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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Chelsea Rose, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Care for the Homeless
6:09:19
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Chelsea Rose from Care for the Homeless testified about the importance of supporting the city council's health focus initiatives and urged the council to include $4,500,000 for Access Health NYC in the FY 2026 budget. She emphasized the organization's work in providing medical and behavioral health services to homeless individuals in New York City.
- Care for the Homeless operates 23 federally qualified community health centers across all five boroughs and several shelters.
- The organization engaged over 6,000 individuals in outreach efforts during the last full funding cycle.
- Rose stressed the need for increased funding to meet growing demands in serving underserved communities and connecting them to essential health services.
Chelsea Rose
6:09:19
Good afternoon.
6:09:20
My name is Chelsea Rose and I am the policy and advocacy manager at Care for the Homeless.
6:09:25
I'd like to thank the members of the committee for the opportunity to testify today.
6:09:29
Care for the Homeless has forty years of experience providing medical and behavioral health services exclusively to people experiencing homelessness in New York City.
6:09:37
We operate 23 federally qualified community health centers in all five boroughs, co locating in places where individuals are already accessing services.
6:09:46
We also operate two shelters for women, two shelters for men, one safe haven with one more opening in the next few months.
6:09:53
I'm here today to talk about the importance of supporting the city council's health focus initiatives and to urge the council to include 4,500,000.0 for the Access Health NYC in the FY twenty six budget.
6:10:04
At CFH, City Council's Health Focus Initiatives allow us to reach people experiencing homelessness to not only help them access primary medical and behavioral health services, but also to help establish a focus on ongoing preventative health care.
6:10:18
Access Health enables community organizations across NYC to provide education, outreach, and assistance to all New Yorkers about how to access health care and coverage.
6:10:29
Our consumers are burdened with navigating a complex health care system to address multiple co occurring chronic health conditions while also experiencing the trauma of homelessness.
6:10:40
Our goal is to reduce the barriers to accessing health care and supportive services that are integral to stabilizing the lives of those we serve.
6:10:49
In the last full funding cycle, we engaged over 6,000 individuals in our outreach efforts led by our outreach specialists who are folks with lived understanding of the barriers that people experiencing homelessness often face.
6:11:00
Connecting underserved communities to essential health services is essential in the fight to end homelessness.
6:11:06
It is imperative that the FY twenty six budget continues to invest in the city council's health focused initiatives and also enhance the access health initiative to 4,500,000.
6:11:16
This increase is necessary to meet the growing demands that our organizations have faced in serving our communities.
6:11:21
Thank you very much for your time.