Community Service Society Of New York

Programs: Css's health initiatives department conducts health coverage policy research, advocates for quality affordable coverage for all, and provides education and direct health coverage assistance to new york consumers. Css's health coverage-related direct services programs include: community health advocates; the css navigator network; the independent consumer advocacy network; the abd-fe program; and harlem health advocacy project. For many of these projects, css subcontracts with networks of community-based organizations to serve consumers across new york state. Together, in fy 2017, css's health coverage direct services programs served consumers in over 100,000 direct assistance cases. The health initiatives department has 25 trained and active volunteers.

retired & senior volunteer program (rsvp)rsvp deployed some 2,500 volunteers throughout the five boroughs to meet critical community needs throughout a network of 280 organizations. They contributed approximately 500,000 hours of unpaid service. Extensively trained rsvp volunteer financial coaches helped over 700 low-income clients with issues related to banking, budgeting, reviewing and correcting credit reports, managing debt, student loans, and setting financial goals. Volunteers provided companionship, camaraderie, social support and medical escorting to veterans making sure that patients have a more positive, productive, and less stressful experience while at the va facilities. Two hundred and thirty volunteers helped to prepare, serve or distribute 126,000 emergency food packages and meals to members of their community who are hungry, homeless and in need of assistance, including families with young children. Rsvp deployed 65 extensively trained volunteer benefits counselors throughout a network of 38 community partners where they conducted over 6,300 benefit counseling sessions and assisted with over 8,000 public benefit issues. One hundred and sixty-four rsvp volunteers helped nursing home residents by providing regular visitations, extra support and ombudsman services. Eighty rsvp-trained mentros worked one-on-one and in small groups with children who have an incarcerated parent as well as with adolescents in alternative to detention/incarceration programs. Over 200 young people, ages 6 to 21, worked with their mentors on academic enrichment projects and/or career goal setting activities. A total of 405 volunteers served in 45 hospitals throughout the five boroughs. They provided critical support services which augmented the hospitals' work in patient and family healthcare.

the benefits plus learning center is designed to educate social service professionals on government benefit and housing programs through our searchable online resource manual (benefits plus online - over 2,000 pages) and our training workshops. In fy 2017, the learning center retained a software consultant to redesign and address ongoing problems with the benefits plus online manual, as well as to create a new website for all of the learning center's products. Center staff created eight new workshops and facilitated 58 training workshops for nearly 1,500 social service professionals. Staff also maintained and updated the benefits plus online manual throughout the year. The center also began to incorporate social media into our marketing efforts, including twitter, face book and linked in.

other program services