Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
AGENCY TESTIMONY
Core programs and partnerships of NYC Aging
2:54:06
·
110 sec
Commissioner Cortés-Vázquez discusses the core programs of NYC Aging and the importance of their partnerships with nonprofit providers. She emphasizes the human side of their work and addresses recent criticisms about staff responsibilities.
- NYC Aging works with a network of nonprofit providers to deliver services to older adults.
- The commissioner defends staff practices of spending time in the field, stating it's integral to their work and doesn't detract from other responsibilities.
- She highlights the agency's record of on-time payments and positive partnerships with contractors.
- The commissioner emphasizes their approach to resolving issues as partnerships of equals.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
2:54:06
These numbers not only tell a portion of the story beyond the services included in NYC aging, but they show the human side of the work that we do every day to make New York City fully age inclusive.
2:54:19
This is not possible without a network of nonprofit providers.
2:54:25
On the human side, I'm also proud of the work that our agency employees and our providers who serve older adults daily.
2:54:33
Even when a NYC aging staff are spending time in the field connecting with provider staff or older other older adults, they still prioritize their daily work and tasks which makes this agency an incredible part of city government.
2:54:50
I was a little disheartened to hear comments made recently in this room about NYC aging staff ignoring their responsibilities to process contract payments because they spend too much time in the field with older adults or our providers.
2:55:09
Those two actions go hand in hand.
2:55:11
And it is integrated into their work.
2:55:14
We believe that to serve the public you need to know the public.
2:55:19
More importantly, I believe our record of on time payment speaks for itself as does the positive partnerships we have with our contractors.
2:55:27
This is not to say that there aren't any issues to be addressed.
2:55:31
There are issues.
2:55:32
And we address those.
2:55:33
We address those usually head on.
2:55:35
But our approach is ease always to resolve these as partnerships of equal.
2:55:40
As we discussed in March during our preliminary budget hearing, there are key challenges in the city financially.
2:55:46
And NYC Aging is always prepared to prioritize the needs of older adults and our course aging services while limiting the impacts of these challenges.