NEW YORK STATE ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS TO VISIT STATE PARKS, HISTORIC SITES, AND RECREATIONAL SITES

 

New Streamlined ‘Access Pass’ Process Helps Individuals Living with Mental Illness Verify Eligibility for Free or Discounted Access

Initiative Aimed at Helping New Yorkers with Qualified Disabilities to Improve Mental Wellbeing, Community Connection by Spending Time Outdoors

The New York State Office of Mental Health announced an initiative to encourage more New Yorkers living with a mental illness to enjoy the state’s many parks, historical sites, and outdoor recreational facilities, which can have a positive impact on mental well-being. As part of this push, the agency has made it easier for individuals living with mental illness and receiving services through an OMH program to apply for the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation’s Access Pass, which allows free or discounted access to state sites for individuals with a qualifying disability.

“Time spent enjoying nature and New York’s many outdoor attractions can provide restorative benefits for all of us,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “By making it easier to apply for the Access Pass, we are ensuring that more New Yorkers, including individuals living with mental health challenges, can take advantage of this worthwhile program as they continue their recovery. Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, our parks and attractions are available to enhance the mental wellness for everyone in our state.”

The Access Pass offers free or discounted entry to state parks, historic sites, and recreational facilities –including ones operated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation – for New York residents with a specific qualifying disability listed in the application. The Access Pass includes free vehicle entry to most day-use areas, state-operated boat launch sites, historic sites, arboretums, and park preserves, in addition to free greens fees at State Park golf courses; free swimming pool entry at state-operated pools; and discounted camping and cabin rentals at most state campgrounds and DEC day-use areas.

This summer, OMH streamlined the verification process so that individuals with a mental disability who receive services through a program licensed, funded, or operated by OMH can more easily apply for the Access Pass. The agency developed a simplified confirmation letter to be completed digitally by the applicant’s clinician and then submitted by them to Parks via PSYCKES, a HIPAA-compliant web-based application, or by the applicant themselves via mail or email.

Previously, the verification process involved OMH corresponding directly with the applicant and their clinician and then submitting the confirmation letter to Parks on their behalf. While individuals still need to complete an Access Pass application themselves, they no longer need to go through OMH to certify their disability.

The confirmation letter template is posted to the OMH website, along with simplified instructions for both individuals seeking a pass and their clinicians. Additionally, the application for the Access Pass and instructions for submitting it can be found on the Parks website.

The goal is to encourage more New Yorkers who live with mental illness to seek out the Access Pass and visit state parks and DEC facilities, which can be beneficial for mental well-being. While there are roughly 800,000 individuals relying on programs operated, funded or licensed by OMH, only 1,100 of them have active Access Passes.

Overall wellbeing can be enhanced by outdoor recreation, community involvement, education, and by visiting state cultural and natural destinations. Be Well, the state’s ongoing public awareness campaign to help New Yorkers improve their mental wellness, advocates spending time outdoors – something that can boost serotonin and Vitamin D levels, while also reducing stress. 

Be Well offers simple and accessible tools and tips to improve mental wellness and manage stress, including outdoor activity, exercise, and social connection. This campaign also recently teamed with DEC and Parks to do a short social media push about how employees from each agency connect with nature to improve their wellness.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “Our agency is committed to expanding accessibility and removing barriers so all New Yorkers can enjoy our state parks and historic sites. We are proud to partner with the Office of Mental Health to simplify the Access Pass application process for those they serve. The Access Pass provides free or discounted entry to New York State Parks and historic sites, and we hope all who qualify take advantage of this valuable program to experience our state’s incredible natural, historic, and recreational treasures.”

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Nature is known to improve mental health and wellbeing, and with the streamlined Access Pass, heading outdoors to a DEC campground or day-use area can be easier than ever. By proactively creating opportunities for additional accessibility through the These Lands Are For Everyone initiative and other investments, Governor Hochul is ensuring that more people can benefit from experiencing New York’s natural landscapes and spaces.”

Mayor Mamdani Opens $230 Million Fresh Kills Sanitation Complex, Clearing Way for 232 Affordable Homes

 

Delivered by the Department of Design and Construction, the project provides a new consolidated facility serving Staten Island Community Districts 1 and 3  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Gregory Anderson and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Paul Ochoa today opened two new Sanitation garages on a 13.55-acre site at Fresh Kills. The $230 million project modernizes essential City services supporting trash collection, street cleaning, emergency snow response and day-to-day operations for Staten Island residents.  

  

“Blizzards or blue skies, our Sanitation Workers keep this city clean and moving, and they deserve facilities that reflect the excellence they bring to the job every day,” said Mayor Mamdani. “The new Fresh Kills complex will strengthen the services Staten Islanders rely on, from trash collection and street cleaning to snowplowing and salt spreading. And by moving these operations, we’re making way for hundreds of new affordable homes, public space and a grocery store. That’s what it looks like when we invest in the workers who keep our city running and the neighborhoods they call home.”  

