Category: Blog

Show Love for People with Disabilities: No on HR 620

This Valentine’s Day, show some love for people with disabilities by speaking out against HR 620. 

Please take a moment to call and tweet our Representatives TODAY and TOMORROW. Urge them to vote NO on HR 620, a bill that would turn back the clock on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It is especially important to call Long Island Democrat Kathleen Rice (NY-4) because she’s a cosponsor of the bill.

All Reps can be reached at the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (tty). Direct office contact information can be found at Contacting Congress.

Can’t call? You can also text RESIST to 50409 or contact elected officials online.

Learn more about the bill here.

We Must Continue the Fight to Protect Medicaid

The House and Senate Republicans and Democrats are meeting at the end of the month to decide on their respective caucus’ legislative priorities for 2018. Key House and Senate leaders indicated that they would like to cut spending on federal programs such as Medicaid in response to the 1.5 trillion dollar loss of revenue due to the tax cuts.   

This is a continuation of the fight in 2017 except they are using different messaging.  

Medicaid is at risk whether they are calling it “welfare reform” or “opportunities” or “jobs for people,” the end result is reducing enrollment in Medicaid and spending less on the program. Tell Congress they should seek bipartisan efforts to strengthen Medicaid and other social programs that people with disabilities rely on.      

Take Action!  

Call your Representative and Senators today at 202/224-3121. EVERY call matters. If we can prevent Congress from passing a budget, then Congress will not be able to cut or cap Medicaid. Act now as Congress will be deciding what direction to take at the end of the month.

What to Say:

  • I am your constituent.
  • I am a person with a disability (or a family member or professional in the field).
  • Medicaid provides critical services to people with disabilities.
  • Protect Medicaid from cuts and caps.
  • Do not pass a budget that allows Medicaid cuts.  

Can’t call? You can also text RESIST to 50409 or contact elected officials online.

Helen Ha to Retire

Helen Ha, a Benefits Counselor at CIDNY for 10 years, is retiring in February. Helen is a native Chinese speaker and a great asset for her ability to connect with the Asian American community in NYC.

She plans to babysit her first granddaughter, to travel (including a visit to her native China), and to be more active physically. She looks forward to bringing the knowledge and skills she’s acquired to help her peers navigate applications as they also reach retirement.

Helen has three children, an older son who works in computer science, a younger son who is a doctor, and a daughter who is transitioning from international marketing to a career in nursing. She calls CIDNY her “first family,” since “you’re there from 9 to 5.”

After raising her three kids, Helen started her work in benefits advisement by working part-time doing outreach for the legally blind. She then worked at Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) for 10 years, helping seniors and people with disabilities to connect with benefits, and helping people displaced by fires or other emergencies. Then she joined the team at CIDNY, where she first helped people access health care benefits before becoming a generalist and helping with a host of benefits. “I learned a lot,” she recalls fondly of each experience.

“I find if I can help someone, I feel good,” she says. As a person who is about to retire and a diabetic, Helen also sees for herself how complicated it can be to navigate options. 

Helen shared a recent story about a long time CIDNY participant who had a problem with prescription coverage, which can change every year. A hand lotion that he needed retailed for $5,000; the generic version was $2,000. But he had enrolled in a plan that didn’t cover the prescription. Helen found that his previous plan only charged a small premium for the medication, and then she was able to get him back on that original plan. “It made me happy,” she says, smiling.

“Helen brought first-hand knowledge of the Asian community to CIDNY and some of the issues these consumers face as new Americans transitioning to the complex, diverse cultural life of NYC,” says Paula Wolff, Senior Benefits Counselor. “With her strong knowledge of health care benefits, she enabled consumers to enter and navigate the complicated health care services web to achieve their goals of optimum wellness. She did all of this with a calm, even [demeanor]. She’ll be missed.”

We thank Helen for her service and dedication to our consumers and wish her all the best in her retirement.

Gloria’s Story: Volunteering at CIDNY

When I retired, sitting at home became too much. I am 65 plus and now live in an assisted living facility in Manhattan.

I came to NYC on November 16, 1960, as a girl from Bridgeville, Delaware. I have had many jobs, but my most rewarding employment was working with the disabled. I was a Mentally Ill–Chemical Abuse counselor (MICA), a benefits advisor, and I have assisted people in obtaining housing. I was also a placement coordinator at Howie the Harp. (Howie the Harp is a training program for people with disabilities to become peer counselors.) 

I am now a volunteer at the Center for the Independence of the Disabled (CIDNY).

At first, I was nervous. My voice goes UP and I speak fast. After a few weeks, I came to love being here. The people I work with are understanding and willing to help. They are friendly and we respect each other. When I walk into the office, my world lightens up. I am doing the work I love, in an office with people I respect, and who have the confidence in me that I can complete any task when asked.

I help with a variety of things that need to be completed: data entry, making phones calls to government offices, and following up on participants and surveys. I also cover the front desk when needed.

I am an advocate for people with disabilities. I have advocated and will continue to advocate to keep Medicaid. I will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

I went to an MTA board meeting as part of CIDNY’s Access-A-Ride organizing work. The day before the meeting, an Access-A-Ride taxi was supposed to pick me up at the office at 2 pm. At 3:20 pm, he arrived around the corner (on 13th St.). He helped me into the car and put my walker in the trunk. He insisted that I would have to pay the full fare, stating he “was not one of the drivers that picked up people in wheelchairs.” When I would not get out, he called the police on me. After he spoke to Paratransit, he told the police everything was fine.  

At the MTA meeting, I shared my experience. The President and the Vice President of the MTA gave me their direct numbers.

They stated they would be more careful regarding choosing the car companies they contract with. Due to working with CIDNY staff, I was able to make the needed connections to advocate for myself. 

I have had very few problems with the broker car services since I spoke at the June MTA board.

I am also the president of the residential council at the 74th St. residence and I fight there for the residents to get the services they need. This includes the money from the Equal Grant, money given by New York State to the residence, for the residents. I try to make sure the money is spent on the residents, not for whatever the property managers want to spend it on.

Here at CIDNY, I connected with the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program who now have assigned an Ombudsman to my facility. I will continue to have meetings and inform the residents of any progress.

I am a free woman and can speak up for myself and others. I am proud. I will not stand for injustice.