WILLIAMS & ARCHILA RELEASE “SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES” POLICY AGENDA TO COUNTER HOCHUL’S HARMFUL PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM

 

WILLIAMS & ARCHILA RELEASE “SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES” POLICY AGENDA TO COUNTER HOCHUL’S HARMFUL PUBLIC SAFETY PLATFORM

 Today, the Jumaane for Governor and Ana María for Lieutenant Governor campaigns released their comprehensive plan to address public safety and crime in New York State. The 10-point plan comes after holding multiple community engagement events and public discussions surrounding its framework– as opposed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s resistance to discussing her dangerous plan publicly. Read the full plan here.

NYC Public Advocate and candidate for Governor Jumaane Williams said, "Governor Hochul's attempt to roll back the critical bail reforms won in 2019 demonstrates her willingness to cave into fearmongering and fallacies while ignoring the facts.  She has said in her own words that bail reform worked, and has had nothing to do with a rise in violent crime. True public safety requires addressing the issue from a holistic approach, which is why I've laid out a ten-point plan that will help address the rise in crime both in the immediate and long term. I urge the administration to end its divisiveness and adopt these comprehensive recommendations that will address public safety both in the immediate and long term for our state."

As detailed in the “Safe and Thriving Communities” platform, a Williams-Archila Administration will take a stabilizing approach to public safety in response to the pandemic and all it disrupted. New York must begin caring for its people and better addressing moments of crisis through deescalation, while fundamentally overhauling our systems like housing, healthcare and general wellbeing to holistically address what makes a community safe. 

The ten point plan framework was announced publicly last week. Since then, Williams and Archila have embarked in community engagement events to publicly discuss their framework which has garnered support from public safety and criminal justice advocates across the city and state.

“To keep our communities safe, we need to make sure they have the resources needed to truly thrive,” said Ana María Archila, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. “Instead of giving into fear-mongering and lies about criminal justice reforms, we should invest in proven solutions to tackle gun violence and our state’s mental health crisis, and invest in the housing, jobs, and infrastructure that our neighborhoods need.”

Specifically, the 15-page, 10-point plan focuses on the following top ten policy priorities, including: 

1 - Invest one billion dollars statewide in underfunded gun violence prevention, youth programming, and victims’ services programs 

2 - Build a statewide mental health infrastructure so all New Yorkers can access mental health services and supports in their communities

3 - Develop a state program of trauma response for communities and neighborhoods ripped apart by violence 

4 - Invest greater resources for community-based strategies to prevent and address interpersonal violence such as hate crimes, domestic violence, and sexual violence 

5 - Implement a housing, jobs, and infrastructure investment plan in the neighborhoods across New York State with the highest amounts of gun violence and overdose deaths

6 - Stop the flow of guns into communities by focusing on the supply chain of weapons

7 - Defend hard fought civil rights reforms and dismantle the racial injustices plaguing our criminal justice system 

8 - End the failed war on drugs upstate and downstate, and invest in compassionate care and support for people and communities

9 - Ensure accountable, transparent, and focused policing, so they are responding to acute situations that specifically require law enforcement, not matters like routine traffic stops, mental health response, or addressing poverty

10 - Disrupt cycles of incarceration and instability by providing currently and formerly incarcerated New Yorkers with support and resources

The full plan can be viewed here and downloaded here. 

Attorney General James Warns Debt Collectors of New State Regulations Banning Lawsuits on Old Debts

 

New State Consumer Debt Protection Laws Go into Effect in April, Reduce Statute of Limitations on Debt Collectors From Six Years to Three Years

AG James Urges Consumers Who Believe They Are Victims of Improper Debt Collection Practices to File a Complaint With OAG

 New York Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to the largest credit card companies and major debt collectors operating in New York, warning them of new state regulations that prevent them from suing consumers for old debts. The Consumer Credit Fairness Act of 2021 — which was signed into law last November — will go into effect next month and reduces the statute of limitations for consumer debt collection from six years to three years. The new state regulations come on the heels of similar nationwide regulations from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that came into effect late last year. Attorney General James’ letter makes it clear that her office stands ready to enforce these regulations to protect vulnerable New Yorkers.

