TESTIMONY
Abby Biberman on Challenges and Litigation Related to Public Assistance Application Processing
4:13:27
·
153 sec
Abby Biberman highlights the New York Legal Assistance Group's efforts in addressing issues with public assistance and SNAP application processing, including a lawsuit against the city.
- Discusses how clients face difficulties applying or recertifying for public assistance and SNAP, and in obtaining rental assistance.
- Mentions a lawsuit filed against the city for failures in processing applications and recertifications timely and for not maintaining functional systems.
- Reports a significant reduction in the application backlog, though the accuracy of the reported numbers has been questioned.
- Raises concerns about clients struggling to complete phone interviews, leading to a high number of denials.
- Urges for the maintenance of functional systems to aid clients in completing their applications and recertifications.
Abby Biberman
4:13:27
My name is Abby Biberman.
4:13:28
I'm Associate Director of the Public Benefits Unit at the New York Legal Assistance Group.
4:13:33
I've worked with individuals and families who are attempting to apply or recertify for public assistance and snap and families facing eviction.
4:13:41
And seeking rental assistance, and I appreciate the opportunity to offer the following comments.
4:13:46
As part of the lawsuit that my office filed with the legal aid society against the city for failing to process applications and recertifications and issue benefits timely, and for failure to maintain systems and to complete these applications, The agency was ordered to come into compliance with federal and state processing requirements by March 31, 2024.
4:14:07
And last week, the mayor announced that the city had reduced its backlog significantly from over 50,000 to just over 15 sorry, 1500.
4:14:16
Although that number has been called into question by staff who testified earlier today, so we will look into that.
4:14:24
A reduced backlog sounds like good news and it is.
4:14:28
It could be, but it does not tell the full story.
4:14:31
We have concerns that clients are still unable to get through on the phone line to complete their phone interviews, which would result in the city processing applications in a timely manner perhaps, but ultimately denying a large number of cases.
4:14:45
And we've seen this in local law data where there was an increase in the number of denials due to failure to complete the interview.
4:14:52
But you would not know that from the numbers the administration provided last week.
4:14:56
We are continuing to explore the phone interview and other bear years to accessing benefits as we litigate our case against the city.
4:15:03
My written testimony includes stories of multiple clients and and I LAG attorney who reported waiting over an hour on multiple occasions and sent us screenshots to get through on the phone viewline.
4:15:15
Some clients were denied for failure to complete their interview, and for others fortunately contacted our office in time for us to intervene and conduct advocacy.
4:15:25
But we know we also know that clients have submitted documents online and in person and are still being denied and discontinued.
4:15:32
I'm almost done.
4:15:33
So these are all clients in need who have taken repeated steps to complete their applications.
4:15:38
They're being wrongfully denied benefits to which they're entitled.
4:15:42
We are glad that the city is working to expeditiously process benefits, but it must simultaneously maintain functional systems for clients to complete their applications and research notifications, please refer to my written testimony for NILEX initiative requests for which we are asking for renewed funding.
4:15:59
Thank you.
