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COVID-19 Resources

Dear Neighbor,

With COVID-19 forcing all of us to make significant changes to the ways in which we work, live, and interact with one another, it can be difficult to know which information to trust and how to keep yourself and your family safe. That’s why my office has put together this webpage—so that you can find useful information and resources about COVID-19, learn more about how to protect yourself from the virus, and follow the work that we are doing at the city, state and federal level to combat the coronavirus pandemic and help people stay healthy, safe, and financially secure through this crisis.

As we confront this virus together, please follow the guidance of medical professionals and do not hesitate to reach out to us for help. My office is available via phone should you require any additional information or support. To reach my Manhattan office, please call: 212-367-7350. To reach my Brooklyn office, please call: 718-373-3198.

 Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler

What You Need to Know
 
COVID-19: Facts and How to Protect Yourself

Mental Health, Health and Crisis Prevention Resources

Financial Resources

Additional Resources

Useful Links


COVID-19: Facts and How to Protect Yourself

Facts

  • Center for Disease Control

          o   Information about COVID-19

  • New York State

          o   NYS COVID-19 Portal

  • New York City

          o   NYC Citywide COVID-19 Portal

          o   COVID-19 Data

Useful Hotlines

  • NYS COVID-19 Hotline: 1-888-364-3065
  • Text "COVID" to 692-692 to receive COVID-19 related updates from NYCHealth
  • NYC residents can call 311 to be assessed for risk for COVID
  • New York-Presbyterian Hospital COVID Hotline: 646-697-4000
  • Consult with a doctor for non-COVID issues: 1-844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692) or 311

COVID-19 Vaccine

NYS:

NYC:

  • Schedule an appointment for a vaccination in NYC
  • Schedule an appointment for fully homebound NYC resident
  • Free transportation services to vaccination appointments are available to eligible individuals.
    • If you have Access-a-Ride, call (877) 337-2017.
    • If you have Medicaid-provided transportation, call the regular contact number to schedule transport or call (844) 666-6270.
    • If you are a homebound 65+ or disabled New Yorker who needs ambulette services, call Hunter Ambulette at (718) 991-2211.
    • Anyone 65 and older who does not qualify for the above options can schedule a free ride with Curb by calling 646-349-0289.
  • NYC Vaccination Hotline: 1-877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692)
    • Call the hotline to make an appointment for the vaccine by phone

Testing and Contact Tracing

NYS:

NYC:


Mental Health, Health and Crisis Prevention Resources

Mental Health and Crisis Prevention Resources

  • NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline: 1-844-863-9314

  • NYS/Crisis Text Line anonymous texting service: text “Got5” to 741741

  • NYCWell: 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355) or text “WELL” to 65173

  • Emotional Support Services for NYS health care workers: text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741

  • SAMHSA's National Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text "TalkWithUs" to 66746.

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

  • NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906 or text 844-997-2121

  • NYC Domestic Violence Hotline (24 hours): 1-800-621-HOPE (4673)

Health Insurance Resources

  • Uninsured individuals can call or text 311 for information
  • Community Health Advocates has set up a helpline to answer questions about the NYS Health Exchange (incl. Medicaid, Essential Plan, CHIP): 1-888-614-5400
  • NYS Health Care Bureau has set up a helpline to assist NYS residents in navigating health system & understanding your health care rights: 1-800-428-9071


Financial Resources

Economic Impact Payments

The American Rescue Plan Act provided a third round of Economic Impact Payments to eligible individuals via direct deposit, check or debit card.

  • Unlike previous stimulus payments, adult dependents, including college students, disabled adults and elderly Americans, may qualify for EIP 
  • In determining eligibility, the payments are based on either 2019 or 2020 income, depending on when a taxpayer files their 2020 tax return. 
  • If you have not yet received this payment:  

            o Use the IRS’ “Get My Payment” Tool to check the status of your payment

            o Call the IRS’ toll-free hotline for EIP related questions at 1-800-919-9835

  • Two rounds of Economic Impact Payments were previously made to eligible individuals in 2020 and 2021. If you have not yet received one or both of these payments, you can claim these payments on your 2020 tax filing as a Recovery Rebate Credit. You may qualify if you meet the eligibility criteria AND 

    • Did not receive a payment OR 

    • Your payment was less than what you were due OR 

    • You didn’t receive a payment for each qualifying child OR 

    • You are part of a mixed-status immigrant household and were not eligible previously  

    • Click here for more information.

  • If you are not required to file a tax return, click here for more information on how to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.  

Other IRS Issues

  • Tax Refunds

           o   Use the IRS’ Where’s My Refund? page to check on the status of your refund

           o   Call the IRS’ toll-free hotline for individual taxpayers at 1-800-829-1040.

           o   Visit the IRS’ Refund FAQs page for more information

  • Free Tax Preparation Resoureces

           o  IRS Free File

                    o  For those who earned $72,000 or less, there are free federal tax filings a on IRS partner site available; some packages also offer free state tax filings.
                    o  For those who earned $72,000 or more, taxpayers comfortable filling out tax forms electronically can use Free File Fillable Forms.

             o  IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) & Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)  

                    o  VITA and TCE programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals. 
                    o  The VITA Locator Tool will help you locate an open VITA site near you.
                    o If you are elderly, disabled, speak limited English, or earn less than $57,000, you can access free tax help using the VITA Locator 

  • Tax Assistance

           o  The Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) tool can assess whether life event changes make you eligible for credits you didn’t qualify for in the past.
           o  The ITA can also assess if a type of income is taxable, or if you can deduct expenses.  
           o  IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers are open: people seeking in-person assistance at a TAC will need to call 1-844-545-5640 to make an appointment.  
           o  For additional help, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service. For Brooklyn help, call 718-834-2200. For Manhattan help, call 212-436-1011.