“For too long, debt collectors used unfair and abusive tactics to improperly collect debts,” said Attorney General James. “Abusive debt collection practices of the past hurt low- and moderate-income New Yorkers the most and buried them deeper into financial struggles. These new regulations will give us stronger tools to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers from predatory debt collectors. My office has reached out to all the major debt collectors in the state and the largest credit card companies to ensure that they comply with the new laws starting on day one without excuses. I urge any New Yorker who feels that they have been a victim of improper debt collection to contact my office. Consumers have rights and my office is committed to protecting them.”

The Consumer Credit Fairness Act of 2021 strengthens consumer protections by requiring debt collectors to be more transparent and honest when communicating with consumers. In her letter to the industry, Attorney General James warned debt collectors of their duties under federal and state law:

• Limit Communications With Consumers. Debt collectors have for years had a duty under state and federal law to avoid harassing communications; the new regulations now add bright line rules to that general obligation:
• Debt collectors may not call consumers more than seven times in any seven-day period;
• After making contact with a consumer by phone, debt collectors must wait seven days before calling again;
• Debt collectors cannot call you between 9pm and 8am, local time;
• Debt collectors cannot contact consumers by any or all means of communication (email, text, phone, and so on), or at a consumer’s workplace, if a consumer asks them not to;
• Debt collectors generally cannot contact consumers via work email address, public social media postings, or through third parties (though they may under some circumstances contact third parties to obtain information about a consumer’s location).
  
  
• Tell Consumers the Facts — Debt collectors must provide consumers with key information about their debt within five days of their first communication. These “validation notices” must include:
• The name of company or person the consumer originally owed the debt to;
• The date and amount of the original debt; and
• An itemization of fees, interest, payments, and credits that have been added to or deducted from the original debt.
  
  
• Take Debt Disputes Seriously — Consumers have a right to dispute a debt, and debt collectors must provide information on how to dispute the debt in the validation notice. Once a consumer disputes a debt, the collector must stop all attempts to collect from that consumer until the collector provides information supporting their claim to the debt.
  
  
• Give Consumers Full Information About Any Debt Lawsuit a Debt Collector Files. Debt collectors who file a lawsuit against a consumer must include in the very first filing made in that lawsuit detailed information about the debt, including the name of the original person or company the consumer owed the debt to, the last four digits of the consumer’s account number, the date of the last payment, and itemization of the amount sought. They must also attach the original contract creating the debt (in most cases).
  
  
• Avoid Suing or Threatening to Sue Consumers for Time-Barred Debts. Under longstanding New York regulation, debt collectors are required to have reasonable procedures in place to determine whether debts they hold are time-barred, and to notify consumers, before accepting a payment from them, if the debt they are collecting is time-barred. CFPB regulations clarify that suing or threatening to sue a consumer for a time-barred debt — even an implied threat to sue — is an automatic violation of federal law.
  
  
• Be Aware of New, Shorter Statute of Limitations Applicable to Consumer Debts. From April 7, 2022, creditors cannot sue or make a threat to sue consumers (implicitly or explicitly) on debts that are older than three years, down from six years in most cases. Moreover, any payment a consumer makes after that three-year period cannot be used to revive the time-barred debt.
  
• Consumers are cautioned that until April 7, 2022, if they make a payment on a debt that is too old for a lawsuit, the payment may renew the creditor’s ability to sue them for the full amount of the old debt.

In December, Attorney General James issued a consumer alert to notify consumers of the new federal consumer debt regulations and to inform them of their rights. The federal regulations limit how and when debt collectors are allowed to contact consumers. These rules also require debt collectors to give consumers detailed information about the origin and history of the debt they seek to collect.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has brought dozens of enforcement actions and obtained numerous settlements against debt collectors that engaged in improper debt collection tactics. In 2019, Attorney General James partnered with the Federal Trade Commission to obtain court orders halting a scheme to distribute and collect on millions of dollars in “phantom debts” — fake debts that consumers did not owe. Earlier, OAG reached agreements with four of the nation’s major debt buyers, which regularly pursued untimely lawsuits against New York consumers, often obtaining default judgments when the consumers failed to respond to the lawsuits. As a result of OAG’s actions, many companies and individuals have been permanently banned from engaging in debt collection in New York.

Attorney General James urges New Yorkers to know their rights and to report debt collectors to her office if they fail to follow the law or if they engage in conduct that is deceptive, harassing, or abusive. Consumers who are having these experiences with debt collectors are urged to file complaints with OAG online or to call OAG’s consumer helpline at 1-800-771-7755.

