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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric Lee, Director of Public Policy at Volunteers of America Greater New York, on Adult Protective Services and Supportive Housing
1:58:22
ยท
3 min
Eric Lee from Volunteers of America Greater New York testified about the challenges and importance of Adult Protective Services (APS) in supporting vulnerable and aging New Yorkers, particularly in supportive housing settings. He emphasized the need for expanded APS staffing and improved assessment processes to better serve residents at risk of homelessness.
- Highlighted difficulties in securing APS services for supportive housing residents, including cases being denied or closed prematurely
- Stressed the importance of APS as a stabilizing force, especially in situations like hoarding where they can act as a neutral third party
- Expressed support for Resolution 16, which calls for an increase in the personal needs allowance for eligible individuals in institutional settings
Eric Lee
1:58:22
Hi.
1:58:22
Good morning or good afternoon.
1:58:24
Thank you, chair Hudson and members of the committee for allowing me to testify today.
1:58:28
My name is Eric Lee.
1:58:32
Alright.
1:58:33
Good afternoon.
1:58:34
My name is Eric Lee.
1:58:35
I'm director of public policy at Volunteers of America Greater New York.
1:58:39
We greatly appreciate the committee for holding this hearing today on APS and ensuring that our vulnerable and aging New Yorkers are supported and protected.
1:58:48
My organization, VOAGNY, is the fifth largest supportive housing provider in New York City.
1:58:54
We have three residences dedicated to caring for older adults.
1:58:58
In addition to these buildings, we also house a large number of seniors in our other permanent housing facilities simply because the buildings the longer they operate, the the longer our tenants get to age in place within the buildings.
1:59:12
And given that while these buildings have some supportive housing services supportive services in place, the buildings were not initially designed for seniors when we created them or stood them up.
1:59:23
Given that, we often look to partner with APS or other agencies to augment our services, and we encourage the council to prioritize funding in next year's budget to expand headcount within APS.
1:59:34
I know that the agency said that they think that they're they're sufficient but we really wanna see the agency have adequate staffing to proactively partner with clinical staff within buildings so that we can implement service rich progressive care models to ensure that vulnerable residents who are struggling to maintain their housing can get the services they need to stay there.
1:59:54
It can be extremely challenging currently to secure APS services for supportive housing residents.
2:00:00
APS frequently does not open a case when the resident first does not answer the door or if they refuse care within the first conversation with the APS worker.
2:00:09
Rather than the APS worker taking the time to fully assess the circumstances and and the ability of of the client to make decisions to maintain their housing.
2:00:19
Even if our clinical staff make the case that they that APS does need to intervene, we have had cases denied.
2:00:25
It's not clear to us if these denials are based on the belief that supportive housing residents ought not to receive care from APS or if there's a skill gap in the assessment of the people that are doing the assessment or in assessing particularly in assessing the need whether someone had lacks the insight, to make decisions, or if APS simply doesn't have enough hands and are eager to try to just churn through the massive number of of referrals which they mentioned today.
2:00:57
It's critical that they have the sufficient staff at APS to handle the volume of cases, being evaluated and that the staff in place take the time to meaningfully engage and encourage all persons referred because fair failure to act appropriately will result in more extremely vulnerable New Yorkers becoming street homeless.
2:01:15
When APS does open a for our supportive housing residents, their involvement can be a very stabilizing force.
2:01:22
For example, when it's challenging for a building staff to gain entry or access to a unit within a hoarding situation with a resident, APS acting as a third neutral third party can can work with the client to declutter and declean clean the unit as well as bring in exterminators.
2:01:40
And one final point regarding the legislation heard today, we are in support of resolution 16 by council member Paladino, which will call on the state to increase the personal needs allowance.
2:01:52
We work with a number of of veterans as well as other people within institutional settings, and this would definitely help them, to have more money in their pockets.
2:02:02
Thank you.
Crystal Hudson
2:02:03
Thank you so much.