Wave Hill Weekly Events: August 24–31

 

Summer may be slowing down, but our gardens are still flourishing thanks to all the hard work of our extraordinary gardeners and interns. It’s a perfect time to escape to Wave Hill. Stroll through our Herb & Dry Gardens while the scents are at their peak or relax on one of the shaded benches that line out Aquatic Garden’s reflective pool and savor the tranquility. Drop in on a tour from one of our Garden Guides—each Garden Highlights Walk is unique.  

Public Garden Highlights Walk 
Thu, August 24, 2023, 12–12:45PM 
Free with admission to the grounds 
Registration is not required 

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Severe weather cancels.  

Family Art Project: Re-Story the Land 
Sat, August 26, 2023, 10AM–1PM 
Sun, August 27, 2023, 10AM–1PM 
Free with admission to the grounds 
How do you relate to the land? Create a story mobile of your favorite spots at Wave Hill using natural materials and paper cut outs. The program takes place indoors in the Kerlin Learning Center located on the lower level of Wave Hill House.  

Public Garden Highlights Walk 
Sun, August 27, 2023, 2–2:45PM 
Free with admission to the grounds 
Registration is not required 

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Severe weather cancels.    

Public Garden Highlights Walk 
Thu, August 31, 2023, 12–12:45PM 
Free with admission to the grounds 
Registration is not required 

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Severe weather cancels.  

Public Gallery Tour  

Thu, Aug 31, 2023, 2–3PM 

Free, and admission to the grounds is free on Thursdays 

Registration is not required 

Exhibitions at Glyndor Gallery explore the dynamic relationship between nature, culture and site. When exhibitions are open, Gallery Greeters lead public gallery tours on Thursdays and Saturdays. Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in a unique environment. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

HOURS: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday 
Shuttle Service runs Thursday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.  

Wave Hill
675 W 252 Street
Bronx, NY 10471

Governor Hochul Announces 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Education and Awareness Toolkit Available

 

988 Lifeline Access Secured Throughout New York State Last Year

Toolkit Useful for Educators, Home and Health Care Providers, and Families Discussing Mental Health and Suicide Risk

 Governor Kathy Hochul announced the successful rollout of New York State’s 988 Community Education and Awareness Toolkit, an interactive resource tool designed to support individuals facing suicide-risk. 988 is the three-digit number available in many areas nationally that will connect the caller to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. New York’s 988 toolkit, developed by the New York State Office of Mental Health includes marketing and educational resources to help educate the public.

“Since the statewide launch of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, one simple call can be the difference between life and death,” Governor Hochul said. “This new educational toolkit for schools, caregivers, and families in need builds on our ongoing public education campaign on the key signs and risks associated with suicide and gives New Yorkers the resources to address the mental health crisis our nation is facing.”

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s support, New York was able to fully implement the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which has already served more than 152,000 New Yorkers in less than one year. Our new toolkit will help to increase awareness of 988 and allow people to easily share educational materials to help spread the word about 988.”

The New York 988 toolkit contains marketing and educational materials including brochures, cards, posters, social media graphics, infographics, and other resources all available in New York State’s top nine languages (in addition to English). The materials in the toolkit were developed with the input from the expansive NYS 988 Coalition of diverse community stakeholders. The 988 Community Education and Awareness Toolkit, as well as all the other 988 resources developed by OMH, can be found here: 988: More than a Number.

Contacting 988 by phone, chat, or text provides a direct connection to compassionate, accessible care, and support for anyone experiencing mental health or substance use related distress. The 988 Lifeline is helping to remove obstacles to accessing healthcare and reduce disparities for historically marginalized and underserved populations, including people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, older adults, rural New Yorkers, Veterans, immigrants, people with disabilities, and people who have limited English proficiency.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also helping to reduce the use of law enforcement in response to a mental health crisis, and, by providing cost-effective early intervention, reducing healthcare costs.

988 History
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designated 988 as the new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act was signed into law in October 2020, with the requirement for all phone service providers to transition to 988 as the number for the newly branded 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by July 16, 2022.

Since April 2021 New York has been working with an expansive NYS 988 Coalition, which includes diverse community stakeholders, to plan for the implementation of 988 in the State. The statewide coalition members represent New York's diverse population and includes individuals with lived experience, advocates, law enforcement, representatives from state agencies, counties, 911 representatives, emergency services, and more. All have contributed their expertise and commitment to the implementation of 988, and their ongoing collaboration and dedication to this groundbreaking work will benefit all New Yorkers.

About the Lifeline
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline was originally funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and has been administered by Vibrant Emotional Health since it began in 2005. It has served as an invaluable resource, helping thousands of people overcome suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress every day. With the transition to 988, these life-saving services will be even easier to reach.

Numerous studies have shown that the Lifeline works—most callers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a Lifeline crisis counselor.