DEC PREPARES TO KICK OFF UNOFFICIAL START OF SPRING WITH TROUT FISHING OPPORTUNITIES

 

With Year-Round Trout Seasons, April 1 Marks End of Catch-and-Release-Only and Start of Harvest Season

More Than 1.8 Million Trout Being Stocked Statewide

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the upcoming start of the spring trout fishing season, which provides excellent angling opportunities statewide thanks to the State’s extensive stocking program and considerable number of wild trout fisheries. DEC’s spring trout stocking begins in March and runs through early June, and includes more than 1.8 million trout stocked in waters statewide. 

"Fishing in New York State is a highly anticipated, world-class experience that brings seasoned and amateur anglers to our waters in every corner of the State every spring," Commissioner Seggos said. “DEC’s extensive fish stocking efforts throughout the State is certain to complement our existing healthy fisheries and make the upcoming harvest season a success.”

Trout Fishing 

For decades, April 1 was the traditional “opening day” of trout fishing season. This year, the date marks the opening of the harvest season for trout because year-round fishing was made available on most streams with the implementation of an Oct. 16 – March 31 artificial lures-only catch-and-release season.  

Trout Stocking 

DEC stocking trucks have already begun hitting the roadways and trout stocking is in full swing with 1,872,105 catchable brown, rainbow, and brook trout stocked in ponds and streams across the State this spring. Stocked-Extended streams (listed in the Trout Streams section of the regulations guide) will receive fish every other week for two months to enhance season-long opportunities for angler success. Most streams will also receive a seeding of larger stocked trout. Spring trout stocking lists, including the week of stocking for trout streams, can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30465.html. Additionally, DEC recognizes some fisheries rely on stocked fish to reach a certain size before they can be harvested. Visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30467.html to find locations where these put-grow-and-take stockings of brook trout, lake trout and Atlantic salmon take place. 

New Fishing Regulations

DEC recently announced the adoption of new freshwater fishing regulations that will take effect on April 1. Following a public comment period on draft proposals earlier this year, the new regulations reflect the input and support of the angling community in DEC’s efforts to make fishing New York’s waters less complicated. Of particular interest to trout anglers is a new statewide regulation for rainbow trout, brown trout, and splake. The regulation creates consistency with inland trout regulations and expands opportunities for year-round fishing. A complete compilation of changes and an assessment of public comment associated with the rulemaking can be found at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/124258.html. 

New Trout Stream Signage

As part of DEC’s efforts to make fishing more enjoyable, DEC has posted “Management Category” signs on most of the State’s 1,500 miles of public fishing rights. Management categories make a sharp distinction between wild trout management (wild, wild quality, wild premier) and stocked trout management (stocked, stocked extended) and more details can be found here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/tsmpreachcat.pdf  These signs convey not only the management category for a particular stream reach, but also the regulations associated with the reach. Anglers are advised to look for the white and green signs with a trout when fishing trout streams with public fishing rights.  

Trout Stream Fishing Opportunities 

Last year DEC launched an interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map to provide anglers with one-stop-shopping for information about stocking, fishing access, season dates, and regulations on DECinfo Locator. Anglers will be able to view trout stream reaches color-coded by management category and fishing access associated with those reaches. These layers will allow trout stream anglers to plan their trips and find their preferred trout stream fishing experiences. Links to the Trout Stream Fishing Map and a User Guide are available here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/122444.html. Anglers are encouraged to check out this valuable resource when planning their next fishing trip.

2022 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide

The new guide with recently adopted regulations changes is posted on the DEC website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html. Hard copies of the guide are currently being produced and guides are anticipated to be available at License Issuing Agents by the second week of April. Hard copies can also be requested by emailing FWFish@dec.ny.gov. In 2021, DEC removed advertisements and articles from the annual fishing regulations guide to make it easier to use. This approach and larger print size continues this year, along with more improvements to facilitate finding regulations. Measuring 5 ½ x 8 ½ inches, the new guide allows anglers to keep a copy in their glovebox or tacklebox.

