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TESTIMONY
Anne K. Callagy on Systemic Failures in Public Assistance Application Processes
2:14:01
·
6 min
Anne K. Callagy, Government Benefits Director at Legal Aid Society, presents detailed criticism of the Human Resources Administration's (HRA) handling of public assistance applications, highlighting the systemic failures in ensuring timely and accessible support for New York's neediest.
- Callagy reports substantial issues in processing SNAP and cash assistance applications and recertifications, particularly the failure to meet legal timeliness mandates.
- She details technological and procedural barriers inhibiting applicants, including difficulties with online platforms, document submission, and obtaining necessary interviews.
- Callagy emphasizes the gap between HRA's actual performance and the legal requirement for substantial compliance in processing emergency and expedited benefits.
- Proposals for improvement, including enhanced transparency and a proactive corrective action strategy, are discussed, pointing towards systemic reforms.
- Callagy's testimony underscores the critical need for accessibility and efficiency in public assistance programs, urging immediate action to rectify existing inadequacies.
Anne K. Callagy
2:14:01
How about that?
2:14:02
Perfect.
2:14:02
Okay.
2:14:03
Very good.
2:14:04
So good afternoon.
2:14:05
My name is Anne Callige.
2:14:07
I'm from the legal aid society.
2:14:10
The legal aid society really appreciates having the chance to testify here, and we will be submitting written testimony, which will be in greater detail than the few comments that I'll offer.
2:14:21
Now I am the government benefits director in our civil practice.
2:14:27
And so part of our government benefits practice as you may know, is aimed at serving the Neediest New Yorkers in there obtaining and maintaining their snap and cash assistance benefits.
2:14:42
So I also very much appreciate your focus on the the need for those benefits, for those living in poverty.
2:14:52
HRA is the agency we work with.
2:14:56
They have legal mandates.
2:14:58
They are legal mandates include processing applications within 30 days.
2:15:03
For cash assistance and SNAP.
2:15:06
Their legal mandates include processing what are called recertifications for assistance.
2:15:12
For cash assistance and snap also within 30 days.
2:15:18
If you know this already, I'm sorry to say it, but when somebody is on public assistance, they have to periodically recertify their eligibility.
2:15:29
The other thing they're mandated to do, which we are focusing on because it's a problem.
2:15:35
Though some of these problems don't appear in the management report, and that's a problem.
2:15:42
HRA is mandated to issue emergency or expedited SNAP benefits for those who qualify when they're applying.
2:15:51
And so that somebody without sufficient funds and no food are supposed to be able to get expedited snap in 7 days rather than wait the entire 30 day period.
2:16:04
They are woefully, they're they're failing in their mandate to issue those benefits in a timely way.
2:16:10
Courts have generally held that substantial compliance with the timeliness mandate is 95%.
2:16:19
So you see the percentages listed in the management report.
2:16:24
They are so far below substantial compliance.
2:16:28
I do hear that HRA doesn't think that is substantial compliance.
2:16:33
And the mayor's management office of operations doesn't believe it's substantial compliance.
2:16:39
But the question is, what can be done about it and what is being done about it?
2:16:46
One of the things is the process of applying and recertifying and seeking benefits involves three steps for anybody who's trying to do it.
2:16:55
They have to fill out a form, submit documents, and have an interview.
2:17:00
And the processes that HRA uses really create barriers for
Lincoln Restler
2:17:08
Please feel free to continue.
Anne K. Callagy
2:17:09
Sorry.
2:17:09
For the public who are trying to get these benefits.
2:17:13
So they have an access HRA online portal, not everybody can use it.
2:17:23
They are no longer really providing paper forms for people to fill out.
2:17:29
And they don't provide truly sufficient services to do phone applications.
2:17:37
To upload documents requires some technology, though a person can go to a center and upload them there through the scanner.
2:17:47
The problem we're finding is people have uploaded their documents, and then their case gets closed or denied for the failure to submit documents.
2:17:56
So there is some disconnect in HRA's technology that needs to be addressed.
2:18:02
And then the other big problem is the phone system.
2:18:05
So that if I need an interview, an HRA has a backlog of applications or recertifications to deal with.
2:18:14
They may be dealing with the backlog, but the numbers are telling us there are tens of thousands of denials for failure to have an interview.
2:18:23
People cannot get through on the line.
2:18:25
They're waiting for hours.
2:18:27
There is one callback feature that is easily missed.
2:18:31
If you choose it and you miss your callback, you go back and call again.
2:18:36
You just spend hours.
2:18:37
People don't have minutes on their phones for one thing.
2:18:42
So it's very distressing People are doing their best.
2:18:46
It's not their fault that they've something failed.
2:18:51
So We have proposals in our testimony for improvements.
2:18:56
My time may be done.
2:19:00
One thing, we were talking about the need for transparency, and and we appreciate the committee's emphasis on that.
2:19:07
We appreciate the mayor's management ops people saying that's a thing.
2:19:14
If HRA had to report monthly on the delays in applications and re certifications and offer a corrective action plan anytime it goes below substantial compliance.
2:19:27
That essentially is what happens when we have no other recourse but to sue them.
2:19:34
We end up with a correction.
2:19:35
Corrective action plan.
2:19:37
So why don't we proactively have them do this?
2:19:41
And let's try to make it work.
2:19:43
Before we get to that point where 1000 of people are out of benefits.
2:19:48
So it's just one proposal that we have The rest are in our testimony.
2:19:56
1 involve 311, which I was interested to hear because 311 just sends people who need HRA's help to HRA's one number that they can't get through on.
2:20:07
So we were sort of hoping 311 could be utilized to access the HRA system where needed.
2:20:16
Okay.
2:20:17
The rest of our recommendations are in writing, and we do appreciate again the chance to I'll be here today and look forward to collaborating further to improve these issues.