NYS Office of Mental Health Announces Funding to Create 10 New Youth Assertive Community Treatment Teams Across the State

Teams will focus on youth age 10 to 21 transitioning from, or at-risk of entering, inpatient care

 The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) has issued a Request For Proposals to award $9.4 Million in funding to expand Youth Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams throughout New York State. Youth ACT teams serve children ages 10 to 21 and their families, wrapping around services and supports in the home and community settings. Children and youth who are at risk of entering residential or inpatient psychiatric treatment, or transitioning home from inpatient or residential stay, can be served through Youth ACT while remaining with their families and in their communities.

OMH Commissioner Dr Ann Sullivan said, “Youth ACT teams engage young people with mental illness and their families in their own communities and provide services when and where the young person wants and needs them. The Youth ACT team is a one-stop shop for young people and their families. ACT teams work with individuals to help them develop the skills they can use to lead successful and independent lives, and we are excited to pioneer expansion of ACT to children in New York State.”

The RFP will award funding to create 10 new Youth ACT teams that will serve vulnerable 10 to 21-year-olds in the following counties:

• Monroe
• Erie/Niagara
• Onondaga
• Broome
• Warren/Washington/Saratoga
• Schenectady/Albany
• Westchester
• Nassau
• New York (Manhattan)
• Staten Island

OMH Funding Additional ACT Teams for Youth and Young Adults

In addition to these awards, OMH has already contracted with community agencies to develop four new Youth ACT Teams in Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Queens and Suffolk Counties, and recently issued an additional RFP to create a Young Adult ACT Team in New York City and another in Western New York. Young Adult ACT serves individuals 18-to-25 years-old who have not been successfully engaged by the traditional mental health treatment and rehabilitation system.

Youth ACT teams are multi-disciplinary with professional staff including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, mental health clinicians, and peer advocates. 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.

Youth ACT teams 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 expansion 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.

Proposals are due by September 28 and OMH anticipates notifying award winners by October 22. More information on the RFP can be found here on the OMH website.

 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating - SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

 

24,716 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

35 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday 

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

"We are continuing to watch the numbers and while some metrics continue to be promising, others are moving in the wrong direction," Governor Hochul said. "With students back at their schools and colleges and increasingly more people returning to work in-person, it is more critical than ever that we double down on everything we can do to stop the spread of infection. The single best weapon that we have in this fight is the vaccine, which is free, safe and effective. If you still need your shot, please get it as soon as possible so we can all be better protected." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Test Results Reported - 83,316 
• Total Positive - 3,322
• Percent Positive - 3.99% 
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.27% 
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,356 (+22) 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 271 
• Patients in ICU - 507 (-12) 
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 261 (-2) 
• Total Discharges - 194,682 (+207) 
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 35 
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 43,787
• 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 -  55,768
• 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 - 24,034,920 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 24,716 
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 369,226
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 78.1% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 70.7% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 80.5% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 72.3% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 66.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 59.4% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 68.0% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 60.7%   

121 Days and Counting - The Sky is Falling

 

 We have a lot of work to do in the coming months especially in the Bronx. All I have to do is keep talking about what has to be done, so I can say 'Here Eric Adams it is now your problem'. Things are in such bad shape, we have to worry about the rain that is coming tomorrow. It is predicted to be one inch to one and a half inches, but the weather forecasters don't know what they are talking about anymore after Ida.

On the crime front, it is the court system that is not doing its job. we were able to have baseball in Yankee stadium, people back on mass transit, and reopen the city, but the courts are not doing their job. We are at one third the cases prosecuted compared to last year. 

Most of all, School starts next Monday, and I expect no problems. Let's see if I can pull that one off.

