Government and Private Benefit Advocacy via the Internet

When researching benefits for a client, one must take into account the evolving nature of most of the present day benefits. Many times the printed materials published on a particular benefit is obsolete before the ink is dry. The Internet has become a source for up to date information concerning policy, requirement and procedural changes. What the Internet has yet to become is a place to apply directly for services.

Below are a variety of U.S. Government, New York City and State, along with private sites that will make access to benefits easier for you and your clients. They are categorized by the types of benefits available.

Social Security (SSA) & Supplemental Security Income (SSI):

Social Security Online-

www.ssa.gov

Social Security: Understanding the Benefits-

www.ssa.gov/pubs/10024.txt

Insurance Issues:

The State Insurance Fund-Workers' Comp & Disability Benefits-

www.nysif.com/defauly.htm

Unemployment Insurance-

www.labor.state.ny.us/html/uimainpg.htm

Life Insurance Council of New York-

www.licony.org/

AARP Life Insurance Program-

www.nylaarp.com/

Elder Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dtfa/html/epic.html

NYS Health Insurance Information, Counseling& Assistance Program-

http://hiicap.state.ny.us/

NYS HIICAP- Medicap Insurance-

http://hiicap.state.ny.us/mgap/index.htm



Medicaid/Medicare:



Medicare-

www.medicare.gov/

Medicare Rights Center-

www.medicarerights.org/

Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc.-MEDICAID/MEDICARE-

www.nls.ord/medicaid.htm

Human Resources Administration-Medical Assistance Programs (MAP)-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/html/medicaid.html



Employment:

NYS Department of Labor-

www.labor.state.ny.us/

Employment with the City of New York-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dcas/html/employ.html

NEW: Nontraditional Employment for Women-

http://newyork.citysearch.com/E/V/NYCNY/0015/54/99/

Experience Works!-

www.greenthumb.org/experwks.html



Public Assistance:



Human Resources Administration-Welfare to Work-

www.ci.nyc.us/html/welfare_to_work.html

Food Stamps:



USDA's Facts About the Food Stamp Program-

http://fns1.usda.gov:80/fsp/MENU/APPS/facts.htm

Disable Hotline-Food Stamp Program-

http://www0.delphi.com/disable/food.html

NYC Human Resources Administration: Food Stamps-

http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/html/food_stamps.html



Fuel/Utility Assistance:



Con Ed- Special Services-

www.coned.com/athome/athome%5Fservices.htm

Senior Citizen Resource Guide-Energy-

http://aging.state.ny.us/findhelp/guide/guide10.htm



Housing Assistance:

NYC Division of AIDS Services & Income Support-

www.ci.nyc.us/html/hra/html/aids_services.html

NYS STAR plan for home owning seniors-

www.state.ny.us/govenor/press/april27_98.html

NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal-Special Rights of Senior Citizens-

www.dhcr.state.us/ora/pubs/html/orafac21.htm

NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal-

www.dhcr.state.ny.us/index.htm

American Red Cross of Greater New York-

www.arc-gny.org/



Legal Services:

Senior Law Home Page-

www.seniorlaw.com/seniorla.htm

Legal Aid Society of New York-

www.legal-aid.org/

American Civil Liberties Union-

www.aclu.org/



Protective Services and Emergency Intervention:

Human Resources Administration-Domestic Violence and Emergency Intervention-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/html/domestic_violence.html

Human Resources Administration-Protective Services for Adults (PSA)-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/html/adult_protective_services.html

NY Elder Abuse Coalition-

www.ianet.org/nyeac/



Veteran Administration Issues:

Veterans Benefits Administration-

www.vba.va.gov/



Hospice:



Hospice of New York-

www.hospiceweb.com/states/ny/hospny/hospny.htm

Hospice/New York-

www.agenet.com/hospice/hospice_newyork.html

NYC Hospice and Supportive Care AIDS Initiative-

www.aidsnyc.org/hospice/links.html



Home Delivered Meals:



Citymeals-on-Wheels

www.citymeals.org/

Transportation:



New York City Transit-Guide to Paratransit Services

www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/paratran/guide.htm



In-home Services:



NYC Home Care Services Program (HCSP)

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/html/home_care.html

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)

www.nfcacares.org/home.html

Visiting Neighbors-

http://newyork.citysearch.com/E/V/NYCNY/0015/11/47/



Search Engines to Explore Advocacy Sites:

Northern Lights-

www.nlsearch.com

Dogpile-

www.dogpile.com



Advocacy Links-

NASW On-Line Advocacy Archive-

www.socialworkers.org/GOVWK/ARCHALRT/Default.htm

NASW Advocacy Listserv-

To join, send an e-mail message to bwillam@naswdc.org . Do not put in a subject. In the message area of the e-mail type only join advocacy and send.

New York State Attorney General-Civil Rights-

www.oag.state.ny.us/civilrights/civil_rights.html

AARP- American Association of Retired Persons-

www.aarp.org

AARP -State and Federal Advocacy-

www.aarp.org/benefits/adsf.html

NYC Human Resources Administration-

www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/hra/home.html

VoxPop-

www.voxpop.org/



HR>

Rob Laurich

RobLaurich@aol.com
523-B East 85th Street Apt 2W
New York, NY 10028
United States