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Thursday, March 11, 2021
Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Join Us To Celebrate Women of Distinction
296 Days and Counting
I have a new Chancellor next week, and we will do what we can to keep this banner up this year. I am thinking of running for governor next year.
Governor Cuomo and Governor Murphy Announce Indoor Dining in New York City and New Jersey Will Expand to 50 Percent Capacity Beginning March 19
New York City Currently at 35 Percent for Indoor Dining; Rest of New York State at 75 Percent
New Jersey Currently at 35 Percent Capacity for Indoor D
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Governor Phil Murphy today announced that New York City and New Jersey will expand indoor dining capacity to 50 percent beginning March 19. Currently, New York City and New Jersey restaurants are operating at 35 percent capacity and the rest of New York State is operating at 50 percent capacity. This follows Governor Cuomo's announcement that restaurants outside of New York City will expand to 75 percent capacity beginning March 19.
"In New York State, our decisions are based on science and data and we are encouraged by the continued decline in infection and hospitalization rates," Governor Cuomo said. "In partnership with the State of New Jersey, we are expanding our indoor dining openings in New York City to 50 percent. We will continue to follow the science and react accordingly. If we keep the infections down and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the footrace against this invisible enemy and reach the light at the end of the tunnel together."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said, "In New Jersey, we will continue to move deliberately, responsibly and incrementally, guided by public health data. We feel confident in this step given the improving metrics we have seen over the last several weeks in both New Jersey and New York City, as well as the continued ramp up of our vaccination program. Our states will continue to work together to protect the health of as many residents as possible."
These capacity increases are part of both state's continued efforts to jump start their post-COVID recovery and reinvigorate the economy. Since New York City indoor dining was reopened on February 12, two COVID-19 incubation periods have passed without any significant rise in infection and hospitalization rates. This expanded capacity is subject to strict guidance and State officials will continue to reevaluate the data. New Jersey last expanded indoor dining on February 5. During that time, the number of hospitalizations in the state has dropped by over 1,000 and has remained consistent.
MAYOR DE BLASIO RELEASES STATEMENT ON THE CONGRESSIONAL PASSAGE OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
Mayor Bill de Blasio released the below statement following the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the American Rescue Plan. The legislation now goes to President Biden to sign into law.
"After months of advocating on behalf of New York City, I am thrilled to see the passage of the American Rescue Plan through Congress. This is exactly the bold action we've needed to help New York City drive a recovery for all of us. This stimulus bill is the most comprehensive, progressive economic legislation passed since President Roosevelt’s New Deal and will bring much needed relief to families, cut child poverty and help small businesses survive.
“New York City, and cities across the nation, will benefit immensely from direct local aid to boost our vaccination program, keep our schools open and drive economic growth. I want to thank Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for playing a pivotal role in bringing this relief to his fellow New Yorkers. To President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Gillibrand and the entire New York delegation: THANK YOU. Because of your heroic efforts, there is light at the end of the tunnel. New York City will lead the nation with a recovery that works for all of us."
Attorney General James Utilizes Authority to Prosecute False, Race-Based Police Reports for First Time
Former Ice Cream Shop Owner Also Sued Over Use of Racist Intimidation Tactics, Pulling Weapons On Peaceful BLM Protesters
First Lawsuit Brought by AG James’ Hate Crimes and Bias Prevention Unit
New York Attorney General Letitia James today took action to stop discrimination, harassment, violent threats, and — for the first time — false, race-based police reports in a lawsuit against the former owner of a popular ice cream shop in Schenectady, New York. The lawsuit — filed against David Elmendorf, the former owner of Bumpy’s Polar Freeze — seeks to hold Elmendorf responsible for multiple racist and discriminatory actions he took in violation of the law shortly after the ice cream shop’s allegedly racist hiring practices came to light last year. In altercations with peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters, Elmendorf brandished several weapons and made death threats in an effort to stop legal protests, while simultaneously using a number of offensive, racial epithets when referring to Black protesters. Following the altercations, Elmendorf called the police and falsely claimed protesters were brandishing weapons as he used their race and color as reasoning for the call. Today’s lawsuit is the first brought by Attorney General James’ Hate Crimes and Bias Prevention Unit and seeks to make use of new authority granted to Attorney General James by the state legislature, last year, against those making false, race-based police reports to local police.
