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External Resources

Wellness

VA Resources
VA Care Resource Guide

MENTAL HEALTH

VetConnectNYC
Connects Veterans to organizations that provide free therapy and counseling services to Veterans. Additionally, VetConnectNYC is able to introduce Veterans to other non-counseling related services they may need. The website for VetConnectNYC is www.vetconnectnyc.org. VetConnectNYC’s telephone number is 1-833-VETS-NYC.

NAMI NYC
Has a helpline and hosts daily support groups via telephone and video in addition to a new weekly chat group for anyone in need of connection. For more information visit here and/or call NAMI NYC’s helpline at 212-684-3264.

Steven A. Cohen Military Family Center
NYU’s Center is providing online doctor visits as part of its Telemental Health Program. These doctors provide online mental healthcare to Veterans and their families throughout New York. For more information, call 855-698-4677.

Objective Zero Foundation
Is a tech nonprofit that promotes wellness and preventing suicide within the military community. The Objective Zero app connects users to mental health and wellness resources; it also connects them to a nationwide peer support network.

Learn more about Objective Zero.

Stress is Gone
Is providing free online workshops to help Veterans de-stress during the coronavirus pandemic every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 am ET. Brett facilitates each session by sharing free stress management tools and techniques, followed by a Q&A. The workshop also guides the group through exercises to release tension, stress, and anxiety. Each session ends with a 20-minute guided meditation session. More information can be found at https://www.stressisgone.org/.

Headstrong
Provides free and confidential mental healthcare, is treating current and new Veteran clients online during the COVID-19 emergency. Sign up online here.

NYC Well
Headstrong A confidential helpline for mental health and substance abuse services. Trained counselors can provide you with support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 200 languages. To reach NYC Well, call 1-888-NYC-WELL or Click Here to visit the NYC Well website.

Mental Health Support While Staying Home
If you need mental health services during the COVID-19 crisis and identify resources, please visit Thrive NYC’s new guide to mental health services you can access while staying home, by phone or online. This guide includes information about services tailored to the needs of aging New Yorkers, veterans, students and young people, and people harmed by violence, crime or abuse.

inTransition- Psychological Health Center of Excellence
inTransition is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active-duty service members, National Guard members, reservists, veterans and retirees who need access to mental health care when relocating to another assignment, returning from deployment, transitioning from active duty to reserve component or reserve component to active duty, preparing to leave military service, or any other time they need a new mental health provider, or need a provider for the first time.

MEDICAL/HEALTH INSURANCE

Unemployment Benefits and Health Insurance
The Unemployment Benefits and Health Insurance FAQ provides guidance for those recently unemployed due to COVID-19. (PDF, March 19)

New York State Insurance
As of March 16, the enrollment period for Qualified Health Plans through NY State of Health and directly through insurers has been extended to April 15.
Individuals who are eligible for other NY State of Health programs – Medicaid, Essential Plan and Child Health Plus – can enroll year-round.

To apply, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov, or call 855-355-5777.

Free/Low-Cost Health Care
NYC Care provides low-cost or free healthcare for all New Yorkers regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. This is not an insurance plan.

Call the 24-hour NYC Care service at 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-3373) to enroll and make an appointment.

Primary care, specialty, and emergency services (including hospital stays) are all available for NYC Care members. For help in other languages, visit https://www.nyccare.nyc/.

FOOD

Free Meals
The New York City Department of Education is committed to making three free meals available daily for any New Yorker. Any New Yorker who wants one can get three free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city. Meals can be picked up at all Meal Hubs 7:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday through Friday.Meals Hubs will operate for children and families from 7:30 am to 11:30 am, and for adults from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Click here for more information.

Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center
Created a comprehensive Coronavirus NYC Food Resource Guides for each NYC neighborhood.

Neighborhoods are divided by the 59 community districts defined by the New York City Department of Health. The neighborhood lines and zip codes used for these reports are based on the districts used in the 2018 Community Health Profiles, which contain over fifty measures and statistics of neighborhood health. For the comprehensive list Click Here.

Emergency food
If you need emergency food assistance, call the Emergency Food Hotline at 866- 888-8777 or 311 to find a local pantry or kitchen. There is no income limit for emergency food. Learn more about Emergency food.

Mobile Markets
Designated an essential service, CityHarvest offers bimonthly mobile free food distributions at locations in each borough. Find a location near you.

Hunger Free America
A nonpartisan, national nonprofit group working to enact the policies and programs needed to end domestic hunger and ensure that all Americans have sufficient access to nutritious food. Click here for more information.

FreshDirect
FreshDirect has also partnered with Catholic Charities to provide grab and go meals. Click here for the Catholic Charities Pantry list. We recommend you call any of these locations before going due to limited resources.

