CDO Workforce coordinates and focuses employment, training and education development resources across three counties, providing service to employed people, unemployed people and employers alike. Our goal is to improve the long-term growth and development of the work force.
Including:
Green Mountain Self-Advocates has created a guide written by and for people with disabilities.
Shared From cornell.edu:
"With ongoing impact of covid-19 still not fully understood by the community at large, individuals with disabilities who regularly access a series of public benefits are left with a variety of questions about the impact of the various federal and state legislative and administrative actions on these various benefits. Key language in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) serves as a guidepost from which the impact on benefits can be better understood.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any refund (or advance payment with respect to a refundable credit) made to any individual under this title shall not be taken into account as income, and shall not be taken into account as resources for a period of 12 months from receipt, for purposes of determining the eligibility of such individual (or any other individual) for benefits or assistance (or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance) under any Federal program or under any State or local program financed in whole or in part with Federal funds. 26 U.S. Code § 6409."
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Individuals who are receiving SSI need to be aware of several key elements related to the stimulus payment:
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Disabled Widow(er) Benefits (DWB), Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB): The stimulus payment will have no impact on any of these Title II benefits: SSDI, DWB, CDB, and SSA Retirement. These benefits are classified as insurance benefits and are NOT impacted by unearned income. In addition, the stimulus payments will NOT be taxable.
Please note that Title II benefits are SSA benefits. SSI benefits are federal welfare benefits. At any time when the Act refers to “Social Security Benefits, “SSI” in not included unless specifically stated by the statute.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): There is no impact on SNAP benefits due to the receipt of a stimulus payment in accordance with 26 U.S. Code § 6409.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD): There is no impact on HUD rent subsidies due to the receipt of the stimulus funds. Further, HUD housing does not consider an individual’s resources. Only the income produced by the resource, bank interest, is considered by HUD. *Please check your state rules concerning and state public housing in which an individual may be living.
HUD has also extended a “tailored set of mortgage payment relief options for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages”. “Effective immediately for borrowers with a financial hardship that makes them unable to pay their mortgage due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, mortgage servicers must extend deferred or reduced mortgage payment options - called forbearance - for up to six months, and must provide an additional six months of forbearance if requested by the borrower”[1].
Medicaid: In all states that have accepted the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) 6.2% increase from the federal government (only NYS is in question), Medicaid recipients who received benefits before the COVID-19 crisis, or become eligible during the crisis cannot be terminated from Medicaid.
On a case by case basis, states may change the category or eligibility, e.g., from regular Medicaid to 1619(b) or Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities (MBI-WPD), but terminations of coverage will not be allowed.
Medicare: The stimulus payment will have no impact on Medicare premiums or eligibility. Medicare Savings Plans (MSPs), those programs that see Medicaid paying all or part of Medicare premiums for Parts B and D, will also not be impacted by the stimulus payments in accordance with above language (26 U.S. Code § 6409).
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): In accordance with the language in 26 U.S. Code § 6409, the stimulus payment will have no impact on TANF eligibility or resource levels for a 12 month period from receipt of the funds.
Unemployment Insurance (UI): Each state is responsible for establishing its own UI benefits eligibility. In general, individuals qualify when:
Important UI Facts: • UI has been extended beyond the “normal” 26 weeks to 39 weeks. *Note: Massachusetts residents will receive 43 weeks as the Commonwealth provides 30 weeks of UI in normal circumstances.If your state pays other than 26 weeks in normal circumstances, simply add 13 weeks to the number of state weeks of payment
The federal government will also add $600 per week to the maximum state U/I benefit paid. For instance, if your state maximum payment is $450 per week, the weekly check will be $1045. There appears to be no variation in payment for those not receiving the maximum in your states so we must assume, until we receive other information that the $600 per week will be added to all UI amounts paid by the state.
For SSD/I workers with disabilities that will have to meet your state “base rate”; meaning that they have to have worked long enough and earned enough to be eligible for UI. See your state’s UI website for this information. Many websites also have calculators to estimate payments.
Important UI and SSI Facts: • SSI recipients are required to apply for any other benefit they may be eligible to receive when told of potential eligibility. The SSA Program Operations Manual System (POMS) states:
For those SSI recipients that meet your state’s UI “base period” the potential of receiving $2400 plus the state U/I benefit exists. SSI recipients could receive much more through the UI program than through the SSI program. Thus, they should be encouraged to apply ASAP for UI. Given that be maximum period of receipt of UI is 43 months, SSI recipients will still be suspended when UI ends. Please note:
[1] HUD (2020, April 1). HUD issues new CARES act mortgage payment relief for FHA single family homeowners. HUD https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_20_048
[2] DOL (2020, April, 2). How do I file for unemployment insurance? DOL https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance
Released April 2, 2020
When implemented, there will be many new resources available for small businesses, as well as certain nonprofits and other employers. This guide provides information about the major programs and initiatives that will soon be available from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address these needs, as well as some additional tax provisions that are outside the scope of SBA.
From the Catskill Center for Independence:
"Although our presence in the community is not what you may be used to, we are still diligently working to meet your health care enrollment needs.
New York State of Health has opened a SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD where everyone, regardless of their income, can apply for coverage. This special enrollment period is effective now through Aril 15, 2020 and includes Qualified Health Plans (those with metal levels). Of course enrollments in Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan are open year round. Please call one of our navigators to get the help you need in taking advantage of this special enrollment period as well as applying for Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan at any time during the year.
Our Navigators are located in the following counties, but are able to assist consumers in any New York State County:
Schoharie County: Debbie Martin: 607-725-7256 Cheryl Plant: 607-437-0265
Delaware County: Shelly VanDerwerken: 607-435-7645
They are available Monday through Friday from 8-4 daily and are looking forward to assisting you as you make your health care decisions. We thank you for your understanding during this time and hope you all stay safe and healthy".
Our goal is to help job seekers not just find a job, but develop and manage a career. That means helping them when they have a job and when they are looking. We also strive to help employers find the workers they need quickly and the resources to improve training, workforce retention and workforce restructuring.
A DRC is a Disability Resource Coordinator, someone who helps individuals with disabilities find employment.
High School Equivalency (HSE/GED) A high school equivalency or GED/HSE is a recognized alternative to a high school diploma.
Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides students and job seekers with real-life work experience that compliments their academic studies. Typically they include job shadowing, mentoring, internships, and apprenticeships.
A Team Helper is anyone who is the lead support person to the job seeker with disabilities along their career journey. It can be a family member, friend, employment counselor, Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC), or case manager.
A stop-gap job is temporary employment until something better or more permanent can be obtained.
Basic needs refers to the goods and services necessary for a minimum standard of living. This includes access to food, safe shelter, clothing, and sanitation. Reliable transportation and education can also be considered a basic need.
A safe space is intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.
Competitive integrated employment (CIE) is work performed by a person with an impairment or health-related disability (health impairment) within an integrated setting. Wages are at least minimum wage or higher and at a rate comparable to non-disabled workers performing the same tasks.
For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education.