“Those who make racist and violent threats will be held accountable by my office with the full weight of the law,” said Attorney General James. “The charges against David Elmendorf should serve as a warning that hate crimes will not be tolerated on my watch and we will not allow any individual to use the color of someone’s skin as a weapon. Today, we are utilizing new authority, for the first time, to bring charges against an individual who filed false, race-based police reports. We must continue to remain vigilant against hate and bias in our communities, and I encourage anyone with information about a potential hate crime to contact my office.”
Last June, text messages allegedly authored by Elmendorf circulated on social media, revealing the use of racial epithets and Elmendorf’s refusal to hire Black individuals. In response, Black community groups — including Black Lives Matter — as well as hundreds of others protested against Elmendorf on private property near Bumpy’s. Over a period of two days, Elmendorf then terrorized peaceful protesters by making several armed, racist death threats with both a .22 caliber air rifle and a baton. Additionally, Elmendorf called local police and made false reports — claiming protesters were armed, when, in fact, no protesters were carrying any weapons.
Today’s lawsuit charges Elmendorf with intending to choose his victims based on race, in violation of New York Civil Rights Law (NYCLR) § 79-n, as well as violating their ability to practice their civil right to peacefully protest when he threatened to use physical force and harassed protesters with racial slurs, under New York Civil Rights Law § 40-c.
Additionally, for the first time since the passage of the additional provision in NYCLR § 79-n last summer, Attorney General James is bringing a charge against an individual for filing a false, racially-motivated police report. Last year, following the high-profile case against Amy Cooper, a white woman who called 911 on an innocent Black birdwatcher in Central Park, the state legislature passed a law giving Attorney General James the authority to sue any person who — when motivated by racial or other bias — “summons a police officer…without reason to suspect a violation of the penal law.”
Attorney General James seeks to enjoin Elmendorf from imposing future threats to intimidate, coerce, or harass any persons or group of people because of their race, from having or brandishing a deadly weapon within 1,000 feet of any peaceful protest, from communicating with any of the victims from the incident, and from creating false reports with the police based on a person’s skin color.
The suit also seeks to force Elmendorf to pay a penalty of up to $500 for each instance where he attempted to violate a protester’s right to peacefully protest, pursuant to NYCRL § 40-c.
Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic March 19
4,798 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
999 Patients in the ICU; 686 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 3.16%
58 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're working hard every day to get New York's infection rate down while increasing the vaccination rate, and the state is making significant progress in that ongoing footrace," Governor Cuomo said. "But even as we gain more supply of the vaccine, grow our distribution network and get more shots in arms, New Yorkers need to stay vigilant, so that we don't lose an inch of that progress. We're expanding eligibility and continually extending our efforts to get the vaccine to underserved communities, and until every New Yorker is vaccinated I encourage everyone to keep washing their hands, wearing masks and social distancing as we get through this fight together."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 205,616
- Total Positive - 6,489
- Percent Positive - 3.16%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.11%
- Patient Hospitalization - 4,798 (-101)
- Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -525
- Patients Newly Admitted - 561
- Hospital Counties - 53
- Number ICU - 999 (-12)
- Number ICU with Intubation - 686 (+11)
- Total Discharges - 151,354 (+541)
- Deaths - 58
- Total Deaths - 39,230
Rep. Bowman Votes for American Rescue Plan, Calls for Further Action on $15 Minimum Wage
Rep. Jamaal Bowman voted for final passage of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, which will provide urgently-needed resources to defeat the coronavirus, put vaccines in people’s arms, money into families’ pockets, children safely back into classrooms, and people back to work. This legislation will now go to President Joe Biden for signature.