NYC Food Delivery Assistance
The City of New York is providing assistance to New Yorkers during the COVID- 19 crisis by delivering meals to those who cannot access food themselves. Learn more at NYC.gov/getfood.

Free meals for K-12 students
All NYC children can get three free meals a day from the NYC Department of Education (DOE). Through Friday, March 20, meals are available at the entrance to every school from 7:30am–1:30pm. Beginning March 23, meals will be distributed at more than 400 sites across the city. Find a location near you.

How to pick up a meal:

  • No registration, ID, or documentation is required
  • You can pick up all three meals a day at the same time
  • No dining space is available, so you must eat meals away from schools

Senior residents and food
For seniors ages 60 years and older who have disabilities or access or functional needs, NYC Department for the Aging (DFTA) provides home-delivered meals . Call 311 and learn more from DFTA.

SNAP (food stamps) benefits online
You can now use your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to shop online for fresh produce and groceries and have them delivered. Use your EBT card at these online stores in NYC:

Note: You can’t use SNAP benefits to pay delivery fees. Be sure to confirm that an online store delivers to your home address. Learn more from HRA.

Apply for SNAP (Food Stamps) at ACCESS HRA.

Food Pantries
Find a food pantry with FoodHelp NYC.

InvisibleHands
Safe, free deliveries for the most at-risk community members facing COVID-19. Click here for more information.

HOLSTIC ALTERNATIVES

Veterans Yoga Project
Supporting recovery and resilience among our veterans, families, and communities. Is streaming online classes 7 days a week. Click here for the currentschedule.

Pillars NYC
Is currently offering virtual classes in Meditation, Reiki, Yoga, Strength Training, and Cooking. Every week they will upload new classes. Click here for the current list.

Transcendental Meditation (Operation Warrior Wellness)
Operation Warrior Wellness (OWW), a division of the David Lynch Foundation, offers the Transcendental Meditation-based Resilient Warrior Program, a simple, easy-to-learn, evidence-based approach to relieving symptoms of PTS and major depression and developing greater resilience to stress. TM scholarships are currently available to veterans and active duty military at VA hospitals in the New York City and Los Angeles areas.

Legal & Finance

LEGAL
Protections Against Discrimination for Members of the Military Armed Forces

As of November 18, 2017, the NYC Human Rights Law will provide new protections for current and former members of the military armed forces against discrimination in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation.

See attached file titled, “Veterans – Know the Law”, for additional information.

Legal Services for Tenants
The Universal Access to Legal Services law made New York City the first city in the country to ensure that anyone facing eviction in court will have access to legal help. Over the next several years, OCJ is implementing Universal Access in phases, providing tenants across New York City who are facing eviction in Housing Court and NYCHA tenancy termination proceedings with access to free legal services.

Go to https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/legal-services-for-tenants.page for more information.

Employee Rights
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

See attached file, “Employee Rights – FFCRA Act”, for additional information.

Financial

Financial Relief Societies for Active Duty Members

Depending on the situation, the relief societies — Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society— can offer help in the form of grants or zero-interest loans.

Go to https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/2020/03/16/heres-financial-help-for-military-families-caught-in-a-coronavirus-quandary/ for more information.

Financial Empowerment Centers, Ready to Rent, and EmpoweredNYC Resources

Financial Empowerment Centers – NYC Financial Empowerment Centers can help you reduce your debt, strengthen your credit score, make saving a part of your routine, balance a budget, open a bank account separate personal and business finances and much more!

Ready to Rent – If you are searching for an affordable apartment through the NYC housing lottery, preparing early is important. Ready to Rent can help you check your credit, calculate your income for housing applications, and save for moving expenses.

EmpoweredNYC – If you or someone in your family have a disability, Empowered NYC can help you to better manage your finances and become more financially stable.

Go to https://a866-dcwpwb.nyc.gov/talkmoney/book-appointment for additional information.

Housing

NY HOUSING UPDATES:EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE MORITORIUM, COVID-19 DISCRIMINATION, NYCHA & SECTION 8 RENT HARDSHIPS

The Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) is operational and ready to serve you. Our offices at 55 Water Street are closed but we are working remotely. Call us with your housing questions and for legal representation at (212) 815-1111.

During the public health emergency caused by COVID-19:

  • There will be no evictions or foreclosures through May 1, 2021.
  • Your landlord cannot start a lawsuit against you for non-payment of

However, the landlord may send you a rent demand notice asking you to pay your rent and threatening a lawsuit if you fail to make payment.

