Network Newsfeed

COVID-19 and Supportive Housing

Mar.31.2020

To Our New York Supportive Housing Community,

The Network would like to hear from you about emerging concerns and questions that we can elevate to our government partners. Please send these to Joelle Ballam-Schwan (jballam-schwan@shnny.org), Engagement & Communications Manager.

Continue Reading …

COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROVIDERS

Mar.31.2020

SUPPLIES

Food Delivery for Homebound Residents 
Homebound residents can get food delivered to their apartment through the GetFoodNYC delivery program, The initiative provides food for coronavirus (COVID-19)-vulnerable & food-insecure individuals. Find out if you qualify: http://nyc.gov/getfood 

NYS Hand Sanitizer
County Office of Emergency Management
nysema.org/directoryNew.html
(518) 292-2200

Janitorial & Industrial Supplies
Strauss Paper
Steve Yastrub
(516) 551-8288
syastrub@imperialdade.com
strausspaper.com

Prepaid Phones
·       Trac Phones
·       Target
·       Best Buy
·       Walmart
·       Amazon

Thermometers
·       Ebay

Solo Activites During Isolation
Entertaining things to do or purchase for those in isolation. 

STAFFING

Cleaning & Maintenance Services
READY, WILLING & ABLE
(646) 672-2981

Hoffman Cleaning
Cleaning Services
(212) 920-5789
hoffmancleaning@gmail.com

Safety Facility Services
Cleaning & Maintenance Services
(646) 524-2200 / (201) 674-3046
mhubbard@safetyfacilityservices.com

Parish MGT
Cleaning & Maintenance Services / Supplies
(914) 355-4690 / (646) 831-8016
kprunty@parishmgt.com

TEMPORARY STAFFING

Delta T-Group for Caring Professionals
Social Workers & Social Service Workers
(848) 200-1356

Citadel Security Agency
Security Guards
David@citadelsecurityagency.com

GSS Security Services
Security Guards
(212) 764-5400
laura@gss-security.com

Adecco
Admin Staffing
(212) 391-7000

OTHER RESOURCES
3/25/20 March Interagency Case Conference Bronx and Brooklyn Health & Housing Consortium
- Recorded Webinar

3/31/20 - Lawyer’s Alliance Updates 
(212) 219-1800 ext. 224
Judith Moldover (jmoldover@lawyersalliance.org
Protecting Your Nonprofit From COVID-19 

FEDERAL GUIDANCE ON COVID-19

Mar.31.2020

FEDERAL GUIDANCE

4/1/20 Social Security COVID-19 updates NEW

3/25/20 Certification for SNAP, TA, and Medicaid 
3/25/20 Certificación para SNAP, TA, y Medicaid 

3/23/20 The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Federal Disaster Loan Program 

3/24/20 Temporary Social Security Service Changes in New York and New Jersey 

CDC
3/22/20 Interim Guidance for Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness 

3/22/20 Interim Guidance for Homeless Service Providers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) 

3/30/20 Non-Congregate Approaches to Sheltering for Covid-19 Homeless Response 

HUD
3/25/20 Diseases Risk and Homelessness 

3/21/20 COVID-19 HMIS Setup and Data Sharing Practices 

3/13/20 Questions and Answers for Office of Multifamily Housing Stakeholders

3/18/20 Trump Orders HUD to Suspend Evictions, Eviction Foreclosures Through April

3/19/20 Using HOPWA Funds for Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response

NYS GUIDANCE IN NAVIGATING COVID-19

Mar.31.2020

STATE GUIDANCE​

NYS DOH
3/27/20 MRT Supportive Housing Guidance NEW

NYSHCR

3/26/2020 HCR Program Notice

3/27/2020 HCR Update NEW

NYSPI
3/25/20 Managing Suicidal Clients During the COVID-19 Pandemic 

NYS OMH
3/30/20 Guidance on Telemental health NEW UPDATES

• Use of Telephone and Two-way Video Technology by OMH-Licensed, Funded or Designated Providers and Clients Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic 
• Self-Attestation of Compliance to Offer Telemental Health Services 14 NYCRR Section 596 

3/27/20 State Aid Contracting with OMH during the COVID-19 State of Emergency Webinar for Direct Contract Providers NEW

3/31/20 Anxiety Poster NEW

3/25/20 FAQs from Supportive Housing Providers RE: COVID-19 

3/24/20 Memo For Mental Health Residential Program and Family Care Administrators 

3/13/20 OMH Letter from Dr. Sullivan to Providers

3/19/20 Supplemental Guidance Regarding Use of Telehealth for People Served in OMH-Licensed or Funded Residential Programs During the Disaster Emergency

• Telehealth applies to all programs, including unlicensed congregate
• Congregate still required to have a minimum of one staff in addition to security.

