Res. No. 207
Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to enact H.R. 4224, the “Together We Care Act of 2009,” which would establish a pilot program to train public housing residents as home health care aides and in home-based health care services to enable residents to provide covered home-based health care services to residents of public housing and residents of federally-assisted rental housing, who are elderly or persons with a disability.
By Council Members Reyna, Mark-Viverito, Chin, Dromm, Fidler, James, Recchia, Rose, Sanders Jr., Williams, Jackson, Rodriguez, Van Bramer, Vann, Arroyo, White, Lander, Mendez, Foster, Nelson, Palma, Crowley, Eugene and Barron
Whereas, The City of New York is currently in the midst of an economic recession; and
Whereas, There are many individuals who reside in public housing or federally-assisted rental housing who may be unemployed or underemployed; and
Whereas, In these trying economic times it is important the government make every tool available to help the poorest of New Yorkers, particularly those who are residents of public housing or federally-assisted housing developments, move up the economic ladder through job training or employment opportunities; and
Whereas, H.R. 4224, the “Together We Care Act of 2009,” would create training and employment opportunities for residents of public housing or federally-assisted housing developments by creating a three year pilot home-based health services job training program; and
Whereas, The pilot program would be created under the supervision of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); and
Whereas, Many residents of public housing and federally-assisted housing developments are elderly or are persons with a disability and in need of home-based health services; and
Whereas, There is a severe lack of available providers of home-based health services, and residents of public housing are among the hardest hit as a result of this shortcoming; and
Whereas, The competitive grant program that will be run by HUD under this pilot program will also generate opportunities for a broad array of entities, such as public housing agencies, community health centers, and home care provider organizations, as well as faith-based and labor organizations, all of which may apply to receive these funds in order to train this new workforce; and
Whereas, An additional benefit focusing on public housing residents and residents of federally-assisted housing developments under the “Together We Care Act” to receive training is that by having such a pilot program residents of public housing who are elderly or persons with a disability could remain in their homes and not have to move to a health care facility and perhaps by cared for by someone they already know; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to enact H.R. 4224, the “Together We Care Act of 2009,” which would establish a pilot program to train public housing residents as home health care aides and in home-based health care services to enable residents to provide covered home-based health care services to residents of public housing and residents of federally-assisted rental housing, who are elderly or persons with a disability.
BJG
LS # 1075
4/22/2010