good standing. Some thieves hack into computer databases -- or, by way of e-mail attachments, your own laptop -- to steal sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth and passwords.  

 How to tell if you’ve been the victim of identity theft: According to DCA, there are several telltale signs:

         --New accounts appear on your credit report.
         --Your statements show unexplained withdrawals or other activity.
         --You've stopped receiving bills, statements or other important mail.

         --You're receiving calls from collection agencies about items or services you didn't buy.

 

What to do: According to DCA, you should do four things right away:

       --Place a fraud alert on your credit report with one of the three major credit bureaus

       --Close all fraudulent accounts.
       --File a police report.
       --File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
 

Protect Yourself:  

Never give account numbers over the phone unless you initiate the call and know that the company is reputable. Never provide information when, for example, someone calls about a "computer problem" that requires you to verify privileged information. Similarly, beware of "fraud investigators" who want your account numbers, deposit information or security codes. Hang up and call your bank or the toll-free number on the back of your credit card to see if there's a problem with your account. 

 

Similarly, never respond to e-mails that request credit card or bank verification. And never respond to e-mails that direct you to a website to verify similar information, even if the site looks legitimate. This known as "phishing."

 

Protect your account numbers.  A cross-cut paper shredder is a good investment, and shredding documents before recycling is an excellent habit. Cut expired credit cards into small pieces, and shred credit card "convenience checks" or offers of new credit cards.  

 

Be especially careful when setting up passwords. Don't write passwords or a personal identification number (PIN) on credit cards or even on a slip of paper in your wallet, since your wallet could get stolen. Instead, keep a list of all account numbers and expiration dates in a secure place, along with the telephone numbers of issuing banks. Some consumer advocates recommend that you carry bank cards and credit cards separate from your wallet -- and that you never carry more than you need. 

 

Regularly check your transaction records online rather than wait for monthly statements. This will quickly apprise you of any unauthorized activity. 

  

More Resources:

DCA also provides information on how to spot a scam. Additionally, a great deal of substantive material relating to identity theft is available online. For example, the FBI provides a list of tips regarding credit card fraud and how to prevent it. The Federal Trade Commission also provides many tips on how to avoid fraud. Consumer-oriented groups such as ScamBusters.org, unaffiliated with government agencies, provide useful information on how to thwart credit card fraudsters.

 
Finally, you may want to check out the not-for-profit National Consumers League Fraud Center.  And, of course, you may call the Office of the Public Advocate at 212-669-7250.

 

Accessing Services: How to Get Involved With Your Community Board

Accessing Services:  How to Get Involved With Your Community Board

There are fifty-nine Community Boards in New York City, and all welcome input from the New Yorkers they represent and serve. To familiarize yourself with their work, download a compact brochure that explains their function. Also useful is an online history. Community Board committees follow up on issues raised at Board meetings. Non–Board members may apply to join these committees.
 
How do I find my community board?
You'll find a list of Community Boards online. Meeting dates also are online. There are 12 Community Districts in the Bronx; 18 in Brooklyn; 12 in Manhattan; 14 in Queens; and 3 in Staten Island, each representing a maximum of 250,000 residents.

More Information
Each Community Board is comprised of 50 unsalaried members appointed by Borough Presidents in consultation with City Council members from the relevant district. Community Board members must reside in, work in or have a specific interest in the community they represent. Members serve two-year terms. Half the members are appointed each year.

The City Charter mandates that each Community Board advise elected officials about matters relating to their Community District. Monthly Community Board meetings provide a forum in which members discuss items of local concern. Residents also may address the board. Further, Community Boards conduct public hearings on such issues as the City budget, land use and delivery of City services.

For additional details, download the 2008 Handbook for Community Board Members.

How can I join my community board?

For an application, contact your Borough President’s office:

--Bronx: 718-590-6001/5

--Brooklyn: 718-802-4032

--Manhattan: 212-669-8151
--Queens: 718-286-2900

--Staten Island: 718-816-2232

Accessing Services: What to do if you are at risk of homelessness

One of the many distressing impacts of the economic downturn in New York is an increase in the homeless population.  The ongoing recession, rising unemployment, and more people facing foreclosure all contribute to this growing problem.

What should I do if I am at risk of becoming homeless?

Visit HomeBase, a program "designed to help individuals and families avoid the trauma of homelessness by helping them overcome the immediate problems and obstacles that could result in the loss of housing."  Services to qualified households include landlord mediation and short-term financial assistance. Visit the website to find the HomeBase office nearest you.

If you are behind on your rent, you may be eligible for a "one-shot deal" for rent arrears through the city’s Human Resources Administration (HRA). According to DHS, the city’s Human Resources Administration (HRA) can assist tenants who have legal possession of an apartment, or applicants who have been evicted but whose landlords are willing to re-let the apartment. Grants are available for both public assistance recipients and for those ineligible for public assistance. Families and single adults are eligible." You may apply for assistance at an HRA Job Center. 

Other Resources

• If you're homeless and a veteran of the armed services, you may be eligible for assistance from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
• If you're on public assistance, you may be eligible for Jiggetts, a program that provides  monthly rent supplements, in addition to your shelter allowance, and may pay some or all of your rental arrears.
• You may be eligible for free or low-cost legal help.  For a list of resources, go to LawHelp.org/NY. 
• Still another place to seek help is the DHS Office of Client Advocacy, whose duties include helping homeless clients overcome barriers to obtaining permanent housing by working with DHS staff, provider organizations, and other agencies.  The Legal Aid Society in New York City operates a Homeless Rights Project and the Coalition for the Homeless has a Crisis Intervention Program.

What If I'm Homeless Now?

• Single Adult Services provides information on where to go for shelter and what to expect when you get there.
• Family Services, among other things, provides information on where to go for shelter and what to bring and not bring.

If you need additional help, please call the Office of the Public Advocate at 212-669-7250.