  • Your landlord cannot start a “holdover” lawsuit against you for grounds other than non-payment. However, the landlord may send you a termination notice or a notice to quit threatening to commence a court case if you don’t move out by a date
  • Your landlord cannot evict you or ask you to leave your apartment because you have COVID-19. If your landlord discriminates against you for this reason, you can file a complaint with the NYC Commission on Human Rights by calling 311 or filing online: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cchr/about/report-discrimination.page
  • If you have already been sued in Housing Court and have a pending case, the court will adjourn the case and will notify you of the future date that you must appear in
  • The Housing Courts are only hearing emergency applications where tenants have been locked out or evicted from their apartments and where serious conditions have gone
  • Tenants living in NYCHA:
    • Conferences and hearings at 803 Atlantic Avenue will be
    • If you are a NYCHA tenant and have lost income in your household, request a rent reduction by calling (718) 707-7771 or thru the online self-service portal. The NYCHA website is busy so you may have to wait to be
    • https://selfserve.nycha.info/nycha/app/eservice/enu?SWECmd=Start
    • NYCHA will only do emergency repairs at this time.
    • NYCHA Property Management Offices remain open with reduced staff; direct-contact meetings and Wednesday evening hours are Staff will assist residents via telephone, email, and from behind the reception desk only.
  • Tenants with cases at HPD:
    • Conferences and hearings at 100 Gold Street will be
    • HPD will continue to pay Section 8 subsidies until there is a final determination made regarding the termination of assistance Section 8 tenants who are experiencing a rent hardship due to a decrease in income may apply for a rent reduction:
    • NYCHA Section 8 tenants may access the self-service portal or call the NYCHA Customer Service Center at 718-707-7771.

The Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) is operational and ready to serve you. Our offices at 55 Water Street are closed but we are working remotely. Call us with your housing questions and for legal representation at (212) 815-1111.

Important Reminder:

If you are a DC 37 member, you should be receiving DC 37 Action Alerts & News at your non-work email address, definitely NOT your work email address as this can be a violation of workplace rules. If you signed up using a work email address, please change it to a non-work email address by clicking on the link below at the end of this email.

Housing Phipps
The health and well-being of our entire community is always at the forefront of our thinking during the COVID-19 crisis. Our team is working daily to ensure our communities’ needs are met to the maximal extent during this crisis. Here are available resources for NYC Residents. This page will be updated regularly to include information about Phipps Neighborhoods Services as well as assistance for food, unemployment, shelter, healthcare, and more! http://www.phippsny.org/covid-19/

Additional Resources

Covid-19 Vital News & Information

NEW NYC COVID-19 Engagement Portal
Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms? Come in contact with someone who has? Register on our new Engagement Portal. Your info won’t be shared with anyone.

Alternate Side Parking
Please check the following link for information regarding street cleaning and alternate side parking regulations. https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01011

NYCVeterans
DVS has launched a special COVID-19 section of our website featuring VA updates, messages from the Commissioner, and an FAQ page developed with the support of the New York State Division of Veterans' Services.

The most vital part of the online COVID-19 section is the Resource page (URL: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/veterans/covid-19/resources.page https://www.nyc.gov/site/veterans/initiatives/initiatives.page).

DVS is also distributing a weekly newsletter with more valuable information. We encourage you to subscribe and forward the sign-up link to your community (URL: https://nyc.us16.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=f7b9346505d410be91f983085&id=1c42dfcee9).

VetConnectNYC Coordination Center (CC)
The VetConnectNYC team is working remotely and is still available Monday - Friday 9:00 am – 5:00pm (normal business hours) and can be reached as usual at 1- 833-838-7692 (1-833-VETS-NYC) or via the VetConnectNYC Website; https://vetconnectnyc.org

We continue to utilize the Unite Us platform to conduct intakes and make curated referrals to providers like yours in the community as well as follow-up with our providers both over the phone and through email on all new and previous referrals and cases as we have always done within the same timeframes.

IVMF
The IVMF team is working remotely and is available Monday - Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm EST. You can reach Vincent DelSignore, Program Manager, at vrdelsig@syr.edu.

Unite Us
The Unite Us team is working remotely and is still available Monday - Friday 9:00 am — 10:00 pm EST at support@uniteus.com or through live chat to assist.

DVS
The New York City Department of Veterans’ Services staff is working remotely and is still available Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST at connect@veterans.nyc.gov or 212-416-5250.

Free audio books for Veterans with disabilities
Through its national network of cooperating libraries, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled circulates books and magazines in braille or audio formats, delivered by postage-free mail or instantly downloadable.

And if you’re a musician, or want to learn to play an instrument, NLS has the world’s largest collection of braille music scores and braille and audio music instruction and appreciation materials.

Link: https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/72536/free-audio-books-veterans-disabilities/