Statistics on New York 988 Call Volume
In the first year of 988, New York has received well over 185,000 calls routed directly to the NYS 988 Contact Centers. This is nearly a 30% increase in annual call volume. By the launch of 988 in July 2022, New York had successfully implemented 24/7 in-state primary coverage for all 62 counties in NYS. In June 2023, New York State achieved 24/7 in-state coverage for chat and text, marking full coverage for all modalities of 988 by the one-year 988 launch anniversary.

Doctor Convicted for COVID-19 Health Care Fraud Scheme

 

A federal jury in Baltimore convicted a Maryland doctor for submitting over $15 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for patients who received COVID-19 tests at his testing sites.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ron Elfenbein, 49, of Arnold, was an owner and the medical director of Drs ERgent Care LLC, dba First Call Medical Center and Chesapeake ERgent Care. Drs ERgent Care operated multiple drive-through COVID-19 testing sites in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. Elfenbein instructed the employees of Drs ERgent Care that, in addition to billing for COVID-19 tests, the employees were to bill for high-level evaluation and management visits. In reality, these visits were not provided to patients as represented. Rather, Elfenbein instructed his employees that the patients were “there for one reason only – to be tested,” that it was “simple and straightforward,” and that the providers were “not there to solve complex medical issues.”

Elfenbein ordered these high-level visits to be billed for all patients, including those who were asymptomatic, who were getting tested for COVID-19 for their employment requirements, and who were being tested for COVID-19 so that they could travel. Elfenbein, through Drs ERgent Care, caused the submission of millions of dollars in claims to Medicare and a commercial insurer for tens of thousands of high-level visits that were not provided as represented and were ineligible for reimbursement.

The jury convicted Elfenbein of five counts of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 7 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each count. Elfenbein is the first doctor convicted at trial by the Justice Department for health care fraud in billing for office visits in connection with patients seeking COVID-19 tests. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard of the Department of  Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; and Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles of the Office of Personnel Management Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.  

The HHS-OIG, DCIS, FBI, and OPM-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Phelps for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, comprised of 15 strike forces operating in 25 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for more than $24 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

In the past three years, the Health Care Fraud Strike Force has rooted out health care fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 53 defendants have been charged in nationwide COVID-19 Health Care Fraud Enforcement Actions for causing over $784 million in loss associated with the pandemic, including this case.

Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Niagara Falls

The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of an individual who died on August 3, 2023 following an encounter with members of the Niagara Falls Police Department (NFPD).

On the evening of August 3, two NFPD officers responded to a report of shots fired at 900 Niagara Avenue. When officers arrived, they allegedly encountered the individual holding a gun and directed him to drop it. The individual allegedly refused to comply and fired his gun at the officers. The officers returned fire. The individual was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers recovered a gun at the scene.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

These are preliminary facts and subject to change. 

 

State Needs to Supercharge Efforts to
Meet Renewable Electricity Goals

New York State will have to take multiple steps to increase renewable electricity generation in order to achieve the objectives of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Success will also require State agencies to consistently and proactively identify and address problems, continue streamlining permit and interconnection study procedures, and develop the necessary infrastructure to connect renewable projects to the grid and New Yorkers' homes, according to a report by State Comptroller DiNapoli.

“New York State has rightly pursued an aggressive campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the most dangerous impacts of climate change,” DiNapoli said. “New York’s energy goals are attainable, but they require careful attention and management to address challenges, meet ambitious deadlines and avoid future pitfalls.”

Read More

Casinos’ Impact on Upstate Local Tax Revenues

From 2017 to 2022 New York’s four licensed casinos brought $176 million in gaming tax revenue to host and regional local governments, but only the three smaller towns that host casinos realized significant fiscal benefits relative to their overall revenue, a report from State Comptroller DiNapoli highlights.

“Casinos are not a magic fix that will solve local fiscal challenges,” DiNapoli said. “While casinos have generated local gaming tax revenue, the impacts vary for the communities that receive such revenues. It’s my hope that this report gives State and local officials a clearer perspective that can help potential host communities avoid the pitfalls that arise with misguided expectations about the public benefits of casinos. They are not a sure bet.”

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Local Sales Tax Collections Up 3% in Second Quarter

Local government sales tax collections in New York State totaled $5.7 billion in the second quarter of 2023 (April-June), an increase of 3%, or nearly $167 million, compared to the same period last year, according to a report released by State Comptroller DiNapoli. Collections were more robust in the first quarter of 2023, growing 7.1%.

Read More

Audits 

• State Education Department
• Department of Health
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• State Board of Elections
• New York City Department of Buildings
• Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
• New York State Health Insurance Program

ALSO IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK

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• New York comptroller releases report detailing revenue impact of state's casinos
  
  
• State comptroller: Renewable energy needs to step up the pace
  
  
• New York State Comptroller Urges Swift End to Hollywood Strike, Warns of ‘Financial, Legal and Reputational Risks’
  
  
• NYC Sales Tax Collections Slow Down as Broadway, Retail Struggle
  
  

• Comptroller's office to help New Yorkers search for unclaimed funds

 X of the Week 
Tom DiNapoli @NYSComptroller