  

“This project represents a massive improvement for our Sanitation Workers and the Staten Island residents we serve,” said DSNY Commissioner Gregory Anderson. “Today we opened a state-of-the-art facility more than a decade in the making that will help us better deliver essential City services to Staten Islanders in Districts 1 and 3. In addition, as we vacate the former Jersey Street garage in New Brighton, we are pleased to transfer this property for the city to develop much-needed affordable housing, public open space, a grocery store and more to revitalize the neighborhood.”  

  

“They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and in this case this award-winning DSNY garage is a treasure all on its own,” said DDC Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa. “New York’s Strongest deserve top-notch facilities, and we are proud to deliver a modern garage complex that supports the essential services they provide to the City. By combining two Sanitation districts into one modern facility, we’re creating a more efficient workplace for DSNY crews, with capacity for up to 2,000 tons of road salt storage, a fueling station, rooftop solar panels, skylights, upgraded underground infrastructure and modern work areas for 24/7 staff.”  

  

“Building our way out of this housing crisis will take an all-of-government approach,” said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy. “Thank you to our partners at DSNY for enabling us to repurpose their old garage to create over 230 affordable homes, and congratulations on the completion of this beautiful new facility.”  

  

“Congratulations to the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Design & Construction and all their partners on getting to this milestone,” said Erich Bilal, Executive Director of the New York City Public Design Commission. “This critical facility began as a strong vision and a willingness to push for the best design outcome at every opportunity. It is clear why this project was recognized by the Public Design Commission’s 37th Annual Awards for Excellence in Design: throughout design development, the agencies’ work to incorporate novel environmental design approaches and state-of-the-art engineering solutions is a testament to their commitment to delivering an exemplary public works facilities in service of Staten Islanders.”  

  

The project, located at 1000 West Service Road in the Fresh Kills complex, includes:  

•   A new two-story, 140,000-square-foot DSNY maintenance and operations garage, including personnel offices and muster areas, lunch facilities, locker rooms and other amenities for staff working in two Sanitation districts  

•   A new fueling station  

•   A new salt shed with capacity for 4 million pounds of road salt for winter operations  

•   Upgraded household special waste and recycling drop-off facilities  

•   Expanded parking for DSNY vehicles  

•   Significant infrastructure upgrades, including sanitary sewer force mains and stormwater systems  

•   Rehabilitation and modernization of the existing Borough Repair Shop  

•   New rooftop solar systems, skylights and other sustainability features   

  

With Staten Island District 1 operations relocating to the new complex, the former garage site at 539 Jersey Street will be transformed into 232 affordable homes, public open space and a grocery store, with green infrastructure incorporated throughout the development. Relocating Sanitation operations will significantly reduce heavy truck traffic in the neighborhood, improving pedestrian safety while reduce congestion and noise and enhancing quality of life for residents.  

   

The existing Staten Island 3 facility, which contains the Staten Island 3 Garage and Richmond Borough Repair Shop, will be rehabilitated to maintain and expand its use as the Richmond Borough Repair Shop while also accommodating weather-sensitive vehicular storage for Districts 1 and 3.     

   

The project received a 2019 Award for Excellence in Design from the New York City Public Design Commission as part of its 37th Annual Awards. DDC worked with design firm Andrea Steele Architecture, contractors Perfetto Contracting Co. Inc. and Prismatic Development Corp., and project partners NORESCO, Tectonic Engineering and Gilbane Building Company.  

   

The new garage will include a plaque honoring former Sanitation Worker Vincent Guglielmino, who died of a heart attack in 2004 while en route from his work to a DSNY clinic in Lower Manhattan for medical care. His death helped spur changes that strengthened benefits for survivors of deceased Sanitation Workers.  

Joseph Hernandez for State Comptroller comes to Morris Park, Bronx.

Monday night Joseph Hernandez held a fundraiser co-hosted by the Bronx Republican  Party in Morris Park. Along with Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller Joseph Hernandez were Bronx 82nd Assembly District candidate Irene Guanil, 14th Congressional District candidate Diamant Hysenaj, and 16th Congressional District candidate Joe Cinquemani. The room was packed with supporters.

Candidate for State Comptroller Joseph Hernandez spoke of coming to America from Cuba at the age of seven with his family, going to the University of Florida and Yale University, and becoming the entrepreneur he presently is. Candidate Hernandez also spoke about what he would do if elected New York State Comptroller. He said he would bring in house the money being paid to Wall Street to manage the state's pension fund, find what he said was eighteen billion dollars in fraud of the two-hundred seventy-seven billion dollar New York State budget, and invest in New York. 

