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Email The Center for Benefits & Services offers three-hour workshops on a full range of government programs and publicly subsidized housing, geared to the social service professional. Standard workshops provide the participants with the opportunity to apply knowledge through case examples and question & answer. Participants receive an easy-to-follow workbook complete with listings of local government offices, valuable resources, advocacy tips and more. We also offer specialized topics in which our customers indicate an interest, many of these are conducted by attorneys who specialize in the field. Workshop fees are $40 per person. For a complete list of upcoming workshops, visit our Site Downloads section to the right.
The Center for Benefits and Services (CBS)
and the
Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (MCCAP)
invite you to attend the
Fall 2009 Training Series
and the
Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (MCCAP)
invite you to attend the
Fall 2009 Training Series
All trainings are held at 105 East 22nd Street, 4th Floor
Doors open at 9 a.m., refreshments are served. Workshops begin at 9:30 a.m.
Doors open at 9 a.m., refreshments are served. Workshops begin at 9:30 a.m.
How the workshops are conducted: The training will provide opportunities to apply knowledge through case examples and question and answer. Participants will receive an easy-to-follow workbook for use when working with clients.
REGISTER ONLINE
SEPTEMBER WORKSHOPS:
Overview of the Government Benefit System
Speaker (s): Leslie Boutin, Community Service Society
Designed for the social service provider new to the complex world of public benefits, this workshop reviews the distinction between needs-based and insurance-based benefits, discusses key concepts such as income, resources, work history, category, and immigration status requirements, and introduces several major benefit programs including Cash Assistance, SSI, and Social Security benefits, Medicaid, Medicare, Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus and Food Stamps. We will also discuss how benefits are administered and accessed and how to interview and screen clients for potential eligibility to benefits. Case examples and practical advocacy tips are included.
Date: Wednesday, September 9th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Introduction to NYCHA Public Housing
Speaker (s): Jacqueline C. Burger, Director of Tenant Advocacy
This is an introductory workshop for tenant advocates and social service providers on helping clients obtain and keep their NYCHA apartments. The training will cover eligibility criteria, priority codes, rent calculations, apartment transfers, recertification procedures, grounds for eviction, grievance and appeal procedures, and community service requirements.
Date:Wednesday, September 16th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Basic Medicaid
Speaker(s): Leslie Boutin and Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
Learn the fundamentals of the Community Medicaid Program. You will learn Medicaid’s eligibility rules and will be able to identify the Medicaid categories which are key to eligibility, identify various avenues to apply for Medicaid in the community, and how to maintain ongoing eligibility. Also included are strategies and techniques to navigate the Medicaid system in order to advocate effectively when clients experience common challenges with the Medicaid system.
Welfare Fair Hearings
Date:Wednesday, September 23rd
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
OCTOBER WORKSHOPS:
Medicaid’s Spenddown Program
Speaker (s): Leslies Boutin and Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
If you have difficulty helping your clients access Medicaid’s spenddown program (also known as the Excess Income Program), this workshop will help you. All aspects of the spenddown program will be reviewed, including who is eligible, how to figure out the spenddown amount, the difference between the medical bills system and the pay-in program, how to get hospital services through the spenddown program, and more.
Date:Wednesday, October 7th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Immigrants’ Eligibility for Cash Benefits
Speaker (s): Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
Immigrants face additional challenges when trying to access benefits. Under welfare reform, immigrants’ eligibility for benefits is often restricted to those who are “qualified aliens.” Knowing who is a qualified alien is fundamental to understanding immigrants’ eligibility for many government programs such as Food Stamps, SSI, Medicaid, and Cash Assistance. This workshop will cover these topics, as well as rules surrounding sponsor deeming, issues of public charge, and reporting requirements.
Note: This workshop will not discuss how an immigrant can naturalize or become legal in the U.S.
Date:Wednesday, October 14th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Cash Assistance (Basic)
Speaker(s): Leslie Boutin and Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
Learn the basics of the Cash Assistance (CA) program including how the CA grant is structured, how the benefit amount is calculated, and how it is issued. Learn how to prepare your clients for the application process and the on-going reporting requirements needed to maintain CA benefits. This training is designed to provide strategies and techniques the social service provider can use to advocate effectively when clients experience common challenges in the CA system. Also included are comprehensive tools and resources to help assess and understand Cash assistance rules and guidelines.
Date:Wednesday, October 21st
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Overview of Domestic Violence Services and Resources
Speaker(s): Catherine Shugrue dos Santos, Sanctuary for Families
Description coming soon
Date:Wednesday, October 28th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
NOVEMBER WORKSHOPS:
How to Maximize the Medicare Part D Plan Finder
Speaker (s): Medicare Rights Center
The Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Medicare Part D) utilizes an online plan finder to help clients narrow down and determine the best plan for their prescription needs, particularly during the annual Open Enrollment Period beginning November 15th, 2009. However, it can be difficult for both Medicare clients and their advocates to navigate the site and utilize all that it can do. Please join as experts from the Medicare Rights Center walk us though the best way to help clients use this resource.
Date:Tuesday, November 3rd
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: FREE
Disconnected Youth and Cash Assistance
Speaker(s): Leslie Boutin and Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
If you encounter problems when assisting a young person (16 to 24 year old) applying for Cash Assistance this workshop will help you. We will cover eligibility rules when the teenager is living with parents/guardian or is emancipated, their rights and responsibilities regarding the program requirements. Also included are strategies and techniques you can use to advocate effectively when your clients experience common challenges, such as when a teenager applies for Cash Assistance and they are told they cannot apply.
Note: Knowledge of basic Cash Assistance eligibility and application requirements is required.
Date:Wednesday, November 4th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
DECEMBER WORKSHOPS:
Child Support and Public Benefits
Speaker (s): Brooke Richie, The Resilience Advocacy Project
The workshop will provide an introduction to New York’s child support system and policies as they pertain to low-income families. The workshop will provide an overview of NYC’s child support enforcement system, how child support interacts with public benefits and child care subsidies, vehicles for redressing wrongs in the child support system, and related advocacy issues. The workshop will also highlight child support issues that are of particular significance to teen parents.
Date:Wednesday, December 2nd
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Housing Court Process
Speaker (s): Jacqueline C. Burger, Community Service Society
This workshop provides an overview of the housing court process including descriptions of the types of proceedings commenced in housing court with a focus on typical nonpayment proceedings to illustrate how one negotiates their way through housing court and common defenses a tenant may employ. Additionally, the role of the Housing Court Task force unit will be covered.
Date:Thursday, December 3rd
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
Food Stamps (Basic)
Speaker (s): Leslie Boutin and Diane Wenzler, Community Service Society
Food Stamp rules are often misunderstood, resulting in entitled households losing out on benefits. This workshop will focus on determining eligibility for Food Stamps and doing an actual Food Stamp budget. We will review Food Stamps’ gross and net income tests to determine eligibility, including special deductions and budgeting considerations for the elderly and disabled, and work requirements. We will also cover the changes to the Food Stamp program as a result of the economic stimulus package.
Date:Wednesday, December 9th
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $40.00
How to Register:
For Questions regarding trainings:
CBS Trainings:
Migdalia Molina
212.614.5497
MCCAP Trainings:
Lisa Moore
212.614.5346
Fall 2009 Training Series