Brooklyn Company Admits Price Gouging KN95 Masks During COVID-19 Pandemic

 

 A New York company admitted its role in price gouging a chain of New Jersey grocery stores in connection with the sale of KN95 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Milk & Honey Ventures LLC (MHV), a company based in Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen on March 28, 2022, to an information charging it with price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In March 2020, MHV and two partners purchased 250,000 KN95 filtering facepiece respirators from a foreign manufacturer. MHV and one of those partners then sold 100,000 of those masks to a chain of New Jersey grocery stores at prices in excess of prevailing market prices. MHV sold the masks at a price of $5.25 per mask, which amounted to a markup of more than 400 percent from its acquisition cost. Prior to the spread of COVID-19, MHV had no history of selling personal protective equipment.

A violation of the Defense Production Act carries a maximum fine of $200,000, or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense, or twice the gross pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for MHV is scheduled for Aug. 9, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Peter Fitzhugh in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

Governor Hochul Announces $21 Million in Funding for Nation’s First Assertive Community Treatment Teams Dedicated to Children and Their Families

 

New York is First State in Nation to use Innovative Program to Assist At-Risk Youth Who Have Not Responded Well to Traditional Treatment 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $21 million in funding awards for 15 Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams. New York is the first state in the nation to enact Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams, which serve children ages 10 to 21 and their families, providing services and support in the home and community settings. The teams allow young people who are at risk of entering residential or inpatient psychiatric treatment to receive services while remaining with their families and in their communities. 

"When at-risk young people are suffering from hardships, it is imperative that families stay together," Governor Hochul said. "In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, New York is leading the way in developing new and innovative ways to provide behavioral healthcare to vulnerable individuals. With the help of this new program, children across the state will have the opportunity to remain with their families and receive the services they need."

OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "We are very proud at OMH to be the first state mental health agency in the nation to modify the successful adult ACT team model and use it to serve young people and their families. The pioneering teams we are funding and developing will provide services to at-risk young people when and where they need it most, and help them stay in school and develop the skills they can use to lead successful and independent lives." 

Representative Yvette Clarke said, "When our young people are suffering with mental health issues and facing additional barriers that prevent them from getting the support and treatment they need, the onus is on us, their elected officials, to ensure they find the right solutions to help them overcome these difficulties. Similar to my work as a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee when I helped introduce The Latonya Reeves Freedom Act, a crucial piece of legislation to prohibit discriminatory practices against individuals with disabilities who need Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS), so too must we join hands to codify existing laws and strengthen the rights of young New Yorkers with disabilities, including mental health disorders, in a setting that supports the delivery of adequate treatment services and promotes healing. Thanks to the NYS Office of Mental Health and Governor Hochul's commitment to help our young people and their families overcome the difficulties accessing the right mental health treatment, that obligation is being fulfilled. Today's funding announcement, which I wholeheartedly support, will provide our state's revolutionary Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams with the resources they need to keep our kids healthy in their own homes, and in their community."

Representative Adriano Espaillat said, "I commend Governor Hochul on today's announcement to allocation $21 million for community treatment teams to further our efforts to address the mental health of children and their families. Community treatment teams are a vital component of our efforts to expanded access and services to mental health resources, and the development of these Youth Assertive Community Treatment providers will help increase the overall access to intensive and individualized services to provide critical support to children and their families daily as needed."

By using a team approach, Youth ACT teams can deliver intensive, highly coordinated, individualized services and skilled therapeutic interventions to ensure the child and their family have the level of treatment and services to support their recovery. They are highly responsive and flexible to meet the individualized, changing needs of the child and family, and they offer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

The development of Youth ACT represents a commitment by the NYS Office of Mental Health to increase access to services in the home and community for children and youth with mental health issues and their families. As the teams begin to treat clients, OMH will evaluate their effectiveness, and has formed a steering committee of researchers, clinicians, and family and youth partners to guide the evaluation and refine the model. 

Youth ACT teams by region include: 

Capital Region: 

Parson's Child and Family Centers, serving Albany & Schenectady Counties, 36 slot team 

Central New York: 

Onondaga Case Management, serving Onondaga County, 48 slot team 

Hillside, serving Chenango and Cortland counties, 36 slot team

Finger Lakes: 

Hillside, serving Monroe County, 48 slot team 

Long Island: 

Central Nassau, serving Nassau County, 48 slot team 

Hope for Youth, serving Suffolk County, 36 slot team 

Mid-Hudson: 

MHA Westchester, serving Westchester County, 48 slot team 

New York City: 

Child Center of NY, serving Manhattan, 48 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Staten Island, 36 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Queens, 36 slot team 

Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services, serving Bronx, 36 slot team 

