Federal Dollars Available to Cover Healthcare and Human Service Expenses Resulting From Superstorm Sandy

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $200 million is available to fund requests from healthcare and human service providers and other community-based organizations following the impact of Superstorm Sandy. The funding is made available by the Superstorm Sandy Supplemental Social Services Block Grant to cover necessary expenses resulting from the storm, including social, health and mental health services for individuals, and for repair, renovation and rebuilding of health care facilities, mental hygiene facilities, child care facilities and other social services facilities.

“During and after Superstorm Sandy, New York State’s health and human service providers performed critical work for New Yorkers, and they continue to be essential resources to communities recovering from the storm,” Governor Cuomo said. “These organizations serve the needs of many of the State’s most vulnerable residents including our seniors, children and low-income families, and in their line of work, they have also suffered financial losses and damage to their facilities from the storm. This funding will provide the support they need to continue helping their communities, and I urge those impacted to apply for this assistance.”

To address the needs of these critical health and human service providers and the populations they serve, New York will distribute $200 million in federal Sandy SSBG funding through a public and transparent request for proposals. Applicants can seek funding for:

· Unreimbursed costs of facility repair, rebuilding and renovation for child care providers, health and mental hygiene facilities, senior centers and similar facilities, and other health and human services facilities in response to Superstorm Sandy, including measures to make damaged facilities more resilient for future severe weather events. · Reimbursement for child care, health, mental health, behavioral health, employment, senior-focused and other direct service delivery costs and costs of lost and damaged materials and supplies incurred as a result of Superstorm Sandy. · Reimbursement to food banks, food pantries and related organizations and public agencies for costs resulting from increased demand for food relief during and following Superstorm Sandy. · Enhanced child care, food/nutrition, health, mental health, behavioral health, employment, legal, senior-focused, volunteer coordination, case management and other direct services to meet the ongoing needs of Sandy-impacted New Yorkers. · Equipment and supplies required to deliver enhanced services in Sandy-impacted areas. · Other eligible health and social services costs incurred during Sandy as well as ongoing needs from facilities and other providers.

Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth E. Raske said, “We applaud Governor Cuomo for securing these critically important funds and making them available to hospitals and nursing homes. They will help New York’s health care community repair and rebuild facilities that were damaged or destroyed by Sandy and ensure their resiliency against future severe weather events.”

Food Bank Association of New York State President Mark Quandt said, “Food banks and food pantries provided life-sustaining assistance to New Yorkers in the wake of Sandy. I am grateful to the Governor for providing funding to allow these organizations to continue their critical role serving those in need.”

New York State Association for the Education of Young Children Executive Director Kristen Kerr said, “Child care is a critical part of every community’s economy and many programs were devastated by Superstorm Sandy. The Governor’s inclusion of child care in New York’s plan for use of SSBG Supplemental Funds will provide much needed assistance to ensure that these small businesses are able to provide their essential services in the areas impacted.”

New York State submitted its funding plan to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on June 30, and the State Plan was approved on July 22. Healthcare and human service providers can submit applications for funding through August 30, 2013.

Information about available funding, and a link to the online application, is available at
http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov/content/sandy-social-services-block-grant-ssbg-funding.