Unemployment Insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

  • The American Rescue Plan extends Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and federal supplemental benefits through September 6, 2021. 

  • Unemployment insurance is funded by the federal government but administered by each individual state. For more information on unemployment insurance in NY State, visit the NYS Department of Labor’s website.

  • If you have difficulty connecting with the Department of Labor about your claim, you should contact your New York State elected officials – either your New York State Senator or Assembly Member. Click here to find your New York State elected officials.
    o  If you are collecting unemployment insurance in the State of New Jersey and need assistance, you should contact the State elected officials that represent the area where your former place of employment is located. Click here to find your State of New Jersey elected officials.
  • If you received any unemployment benefits in 2020, your unemployment compensation is subject federal, state and local taxes  
                   o Taxes aren't automatically withheld from your benefits as you receive them. If you chose not to withhold, you'll likely owe taxes on your 2020 return. 
                                  o The first $10,200 received in UI benefits in 2020 are exempted from any taxation for households making less than $150,000 per year. 
                   o If you would like to begin withholding for New York State taxes, visit the NY State Department of Labor’s website and log-in with your NY.gov ID.
                   o Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) doesn't count as income for the purpose of determining rent amount in federally-subsidized housing. 


Additional Resources


Small Business
Travel
  • Before planning any international travel, check the websites for the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security for updated travel advisories and alerts.
  • Americans who are currently traveling abroad or are planning to travel abroad are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
  • Department of State Consular Affairs' Hotline for Overseas Citizen Services: 1-888-407-4747
  • Passports

o   Regular passport service has resumed – visit the Department of State’s website for more information  .

NYS Agency Services and Updates

  • Reopening Plans for NYS: https://forward.ny.gov/

  • A list of all NYS agencies and their information can be found at https://www.ny.gov/agencies

  • For assistance with a city or state issue, agency, or department, you should contact your representatives in the New York State Senate or Assembly and/or the New York City Council. You can find your city/state representatives at http://www.mygovnyc.org/.

Seniors

  • Homebound seniors needing assistance should call 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469)

Food Assistance

  • NYC's food pantries (providing groceries) and community kitchens (providing hot meals) are open and in operation. Find participating locations using either the FoodHelpNYC or FeedNYC directories.
  • The NYC Food Delivery Assistance program delivers food and meals to vulnerable and food-insecure New Yorkers not currently served through existing food delivery programs.
  • The New York City Department of Education is making 3 free meals available daily for any New Yorker at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city. 
  • NYC Emergency Food Hotline (for urgent food and hunger needs): 1-866-888-8777 or 311
  • NYC Free Meals Text Line: text “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877-877 to find the closest school to get food

  • SNAP Programs

    o   Emergency allotment of snap benefits FAQ

    o   P-EBT Program, which helps families buy food while students are learning from home due to COVID-19, FAQ

Immigrant Services

  • USCIS Contact Center (for help with emergency services): 1-800-375-5283

  • ActionNYC (for free, safe immigration legal help): 1-800-354-0365

  • Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (for legal services supported by the City of New York): (212) 788-7654

  • CUNY Citizenship Now! Legal Hotline (free, high quality, and confidential immigration law services to help individuals and families on their path to U.S. citizenship): 646-664-9400

Housing

  • NYCHA Customer Contact Center: 718-707-7771 

  • Met Council on Housing Hotline: 212-979-0611

  • Housing Court Answers’ Hotline 212-962-4795

  • Report housing safety violations to NYC HPD: 311 or TTY (212) 504-4115

  • Report landlord harassment: 311 or the Right to Counsel hotline at (718) 557-1379

Veterans
  • Veterans Health Administration: 1-844-698-2311
  • NYC Department of Veterans' Services hotline: 212-416-5250
  • Veterans' Crisis Line: 800-273-8255

Reporting Violations 

  • Report employer violation of either existing labor laws or recently issued executive orders to NYS Attorney General’s Office: (212) 416-8700
  • Report social distancing or face covering violations here
  • Report individuals failing to adhere to the quarantine pursuant to the travel advisory here or call 1-833-789-0470.
  • Report safety and health conditions in your workplace to US OSHA: (800) 321-6742
  • Report patient care concerns at hospital facilities:

               o   NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County: 718-245-7418

               o   NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue: 212-562-6071

               o   NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem: 212-939-1790

               o   NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan: 212-423-7232

  • Report discrimination:

               o   NYS Division of Human Rights at (888) 392-3644

               o   New York City Commission on Human Rights at (718) 722-3131

  • Report health care complaints (incl. health insurance costs related to COVID-19 tests or care) by calling the NYS OAG’s Health Care hotline: 1-800-428-9071
  • Report price gouging:
    • NYS Division of Consumer Protection: 1-800-697-1220
    • NYS OAG: 1-800-771-7755 
    • NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection: Call 311 and say "overcharge"

 

Stay Updated and How to Help

It's crucial that New Yorkers stay informed with facts about COVID-19 that they can trust. Make sure that you are signed up to receive updates from my office on the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to sign-up. To see a list of the bills and letters I have supported since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

There are also numerous ways that New Yorkers can support efforts to fight COVID-19, both at the state and city levels.

NYS
 NYC

  • NYC OEM has created a form for hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, EMS responders and other providers to request PPE and other supplies.

  • DonateNYC is coordinating monetary donations, goods donations, food business / rescue organizations and volunteers to help those affected by COVID-19.

  • HELP NYC is compiling a list of how New Yorkers can volunteer and help others.

  • New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 are encouraged to help by donating lifesaving blood plasma. Plasma is desperately needed and will help sick patients recover while decreasing the strain on ICU beds and ventilators. Learn more information at the New York Blood Center.


Useful Resources


Information current as of 4/1/2021
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