Emergency Executive Order 234 September 5, 2021 Declaration of Local State of Emergency

 

Emergency Executive Order 234

September 5, 2021

WHEREAS, the public safety is imperiled by a flash flood emergency caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida that has flooded roads, impacted mass transit, and stranded motorists;

WHEREAS, it is necessary to take all measures to protect life and property; and

WHEREAS, on September 1, 2021, I declared a state of emergency to exist within the City of New York, and such declaration remains in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days or until rescinded, whichever occurs first; and

NOW THEREFORE, by the power vested in me as Mayor of the City of New York pursuant to law, including Executive Law § 24, I hereby order:

Section 1.  I hereby direct that the State of Emergency declared in Emergency Executive Order No. 230, dated September 1, 2021, and extended by Emergency Executive Order No. 232, is extended for thirty (30) days.

§ 2.  Any vehicle found to be blocking roadways shall be subject to towing.  This section shall be retroactive and deemed to have been in effect as of September 1, 2021.

§ 3.  The State of Emergency shall remain in effect for a period not to exceed thirty days or until rescinded, whichever occurs first. Additional declarations to extend the State of Emergency for additional periods not to exceed thirty days will be issued if needed. The remainder of this Order shall remain in effect for five (5) days unless terminated at an earlier date. This Order may be extended for additional periods not to exceed five (5) days each during the pendency of the local state of emergency.

                                                                                       
Bill de Blasio
MAYOR

Governor Hochul Announces $6 Million for Climate Justice Fellowships Benefitting Disadvantaged Communities and Priority Populations

 

Funding Will Support 150 Fellowships Over Three Years

Advances New York State's Commitment to Ensure an Equitable Clean Energy Transition for All New Yorkers; Announcement Comes in Advance of Climate Week

Applications Can Be Found Here

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $6 million is now available over three years to support 150 Climate Justice Fellowship opportunities for individuals across the state currently residing in historically disadvantaged communities or from priority populations. This announcement, in advance of New York's upcoming celebration of Climate Week from September 20 to September 26, helps support New York State's commitment to ensure an equitable clean energy transition for all New Yorkers as required by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. 

"These fellowships demonstrate how New York is working to foster new and creative ways to support climate justice and clean energy training for individuals in disadvantaged communities while stimulating rewarding career paths for future generations of New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "This funding will give New Yorkers from underrepresented backgrounds a fresh opportunity to participate in our economy. It's critical that we focus on creating an inclusive green energy marketplace by capturing the ideas, talent, and expertise of New Yorkers as we work to achieve the state's ambitious climate goals."            

The program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, is seeking applications from host employers to support the professional development, training, and mentoring of full-time fellows currently residing in disadvantaged communities or from priority populations—including individuals that are low income, disabled, homeless, formerly incarcerated, residents of environmental justice communities, veterans and Native Americans, among others. 

Selected fellows will work with community-based organizations, universities, municipalities, climate tech innovators/start-ups, and clean energy businesses to assist with and support community engagement activities, clean energy project development and implementation, partnership building, clean energy start-ups, or other projects that advance climate justice and clean energy priorities in disadvantaged communities.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "Those living in historically disadvantaged communities know the needs of their communities best. Our Climate Justice Fellowship program is unique in it allows for individuals to pair up with entities that want to facilitate clean energy and climate justice efforts in the very same communities - creating unique collaborations and helping ensure an equitable green transition in neighborhoods that have traditionally been underserved."    

NYSERDA will fund approximately 50 fellowships in 2021 and up to 100 fellowships through 2023, and will work with State and federal agencies, non-profits, foundations, and other partners to leverage existing resources and wrap-around services such as transportation and childcare services, training, and professional development opportunities.

Applications must be submitted by 3 p.m. EST on October 28, 2021. Host employers must apply to the program with a fellow candidate identified. Employers will need to provide an outline of specific activities the fellow will undertake over the 12-month period. The projected timeline for applications is: 

Fall 2021, Cohort 1; Winter/Spring 2022, Cohort 2; Winter/Spring 2023, Cohort 3.

NYSERDA will conduct an informational webinar on September 16, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. EST to review the solicitation requirements and answer questions. Interested attendees can register by emailing to WFinfo@nyserda.ny.gov with the subject line "PON 4772 Climate Justice Fellowship" to request further information.