(L - R) 14th Congressional candidate Diamant Hysenaj, Bronx Republican Party Vice-Chair (former Councilwoman) Kristy Marmorato, and 82nd Assembly District candidate Irene Guanil.

(L - R) 14th Congressional District candidate Diamant Hysenaj, Bronx Republican Party Vice-Chair Kristy Marmorato, New York State Comptroller candidate Joseph Hernandez, 82nd Assembly District candidate Irene Guanil, and 16th Congressional District candidate Joe Cinquemani.

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - You're invited to a talk with Christian Cooper

 

Repeat Federal Drug Trafficker and Girlfriend Sentenced to Prison

 

Two fentanyl and methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

Jason Mills, 47, of Hendersonville, N.C., was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Mills pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Mills was on federal probation for a federal cocaine trafficking conviction in Florida when he reoffended. His 10-year sentence will run at the expiration of his federal probation sentence for violating his probation. 

Stephanie Hope Lindsey, 40, of East Flat Rock, N.C., was ordered to serve 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Lindsey pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. “Fentanyl is a highly addictive and deadly drug, and today’s sentences reflect our commitment to protecting lives and combating this scourge across communities in the western district,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, law enforcement initiated an investigation into Mills for supplying fentanyl and methamphetamine in Henderson and Buncombe Counties. His girlfriend, Lindsey, was also involved in Mills’s drug trafficking activities. Between January and February 2024, Mills and Lindsey were involved in multiple drug transactions, selling fentanyl and methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. At times, Lindsey executed the drug transactions coordinated by Mills. Other times, Mills sold the drugs while Lindsey drove him to the agreed locations. Mills also handled some of the drug transactions on his own.

On February 12, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Mills’s residence in Asheville, seizing 86.38 grams of fentanyl, 87 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and $2,000 in U.S. currency. On the same day, law enforcement also searched Mills’s vehicle, where they found two magnetic boxes in the engine compartment containing 69 multi-colored pills containing methamphetamine, and two baggies that contained fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.

In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

New Yorkers for Parks - 2026 Daffodil Project registration is LIVE 🌼

 

Registration for the 2026 Daffodil Project is LIVE!

The wait is over! It's finally time register for the 2026 Daffodil Project. Sign up now and reserve free daffodil bulbs and native seed to plant in your community.    Join New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) for the 25th anniversary of the Daffodil Project, a living memorial and volunteer effort, a celebration of New Yorkers championing parks equity in their communities, and a catalyst for civic engagement advancing NY4P's call for transformative investment in our city's parks.   See the full list of 2026 distributions:

Saturday, October 3 – Prospect Park Plaza West, Brooklyn  Sunday, October 4 – Union Square North Plaza, Manhattan  Saturday, October 10 – 34th Ave Open Street, Queens  Sunday, October 11 – Willowbrook Park, Staten Island  Sunday, October 11 – 58-03 Rockaway Blvd at RISE HQ, Far Rockway   Saturday, October 17 – A. Philip Randolph Square, Harlem  Sunday, October 18 – St. Mary’s Park, Bronx

Whether you're a longtime participant or a newcomer, we hope you'll join us in stewarding and advocating for parks and open spaces this fall!  Interested in tabling at a distribution? Reach out to kparkprice@ny4p.org! Register Now! Volunteer at a distribution! Every year, New Yorkers for Parks depends on volunteers to help with all aspects of Daffodil Project distribution events. Responsibilities are wide ranging and include bagging bulbs, checking in participants, and collecting petition signatures, and can be adjusted to accommodate individual interest and ability. We hope you'll join the bulb brigade in 2026! Sign up to Volunteer Support the Daffodil Project The 2026 Daffodil Project wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our donors. Your contributions help us distribute daffodils and native seeds in every borough, beautifying communities and mobilizing advocates in services of a greener, more resilient city. Please consider making a donation today. Your support makes a lasting impact. Donate Today

Join TeamJZ for a FREE Food Giveaway Friday, August 21

 

Friends and Neighbors,

A key component of my community initiatives is ensuring that we care for those who are food insecure.

I am once again proud to offer the Brady Court Tenants and surrounding community a FREE food giveaway on Friday, August 21, 2026 starting at 11:00AM, while supplies last.

Event Details:

When: Friday, August 21, 2026 

Time: 11:00AM until supplies last

Where: Brady Court Community Center (corner of Antin Place and Holland Avenue)

Please see the flyer below for additional details. I look forward to spending some time with you on Friday, August 21st. 

Yours truly,

John Zaccaro, Jr.

NYCHCC Hispanic Heritage Month - Pioneer Award

 

Become a Sponsor Today

For More Information about this event Contact Hilda at Hildah@nychcc.com or Call 212-348-2339