JCCA, serving Brooklyn, 48 slot team 

Southern Tier: 

Children's Home of Wyoming, serving Broome County, 48 slot team 

Western New York: 

Child and Family Services, serving Erie & Niagara Counties, 48 slot team 

Mohawk Valley:

Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN), serving Oneida County, 48 slot team

OMH will soon be issuing a Request for Proposal to develop another five teams that will serve children and families in the following counties: 

Capital Region: 

One team serving Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties 

Mid-Hudson:  

One team serving Orange County 

Mohawk Valley:

One team serving Fulton and Montgomery Counties

Finger Lakes: 

One team Serving Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Yates Counties 

Southern Tier:

One team Serving Steuben and Chemung Counties  

EDITOR'S NOTE:

What Happened to the 875 Million Dollars for Thrive NYC for this?

Thessalonica Court Achieves Sustainability Milestone At 350 Saint Anns Avenue In Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Thessalonica Court in Mott Haven, The Bronx has become the nation’s first affordable housing property to achieve both Enterprise Green Communities and the WELL Building Standard certifications. Working in collaboration, Enterprise and The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) debuted the joint certification program for affordable buildings in 2019 to encourage developers to build healthier buildings for the country’s most vulnerable populations.

Located at 350 Saint Anns Avenue, Thessalonica Court is a Project Based Section 8 building with 191 units of affordable housing. Jonathan Rose Companies acquired the property from Omni New York in 2020 for approximately $64 million. Since then, the owner-developer committed to an extensive rehabilitation project to improve resident quality of life, bolster energy performance, and infrastructure upgrades to mitigate the impact of severe rainfall.

“By prioritizing resident well-being and building a collective commitment to environmental sustainability, Enterprise Green Communities fundamentally changed how developers create affordable homes,” said Rose Companies president Jonathan F.P. Rose.

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES NEW CAREER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE

 

 

V-CRED Will Serve 90 Youth in Foster Care, Providing Professional Certifications, Paid Internships and Apprenticeships, and Trauma-Informed Wrap-Around Support Services

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced a new vocational training and apprenticeship program that will provide professional opportunities to youth, ages 16 to 24, in foster care. The New York City Administration for Children’s Services’ (ACS) new V-CRED program will support youth in their education, career, and personal development, and is being created in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The City University of New York (CUNY), and private sector employers. As part of the program, youth will participate in training for professional certification through courses offered by Kingsborough Community College, participate in paid internships/apprenticeships, and have opportunities for employment with the employer hosting the internship. V-CRED will focus on five career pathways: 1) Information Technology, 2) Electrician’s Helper, 3) Allied Health (e.g. Certified Nursing Assistants, EKG Technician), 4) Pharmacy Technicians, and 5) Building Trades.

 

“If we don’t educate, we incarcerate, which is why one of my most important jobs is advocating for our youth who have been in foster care or had contact with the juvenile justice system,” said Mayor Adams. “This new V-CRED vocational training and apprenticeship program is going to help our young people prepare for good jobs and a bright future. But it’s about more than learning. It’s about guidance and mentorship because when it comes to helping young people plan their future: We are not going to just let them wing it, we are going to take them under our wing.”

“When young people are given the tools and support they need to succeed, they succeed,” said Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “V-CRED is the perfect example of a collaborative effort that does just this, by providing youth with vocational training, certifications, internships, and apprenticeships that will prepare them for successful careers.”

“ACS is committed to providing young people with the education and career opportunities they deserve, and this new V-CRED vocational training program is one important way we’re working to do that,” said ACS Commissioner Jess Dannhauser. “We know that when we invest in opportunities for our young people, they work hard and seize them. By providing youth in foster care with access to professional certifications, paid internships, and employment opportunities — and keeping these opportunities in place beyond foster care into young adulthood — we are working to ensure they have the right support to pursue their dreams and be successful adults. ACS thanks the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, CUNY and the private sector employers who are involved in this program for their partnership and commitment to helping youth in foster care succeed.”

 

“VCRED offers all the components that youth need: Paid work experience, postsecondary access, and wraparound supports,” said David Fischer, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Youth Employment. “We are very pleased to support ACS on this highly promising program, and grateful for the generosity of the Kellogg Foundation in making it a reality.”