CONSUMER ALERT: NEW YORK STATE DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION PROVIDES BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIPS FOR NEW YORKERS

Follow Key Tips to Protect your Child’s Personal Information, Stay Safe in a Dorm & Back to School Shopping

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is today providing consumers with basic tips for students of all ages as classes are once again back in session. Consumers are urged to be mindful of their privacy, their dormitories, and back to school spending to protect themselves.

“Heading back to school is often an exciting time for families, and it’s also an opportunity to start new routines,” said Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. “As part of your new back-to-school routine, I encourage all New Yorkers to consider some basic tips to help keep students from elementary school to college safe this school year.” 

Identity Theft

From 2019 to 2020, reports of identity theft increased by 85% in New York State, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Network data books 2010-2020. 

The Division of Consumer Protection suggests these identity theft precautions when headed back to school:

• Only label books, backpacks and lunches with your full name and any other information on the inside! Using initials on the outside is okay, but names, even just first names, on the outside can create an unsafe situation.
• Be careful when providing identifying information to after-school activities and sports clubs upon registration. If asked for a Social Security number, inquire why it is needed and insist on using another identifier.
• Register your cell phone with the National Do Not Call Registry so you are not solicited by savvy telemarketers who may encourage you to give out personal information.
• Regularly check online social networks. For children, discuss internet safety. Be aware that any information you post on Facebook or other social networks can be seen and utilized by identity thieves. Caution children never to reveal personal information including full names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, or even where they go to school. This information may be used by online predators looking to exploit them or reveal answers to security questions used to reset passwords, making your child a possible target of scammers looking to access accounts or secure information.
• Turn on two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication will require your password and an extra security code to verify your identity whenever you sign into your accounts.

College Dormitory Safety

For those living on campus this fall, there are safety precautions to keep in mind, especially for first-time residential students. Fires are one of the biggest hazards; the National Fire Protection Association reports that fire departments responded to over 3,000 fires at dormitories, sororities, fraternities, and other related structures from 2015-2019. Be sure to check your dormitory for fire hazards and more, and have the following information handy:

• Locate the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms within your dorm or off-campus housing. Verify or obtain assurances that all alarms are in proper working order. Participate in any needed safety demonstrations on campus.
• Check for working sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers. Most at risk are those staying in off-campus housing, where these systems are not regulated by the university.
• Locate the nearest emergency exits. Make note of where to go if there is an emergency.
• Never overload outlets with too many demands for power to prevent fires. Students with laptops, televisions, mini-refrigerators, and more can overload the power and spark a fire.
• Review the emergency plan in case of fire or a carbon monoxide leaks. Ensure all those residing in the room know where to meet and what to do if there is an emergency. Remember to call 911 in case of any emergency and follow safety protocol. 

Back-to-School Shopping

Last-minute shopping for school can be frantic and disorganized. The Division of Consumer Protection urges consumers to take note of common mistakes while navigating the marketplace:

• Use caution when using credit cards:Back-to-school purchases may cost more than what is on your receipt. Track your spending, be cognizant of credit card limits, and stick to a realistic budget. Consumers should verify receipts and reconcile them against their statement. Consumers should also always review monthly credit card statements carefully to ensure they are being billed for the correct dollar amount.
• Beware when purchasing “Big Ticket” items:When purchasing big ticket items like computers or tablets, look for and review warranty coverage on the specific item. Review the financing options carefully and ensure you understand the terms and rates. Always take note of the fine print and the quantity of the product available at the advertised price, as well as whether rain checks are available.
• Review refund and return policies:Review a store’s refund policy before considering a purchase. If the store does not post a return policy, the law requires the store to accept a return within 30 days of purchase, with proof of purchase. Retain receipts in the event items need to be returned. Shoppers should inquire whether the store imposes a re-stocking fee for returned merchandise and determine prior to purchase if the item can be returned for a refund or store credit only.
• Protect your identity when shopping online:Protect personal, identifiable information when making purchases online. It is imperative that consumers ensure they are conducting their transactions over a secure connection. See more information in this August 2020 Consumer Alert.
• Beware of fake websites: As fraudsters continue to advance in sophistication, fake websites frequently resemble legitimate sites with credible-looking logos, pictures, and payment options. If the website is advertising extremely low prices, or discounts beyond 50 percent, consumers should be wary and diligently verify the legitimacy of the seller. 

