TESTIMONY
Ruth Stein, Attorney at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, on Enhancing Services for Older Adults through Interagency Coordination
1:57:59
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159 sec
Ruth Stein advocates for the formation of an interagency council to improve services for older adults, highlighting issues due to current system dis-coordination.
- Represents the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, emphasizing their wide range of services for over 320,000 clients annually, including elder abuse legal services.
- Advocates for Local Law 689, which calls for an interagency council to better serve elderly New Yorkers due to a lack of formalized coordination amongst public systems.
- Shares a client's story to illustrate the negative impact of dis-coordination on vulnerable seniors, calling for integrated services and support.
- Supports a codified cabinet to monitor and coordinate services, ensuring better accessibility and protection for older adults.
Ruth Stein
1:57:59
Thank you.
1:58:00
Chair Hudson and fellow members of the committee on aging.
1:58:02
Thank you for taking the time to hold this hearing on interagency coordination on older adult issues.
1:58:07
My name is Ruth Stein.
1:58:09
I'm an attorney at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, focusing on elder abuse legal services.
1:58:14
For over 50 years, my Council has been one of America's largest Jewish charities dedicated to finding poverty.
1:58:19
We operate tech departments, ranging from a 100% affordable housing to our award winning family violence program to comprehensive public class survivor assistance, other senior programming crisis intervention, and the country's largest kosher emergency food network.
1:58:31
In total, we provide a wide range of supports over 320,000 clients a year, many of whom are older adults.
1:58:37
Mac Council plays a unique role by offering a markedly wide breadth of services to older adults elder abuse prevention program, including the DIFTA elder justice contract for Brooklyn South, that may caregiver support, geriatric case management and case assistance, social work services at Mac Council as well and continue buildings in our community center sites in Brooklyn, Holocaust survivor services, including grocery home delivery and home repair services for seniors.
1:58:58
We are committed to serving any new or guardian regardless of race at this year, religion.
1:59:02
My counsel unequivocally supports local law 689, calling for the formation of an interagency council to provide collaboration to improve services for elderly Yorkers.
1:59:09
Currently, there is no formalized coordination amongst the various public systems providing older no services.
1:59:14
We need to go to vocational services and systems that are odds and systems that are odds with one another.
1:59:19
Also often, vulnerable seniors fall through the cracks because existing systems aren't enthusiastic and cumbersome.
1:59:23
Is our hope this council will address integration and simplification of these systems, making it easier for older New Yorkers to access services they need, and local 68 local law 689 is a promising step.
1:59:33
Our elder abuse prevention program works with some of the most vulnerable, older New Yorkers who interact with the social service, legal health care and housing systems.
1:59:40
Policies currently in pray place can re traumatize rather than support clients, coordination between the various systems with strength and the city's ability to support these vulnerable seniors.
1:59:48
I'd like to share an example of my counsel client who suffered due to a lack of coordination.
1:59:53
He did this assault that after verbal altercation with her brother who shares the family home.
1:59:56
She was referred to us by the Brooklyn district attorney's office who was unable to pursue further legal and advised us to seek a family court order of protection.
2:00:04
However, her brother obtained a counter order of protection, and since
Crystal Hudson
2:00:07
you can continue.
Ruth Stein
2:00:09
Thank you.
2:00:10
Brother obtained account order, an instance called NYPD to make false statements against her, getting her arrested several times.
2:00:16
The order has not prevented the abuse but her brother uses it adhesively against her.
2:00:21
Her income is extremely low, so she's unable to find other housing options.
2:00:25
And with interagency coordination, her order could be honored and monitored through NYPD, APS, the DA, and or a government council soldier worker coordinating.
2:00:33
We fully support a codified cabinet and we hope to see progress toward coordination.
2:00:37
Thank you for your time.
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Coleton Whitaker from Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) at AARP on Enhancing Services for Older New Yorkers Through Interagency Collaboration
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Cynthia Maurer, Executive Director of Visiting Neighbors, on Enhancing Senior Independence and Interagency Communication