“The American Rescue Plan, although not perfect, is a significant and profound step to rebuild what we've lost during this pandemic, move toward making families whole, and save lives,” Rep. Bowman said. “Importantly, the rescue plan provides $170 billion in resources for schools and state education departments to assist with a smooth and safe reopening of in-person learning across the country. Our kids and families have dealt with unbelievable trauma during this pandemic, and I’m optimistic that this package will help us to heal.
“Now that we have passed this legislation, Congress’ next steps, working in tandem with the White House, must be to establish a viable pathway toward a nationwide $15 million wage, which would bring a raise for tens of millions of workers and lift hundreds of thousands out of poverty. The Biden administration was given a mandate by voters to secure a $15 minimum wage and we must explore all avenues to achieve that, including abolishing the filibuster in the Senate.
“Additionally, we will continue to advocate for recurring $2,000 monthly checks and a full cancellation of rent and mortgage payments during the pandemic. I’m ready to keep working with my colleagues in Congress and the White House to get families in NY16 through to the other side of this pandemic and to revitalize our economy.”
The American Rescue Plan invests $1.9 trillion into Americans’ lives and livelihoods:
- Put Vaccines in Arms: The plan will mount a national vaccination program that includes setting up community vaccination sites nationwide and addressing disparities facing communities of color. It will also take complementary measures to combat the virus, including scaling up testing and tracing, addressing shortages of personal protective equipment and other critical supplies, investing in high-quality treatments and addressing health care disparities.
- Put Money in People’s Pockets: The plan finishes the job on the President’s promise to provide $2,000 in direct assistance to households across America with checks of $1,400 per person, following the $600 down payment enacted in December. The plan will also provide direct housing assistance, nutrition assistance for 40 million Americans, expand access to safe and reliable child care and affordable health care, extend unemployment insurance so that 18 million American workers can pay their bills and support 27 million children with an expanded Child Tax Credit and more than 17 million low-wage workers through an improved Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Put Children Safely Back in School: The plan delivers $170 billion for education and $45 billion for child care providers. This includes a $130 billion investment in K-12 school re-opening and making up for lost time in the classroom, with funds that can be used for such things as reducing class sizes, modifying spaces so that students and teachers can socially distance, improving ventilation, implementing more mitigation measures, providing personal protective equipment and providing summer school or other support for students that help make up lost learning time this year. The plan also provides more than $40 billion for higher education.
- Put People Back In Jobs: The plan will provide crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially those owned by entrepreneurs from racial and ethnic backgrounds that have experienced systemic discrimination, with EIDL grants, expanded PPP eligibility and more. The plan also provides crucial resources to protect the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers and other essential workers that all Americans depend on.
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Governor Cuomo Announces Award of $50.7 Million to Enhance Addiction Services in New York State
Funding Will Support a Regional Network Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services to Address Addiction
Funding and Services Provided in Every County of New York State
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the award of up to $50.7 million to providers throughout New York State to expand access to addiction services. The majority of this funding will go towards regional networks designed to support a continuum of care that includes prevention, treatment and recovery. Further funding will go towards enhancing COTI services, recovery centers, prevention coalitions, and the Triple P prevention program within these network areas. This funding is part of the State Opioid Response federally supported grant administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
"While we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing opioid epidemic, we are reinforcing our commitment to supporting New Yorkers struggling with addiction," Governor Cuomo said. "This award funds all regions of New York for a broad range of services, including mobile service delivery and telepractice expansion, strengthening our nation-leading continuum of addiction care across the State. These resources are available where and when New Yorkers need them most."
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, co-chair of the New York State Heroin and Opioid Task Force said, "During this extremely challenging time posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to make sure that lifesaving resources and services are available to any individual struggling with addiction in all parts of the state. This funding will further boost prevention, treatment and recovery care, and reinforces New York State's commitment to ending the opioid epidemic once and for all."
OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, "As we continue to work to address addiction amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that we ensure that all New Yorkers, in all regions of the state, have access to lifesaving addiction services. OASAS has always supported a collaborative care model of addiction services, and with this funding we are able to build on our work with our community-based provider network to strengthen these collaborations and reach more people in need."
New York has a robust system of addiction care, and with better collaboration and coordination people in need will experience easier access to care, including medication for addiction treatment, as well as more successful transitions between residential and outpatient settings, and better integration of prevention and recovery supports. The funding awarded under this initiative supports efforts to find regional approaches to care, and is designed to help prevention, treatment, and recovery providers increase their collaborative efforts to address the entire continuum of addiction services. Providers who receive funding have identified specific needs in their region and proposed services to address the gaps in care.
Regional networks are made up of multiple providers, in most cases serving multiple counties, in a region. Award amounts are listed below along with the counties served by the network.
'Citywide Addiction Support Network - Manhattan, Bronx and Queens - $10,499,410'
In addition to the regional network awards listed above, funding will also support the following initiatives within the counties served by the networks.
Center of Treatment Innovation Services - $6 million
COTI service providers are tasked with expanding access to treatment of opioid use disorder through peer services, mobile service delivery, and telepractice capability. COTI providers work to break down existing barriers to treatment and connect people seeking services to the help that they need. Between 2016 and 2019, overdose deaths in counties with COTI services decreased by between 42 percent and 64 percent.
Recovery Centers - $2.9 million
Recovery centers are designed to promote long-term recovery with professional staff, peers, and volunteers who provide multiple services to engage and support people in recovery. Recovery Centers offer skill-building classes, support groups, referrals to services, sober events and recreational programs. These services are designed to empower people in recovery from addiction in a way that is responsive to the needs of the individual, their family, and the community.
Prevention Coalitions - $1.4 million
Community-based substance use prevention coalitions bring together diverse community stakeholders to facilitate, implement, and sustain effective substance use prevention strategies that meet local need. The SOR funded coalitions expand the reach of substance use prevention coalitions into Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative localities to further build local resources in high-risk communities to effectively address addiction health disparities.
Triple P Positive Parenting Program - $938,000
The Triple P Positive Parenting Program is a prevention program that supports families by providing parents or caregivers clear strategies to respond to a child's needs while remaining calm. It promotes healthy familial attachment as children learn and meet developmental milestones. The program has been shown to reduce risky behaviors among youth, such as substance use and juvenile offending, as well as encourage positive social behavior and emotional wellbeing. It has also demonstrated success in reducing parental depression, stress, anxiety, and family conflict, and increasing positive family interactions.
Since taking office, Governor Cuomo has instituted an aggressive, multi-pronged approach to addressing the opioid epidemic, and created a nation-leading continuum of addiction care with full prevention, treatment, and recovery services. To combat this epidemic, the Governor has worked to expand access to traditional services, including crisis services, inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment programs, as well as medication assisted treatment, and mobile treatment and transportation services.
In 2016, Governor Cuomo's Heroin Task Force recommended new, non-traditional services, including recovery centers, youth clubhouses, expanded peer services, and open access centers, which provide immediate assessments and referrals to care. These services have since been established in numerous communities around the state and have helped people in need access care closer to where they live.
The Governor has advanced legislative and regulatory reform to enable people to get treatment faster by eliminating many insurance restrictions, as well as legislation to reduce most opioid prescriptions from 30 days to seven days, and legislation to increase training and education for prescribers. Governor Cuomo has also taken action to combat patient brokering and fraudulent addiction treatment services.
The Governor has also worked to increase training and availability of naloxone, resulting in more than 420,000 individuals in New York State being trained and equipped with the opioid overdose reversal medication. Through Governor Cuomo's actions, pharmacies around New York State are now able to provide naloxone without a prescription.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.
If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or email at ombuds@oasas.ny.gov.