3/20/20  Letter from Dr. Sullivan on Essential Business 

3/20/20 Guidance for State Aid Funded Contracts 

3/23/20 - COVID-19 Disaster Emergency FAQ 

• Most contracts allow providers to move up to 10% of the total funding between budget categories. If an organization needs flexibility beyond what the contract provides, requests for budget modifications should be discussed with contract managers. Organizations are encouraged to track expenditures related specifically to COVID19. This information will allow NYS to identify the extent of the need and whether or not such expenditures can be accommodated within the current contract.
• It may be possible to provide advance payments up to 25% of the contract amount. Please contact your contract manager to discuss.
• If a person is thought to have symptoms of COVID-19 or meets other screening criteria, providers should call the NYS DOH hotline at 1-888-364- 3065 or your LHD at https://www.nysacho.org/directory/ for for instruction. DOH will then assist in determining next steps which may include transporting the affected individual to a medical facility, instruction regarding quarantine in place, and contacting the Local Health Department (LHD) for direction on mandatory quarantine or isolation procedures, including help identifying an appropriate location for such quarantine or isolation.
• Providers needing supplies that they cannot obtain elsewhere should contact their LHD or contact their local emergency management office. Regional phone numbers included in the document.

3/16/20 - Managing Anxiety During COVID-19 

NYS OCFS 
3/25/20 Guidance on Regulatory Relief Related to COVID-19 
3/25/20 Child Care Subsidy Program Information for Local Social Services Districts in Response to COVID-19
3/25/20 RHY Temporary Variance Form
March 2020 Guidance for NYS Office of Children and Family Services Programs

NYS OTDA
3/31/20 Interim Guidance for Operators of Facilities Providing Housing to Individuals who are Homeless and Supportive Housing, or Organizations Making Referrals to Such Facilities NEW

3/31/20 Protocols for Essential Personnel to Return to Work Following  COVID-19 Exposure or Infection NEW

3/26/20 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROVIDERS RE: COVID-19 NEW

3/23/20 Letter to Providers from Michael Hein on Essential Employees 

NYS OASAS
3/11/20 Guidance for NYS Behavioral Health Programs 

3/20/20 Guidance on Staff Reduction

NYS EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT

3/20/20 Essential Services - Governor Cuomo has issued an executive order mandating all businesses and not-for-profit entities in the state to reduce their in-person workforce at any location by 100%, with some exceptions for operations deemed essential including:

• Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations including homeless shelters and congregate care facilities
• Food banks
• Human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support
• Construction including skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes

This mandate goes into effect at 8 p.m. Sunday, March 22.
For a full list of exemptions, see Empire State Development’s website.

NYC GUIDANCE ON NAVIGATING COVID-19

Mar.31.2020

NYC GUIDANCE 

3/26/20 ACCESS HRA Coronvirus - Skip The Trip 
HRA Center Locations
To help stop the spread of COVID-19, we have consolidated our HRA Job, SNAP, and Medicaid Center locations, effective 12:00pm yesterday, Tuesday, March 24. As we have reported in our previous communications, we asked the State for – and received – permission to accept Cash Assistance (CA) applications online, which, as you know, began on Friday, March 20. The interview portion of the CA application process is being conducted by telephone.

As a result of these consolidations, we are advising New Yorkers to apply for public benefits online at ACCESS HRA in order to prevent unnecessary visits to an HRA center. For clients who cannot or do not want to apply online, a list of Job, SNAP, and Medicaid center locations that will remain open can be found here: Job, SNAP, Medicaid.

If you were not able to join the call, please find an audio recording here, password: DSSevent032320.
If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please do not hesitate to reach out to Vanessa Fuentes in the Office of Advocacy and Outreach, at fuentesv@dss.nyc.gov.

3/25/20 NYC Nonprofits

3/25/2020 City Agency Suspensions and Reduction 

MOCS Updates
March 18, 2020 Letter to Providers

• Please contact your city agency Program Specialist to discuss contract changes. Please contact Tierra Labrada with any DOHMH or HRA issuess
• The City is moving to register all contracts and amendments.
• The City is working on cash advances and back payments.
• New audits are suspended; for existing audits, timelines are being extended
• All COVID-19 expenses should be categorized as such for future reimbursement

3/20/20  Letter to Providers on Streamlined Practices 

3/24/20 Human Services Business Continuity 
Email: c-19.hhs@mocs.nyc.gov – with any issues

NYC DOHMH
3/23/20 Testing COVID-19 Update for New York City 
3/18/20  Guidance to DOHMH Division of MeContal Hygiene Sub Contracted Providers

• Discussion of Essential and Non Essential service delivery
• Allows for Telemental Health services

SECTION 8
HPD
3/31/20 Covid-19 Updates NEW
3/30/20  Guidance to owners and contractors regarding enforcement of Essential vs. Nonessential construction NEW
             - Continue checking their website for supplemental guidance and faqs

NYCHA: 3/17/20 Guidance to Section 8 Participants on Rent Hardships