Printer Friendly Format Email a Friend


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 162-05
April 28, 2005

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION INCREASING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR HASA

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

"The next bill before me is Introductory number 541-A sponsored by Council Members Gioia, DeBlasio, Quinn, Speaker Miller, Clarke, Fidler, Gerson, Jackson, James, Liu, Martinez, Nelson, Palma, Reed, Seabrook, Sears, Weprin, Baez, Koppell, Moskowitz, Gennaro, Brewer, Monserrate, Reyna, Addabbo, Avella, Perkins, Gonzalez and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.

"The HIV/AIDS Services Administration - also known as HASA - of the Human Resources Administration serves as the primary agency in New York City for persons with HIV/AIDS and their family members to access essential benefits and social services. HASA currently serves over 45,000 clients, including 32,000 individuals with HIV/AIDS and 14,000 family members. HASA has the responsibility to provide intake and needs assessment, case management and crisis intervention, assistance with obtaining public benefits, vocational counseling, job training and placement, and housing services and placements.

"Local Law 49 of 1997 codified the existence of HASA and enumerated services it is required to provide. Local Law 49 also mandated quarterly reports to the Mayor and Council regarding HASA staff and caseload information.  Under this law, HASA has been collecting data and compiling detailed reports regarding the timeliness of its delivery of benefits and services to clients throughout New York City. 

"Intro 541-A requires HASA to include additional information in the quarterly reports that will be submitted to the Mayor and the City Council.  The information contained in the reports will now include such data as the number of persons with HIV/AIDS who requested benefits or services from HASA and the processing time for the applications.  In addition, these reports would also require HASA to provide information regarding the number and type of staff; caseload and ratio of staff to clients for each field office; case closings and re-openings; and administrative fair hearings.  Further, the bill would require HASA to provide information about the number of requests for emergency housing and their outcomes; the number of clients in emergency housing; the number of facilities used and the facilities placed on and rescinded from non-referral or discontinuance of use status; and the number of inspections of emergency housing conducted by HASA staff.

"I would like to thank Verna Eggleston, the Commissioner of the Human Resources Administration, and her staff for their continued work toward ensuring timely delivery of essential benefits and social services to persons with HIV/AIDS and their family members.  I also want to acknowledge the Council for their important contributions throughout this process."







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Jordan Barowitz   (212) 788-2958




More Resources