Martin Dilan Lauds Cuomo Award To Wyckoff Heights Hospital
Bushwick State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan Friday commended Governor Cuomo on the awarding of more than $188 million in capital funding to Brooklyn hospitals and health programs.
Two of the largest awardees included Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, 374 Stockholm Street, which received about $53 million for its Wyckoff Ambulatory Transformation Initiative and the DeKalb Federally Qualified Health Center, which received a little more than $5.5 million.
“Governor Cuomo has come through on his commitment to invest in North Brooklyn’s health care system; a system that has been in need of attention for quite some time. Today’s announcement means new programs and services will become available for the medically underserved and expanded ambulatory services will soon be able to get patients to the care they need and deserve,” said Dilan.
The awards are being made through the Capital Restructuring Financing Program that was created by Governor Cuomo and approved by the legislature as part of last year’s state budget. The program support the goals of the Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP), created in 2014 after an agreed to waiver between New York and the federal government resulted in $7.3 billion in Medicaid savings.
In total, 162 facilities and providers applied for funding under the program.
Williams Responds to De Blasio Comments On Airbnb
City Council Member Jumaane Williams (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), Chair of the Housing & Buildings Committee, and Manhattan City Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Chiar of the Committee on Contracts, Friday, slammed Airbnb following Trevor Noah and Mayor Bill de Blasio talking about the shared business economy on the Daily Show.
On the show, de Blasio said companies like Airbnb needs further regulation like any business so that consumers are ensured safe use and service providers of Airbnb do not take advantage of it to keep apartments among other things.
“Airbnb’s business model, which encourages anyone to post an apartment as an illegal hotel rental, is particularly challenging. When tenants use their residence for commercial purposes, they are breaking their lease and giving their landlord grounds for eviction. Airbnb’s corporation is valued at over $25 billion, and their business model allows them to profit from illegal rentals and incur none of the risk,” said the two lawmakers.
“Airbnb continues to willfully ignore their corporate responsibility to exclude illegal hotel operators from their hosting list. Airbnb’s multimillion dollar PR team tries to distract the public from their irresponsibility by talking about the potential for tax revenue. We have seen this ruse before in cities who have since regretted falling into the tax trap– very few residents participate while Airbnb continues to reap profits. Airbnb’s deceptive marketing gives illegal activity the appearance of legitimacy, takes affordable housing off of the market, and puts tenants at risk of eviction. We must be careful not to adopt the false narrative put out by Airbnb; they are not proposing a real partnership.
“We know the Mayor cares deeply for tenants and affordable housing in New York City, and we look forward to continuing our working together to educate New Yorkers about the dangers of using Airbnb.
Deutsch Announces Summer Employment Applications Available
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) announced Friday that the 2016 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) application is now available on the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) website, at www.nyc.gov/dycd.
Applicants can apply online or at a community-based organization prior to the application deadline of April 15, 2016. Youth who wish to apply online can use the following link: https://application.nycsyep.com. Participants of the program are selected by lottery. If you have additional questions about SYEP, call Councilman Deutsch’s office at 718-368-9176.
“I thank my colleague Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Chair of the NYC Council Youth Committee, for his fervent advocacy on behalf of our youth. As someone whose office is a SYEP worksite, I encourage NYC youth to sign up for the program to learn the skills that could help them in their future careers,” said Deutsch.
The SYEP program provides New York City youths between the ages of 14 and 24 with paid summer employment for up to 25 hours per week for six weeks in July and August. The program participants work in a variety of entry-level jobs including: social service and government agencies, summer camps, hospitals, small businesses, law firms, retailers, sports enterprises and museums. The Summer Youth Employment Program represents a vital partnership between the City of New York and local businesses, which contributes to the well-being of students and the community.
The Program gives youths the chance to earn wages during their months off from school. They will be paid the minimum wage hourly rate of $9.00 in 2016. Additionally, the program offers training workshops in job readiness, financial literacy and opportunities to continue their education.
Cymbrowitz Commends Cuomo On Making Overdose Antidote Available
Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, Brighton Beach) Friday praised Gov. Cuomo for announcing that independent pharmacies across the state will now be able to provide the lifesaving opioid overdose antidote Naloxone to their customers without a prescription.
Naloxone, also sold under the brand name Narcan, is already available without a prescription at chain pharmacies including CVS, Walgreen’s and Duane Reade, but until now those with limited accessibility to these chain stores – such as people in smaller counties outside the five boroughs — could not walk into their local mom-and-pop drugstore and obtain the medication.
“The heroin and opioid epidemic has claimed the lives of too many New Yorkers, including teenagers and young adults in the prime of their lives,” Cymbrowitz said. “Naloxone doesn’t solve the problem of opioid abuse, but makes it possible for a victim in the throes of an overdose to get a second chance and hopefully pursue treatment options that will lead to recovery.”
When administered in a timely fashion either by injection or nasal spray, Naloxone temporarily blocks the effects of opioids – either prescription painkillers or heroin — allowing a stricken individual to regain consciousness. Anyone who is given Naloxone must still go to the hospital. The drug blocks the effects of an opioid for 30 to 90 minutes. When the Naloxone wears off, someone may slip back into a life-threatening overdose.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help by calling the State’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Bichotte Pushes For Increased MWBEs
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte (Flatbush, Ditmas Park) will join the Women Builders Council (WBC) at 12:45 p.m. today in Albany for a press conference calling for the passage of A8700/S06467, legislation that will expand New York State’s 30% goal for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs).
Currently, under New York State law, the 30% goal for state contract utilization of MWBEs only applies to contracts issued by state agencies and authorities. Bichotte has introduced A8700, legislation that will expand the 30% goal to any project that receives state funding, including villages, towns, cities, counties and school districts.
“By encouraging minorities and women to grow their businesses, we are promoting job opportunities in our communities and building a sustainable economic future,” said Bichotte. “MWBEs have a lot to offer, and increasing their participation in government contracts is one way we can help these job-creating small businesses prosper.”
“As a woman who is on the front-line of the construction industry every day, I can confirm we need to increase our efforts to create a more diverse pool of business owners,” said Deborah Bradley, President of WBC and Deborah Bradley Construction & Management Services, Inc. This legislation will open $65 billion worth of projects to MWBEs across the state, creating more jobs and opportunities for small, emerging and diverse companies.