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist, and empower the State’s consumers. Consumers can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Protection at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. 

For more consumer protection information, call the DCP Helpline at 800-697-1220, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm or visit the DCP website at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. The Division can also be reached via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer. 

DEC ANNOUNCES $349,922 IN AWARDS TO REDUCE FLOODING, RESTORE AQUATIC HABITATS, AND IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCY

 

Funding to Help Reduce Flood Risk and Protect Natural Resources in Columbia, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced more than $349,000 in awards for three projects to help communities improve climate resiliency, mitigate local flooding, and restore stream habitats. Funding for these projects is provided by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and is administered by DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program in partnership with NEIWPCC. The announcement was made as New York State prepares to commemorate Climate Week 2021.

“The funding awards announced today will help Hudson River communities in Columbia, Dutchess, and Westchester counties bolster their climate resilience by enhancing the ability of natural systems to reduce flood risks,” said DEC Commissioner Seggos. “While Hudson Valley cities, towns, and villages continue to recover after devastating flooding in the wake of Tropical Depression Ida, New York is investing in our communities to preserve our natural resources and strengthen their ability to withstand flooding.” 

Two of the funded projects will create designs and conceptional engineering plans for climate resilient and connected waterfronts in the city of Hudson, and the village and town of Ossining. One project will develop municipal management plans for road-stream crossings and dams within the towns of Red Hook and Milan. Funded projects include:

Two Climate-Adaptive Design Phase II Projects Totaling $250,000.

Ossining Shoreline Revitalization and Community Connectivity Improvements: This $125,000 contract was awarded to Henningson, Durham and Richardson Architecture and Engineering, P.C. (HDR) for a living shoreline project at the Henry Gourdine and Louis Engel Waterfront Parks in Ossining. An inclusive stakeholder engagement process will be used to provide input on specific design elements and eco-friendly elements will be included in the shoreline stabilization to create fish habitat and promote recreational fishing opportunities. The project will result in an implementable preliminary design and an engineering report that includes a permitting strategy.

City of Hudson Climate-Adaptive Design: This $125,000 contract was awarded to Hudson Valley Collaborative for a project in the city of Hudson that will use a nature-based approach to protecting shoreline and tidal wetlands from sea-level rise, while maintaining active recreation and cultural activities. Hudson Valley Collaborative will engage a diverse group of stakeholders to seek community consensus on the design, which will prioritize ecological solutions that restore the intertidal marshland, as well as the access points for public boat docks and launches that give the Hudson waterfront its recreational vitality. The final preliminary design will provide the necessary design, engineering, and permitting documentation for the city to finalize and construct the design.

Restoration of Watershed Connectivity and Improved Road Infrastructure, $99,922.

T&B Engineering and Landscaping Architecture, P.C. was awarded $99,922 to develop municipal management plans for road-stream crossings and dams in the towns of Red Hook and Milan, Dutchess County. The project will improve water quality, reduce flood risks, and reconnect habitat for migratory and resident fish in the Hudson River Estuary. The plans will include all crossings in both towns, building on the 148 previously inventoried culverts, including the road-stream crossings located within the portions of the Roeliff Jansen Kill, Cold Spring Creek, Little Wappinger Creek, Landsman Kill, and Saw Kill watersheds in the town of Milan, and Stony Creek, Saw Kill, Landsman Kill, and Muddler Kill watersheds in the town of Red Hook. The project will include outreach and collaboration with each town and community to produce a municipal management plan, including a documented inventory, prioritization of the inventory, and conceptual designs for the top three priority crossings for each municipality.