 

“The pandemic has wreaked havoc for many children and families, but especially for young people in the foster care system,” said Nara Topp, program officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “We’re pleased to support ACS’s response to this crisis by collaborating with businesses, government, and higher education to provide vocational training and supportive wraparound services to young people in and aging out of foster care as a career pathway towards a more equitable future.”

 

“This great new partnership combines CUNY’s emphasis on health and medical technology with career pathways, and upskilling New Yorkers, all of which have taken on new importance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Our students from V-CRED will parlay the skills and training they obtain at Kingsborough Community College into careers that contribute to the revitalization and rebuilding of their communities, providing further affirmation that the road to New York City’s recovery goes through The City University of New York. We thank Mayor Adams, Commissioner Dannhauser, and the Kellogg Foundation for partnering with the university to create this remarkable initiative.”

 

“Increasing the accessibility of these training programs is pivotal in this time where there is a growing demand for talent. It is important for us to work towards closing the opportunity gap in New York City, which we know requires us to truly prepare students for careers that can help them to become more self-sufficient,” said Dr. Simone Rodriguez, vice president of workforce development and continuing education and strategic partnerships, Kingsborough Community College, CUNY. “We are delighted to partner with ACS to deliver specialized training to meet that demand.” 

 

“We are excited to partner with ACS in providing a career path for men and women with great attitudes, and reliable and adaptable traits in a time where the construction industry is in need of craft professionals,” said Kelly DiLello, training director, USIS Training Academy, Inc.

 

V-CRED is one of multiple strategies that ACS is currently implementing to improve educational and employment outcomes for youth in foster care. Research has shown that the most effective programs for older youth in foster care are comprehensive services models that include education, employment, housing, and supportive services. Youth in V-CRED will also benefit from services through the Fair Futures initiative, which provides dedicated coaches, tutors, and education, employment, and housing specialists for youth, ages 11 to 21, in foster care. Youth will also be able to enroll in a career readiness training through Hats and Ladders, an occupation education program designed to motivate and prepare young people for jobs.

 

V-CRED will begin as a two-year pilot program, serving 90 young people in foster care, 45 youth per year. The program has three core components, which include training for professional certification, paid internships, and job placement. The program is aligned with a career pathways model and provides developmentally appropriate career readiness planning designed to provide each person with a career and education plan, a resume, cover letter, and a professional network that they work to develop.

 

Paid internships are being provided by private sector employers and community-based agencies that will also offer tangible job opportunities at worksites where youth gain work experience and on-the-job training. The program also includes wrap-around services and participation in the Young Adult Work Opportunities for Rewarding Careers (YA WORC) program — a program offered in collaboration with Columbia University that includes a facilitated support group where youth can share their experiences during training with other youth, ask career questions, and get feedback from training professionals.

 

Partnerships for training in the industry-focused areas have been developed with Common Point Queens (Pre-HSE/HSE classes) and Kingsborough Community College (Pharmacy Tech and EMT classes) and Metro Placements to ensure youth have access to the specific industry training they desire.

 

The private sector employers (USIS, Health Max, Walgreens, CVS, etc.) will offer paid internships and apprenticeships to youth that can potentially lead to immediate employment.

 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - MARCH 28, 2022

 

Lowest Number of Hospitalizations Since August 1st

8 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"The best way to protect ourselves and others from this virus is by using the tools we know work," Governor Hochul said. "If you feel sick, get tested and limit your exposure to others. If you test positive, talk to a doctor right away about treatments. The booster dose improves your protection against severe illness and hospitalization, so don't delay in getting one once you are eligible. Let's continue to safely move forward through this pandemic."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Test Results Reported - 70,156
• Total Positive - 2,010
• Percent Positive - 2.87%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.36%
• Patient Hospitalization - 821 (-2)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 103
• Patients in ICU - 127 (-8)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 56 (-1)
• Total Discharges - 290,377 (+95)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 8
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 55,104   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 70,159

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.      

Total vaccine doses administered - 37,409,995

Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 8,246

Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 87,959

• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 83.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 86.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 82.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 72.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 81.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 73.7%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 89.5% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 76.1%

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:  

BOROUGH	Friday, March 25, 2022	Saturday, March 26, 2022	Sunday, March 27, 2022
Bronx	0.79%	0.88%	0.91%
Brooklyn	1.54%	1.66%	1.70%
Manhattan	2.34%	2.42%	2.46%
Queens	1.36%	1.43%	1.48%
Staten Island	1.56%	1.66%	1.71%