Susan Sullivan, NEIWPCC Executive Director said, “NEIWPCC is pleased to assist Hudson River Valley communities use collaborative and innovative approaches to protect against the increasing risks resulting from climate change.”

DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program focuses on the tidal Hudson and its adjacent watershed from the federal dam at Troy to the Verrazano Narrows in New York City

BCEQ eNews September / October 

In This Issue

• IDA Flooding             
• EJ report
• Renewable Power

REMINDER

Save the Date:  

Wednesday,

October 13 

at 11 am Highbridge

10 years with the UWFP

Details to finalize end of  month due to COVID protocol.

Hi,

These are strange and busy times.  We are in exciting times to advocate for change.  Here are a few things we started to work on during the summer.  We plan on continuing.

• Tibbetts Brook Daylighted Itself    
• The Road to EJ in the Bronx is in the Data 
• Renewable Power is coming to NYC.  Some of the details are troubling.  
• 10 year Anniversary of the Bronx and Harlem Rivers recognized by the Urban Waters Federal Partnership on October 13 see SAVE THE DATE

Hope to see you soon,

Karen A.

---

Tibbetts Brook Daylighted Itself in Ida Remnants

September 1, 2021’s Tropical Storm “Ida” Remnant was a massive event in New York City that caused tremendous harm to Van Cortlandt Park Lake. The rain overflooded the Lake’s edge, clogged and supercharged the overflow sewer (or weir), and otherwise flooded a large swarth of the lower part of the park, which remains closed days later. In turn, as water sought the lowest point, it routed along the Old Putnam Rail Trail — which is estimated to have flooded as far as West 225th Street. The water overflowed the wall of the Major Deegan, halting car and trucks in place, and closing I-87 thereby disrupting the traffic and lives of Bronxites for days.

. . . read more at Link to Tibbetts Brook Daylighting blog 

---

The Road to Bronx Environmental Justice is in the Data

Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ) completed a research project on Environmental Determinants of Health, Wealth, and Education in the Bronx, conducted in partnership with Columbia University and with Lehman College, a Hispanic-serving institution in the Bronx. A team of Columbia and Lehman undergraduate students used sophisticated data visualization techniques to explore correlations among statistical measures of public school dropout rates, income, and health disparities with environmental factors.

The completed report, Environmental Determinants of Health, Wealth, and Education in the Bronx, is a call to action to save Bronxites from the impacts of bad environmental policy through budgeting and planning.  To complete the research, BCEQ Board Members met weekly with a research t

eam of Kayla Bernard (Lehman, BA Sociology), Gabriel Agustin Fernandez (Columbia, Math/CS), Ashe Lewis (Barnard), and Eusebia Vazquez (Lehman), and led by Zi Fang (Columbia, Masters in Statistics).  Students utilized ESRI datasets, ArcGIS, QGIS, Census figures, New Yorkers for Parks Report, as well as city and state agency databases.   Findings include:

• Those who live farther from parks have more health problems. While this improves slightly as parks are greener, parks remain unused if they are found to be unclean.
• The dropout rate among students is exponentially higher in areas located along federal highway corridors, many of which carry diesel trucks servicing the entire metropolitan area.

. . . read more at Link the Road to EJ in the Bronx

---

Renewable Energy is coming to New York City

• Our draft Basic Principles for Renewable Energy Development “Proposals” and Environmental Reviews will be discussed at our zoom board meeting on Sept 8

• Our Open Letter from the Community to the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency

As Bronx residents, members of Bronx organizations, and/or advocates for environmental justice, we are writing to ensure that our voice and concerns about the NYSERDA Tier 4 project are heard. ....t the Tier 4 process so far has been guided by private companies, with no public participation for the neighborhoods impacted by the construction of renewable energy installations – many of which are EJ communities.