Latest news with #EHP
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Group behind Danforth, Hudson Ridge ‘crisis' releases statement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Well after dozens of vulnerable seniors living at Danforth and Hudson Ridge towers in Rochester say they were told they had to move out by Saturday, the group that had cared for them remained silent, until Friday. Family Service of Rochester, which also goes by Family Service Communities, released a statement to News 8 Friday offering a brief summary of what was happening, but did not explain why or respond to allegations of financial and administrative mismanagement. The statement confirms much of the State Department of Health, or DOH, has already reported, including the end of a program (Enriched Housing Program, or EHP) that placed around 100 senior citizens in Danforth and Hudson Ridge apartment towers and provided services for them. Family Service of Rochester went on to say, 'The programs are being closed to ensure the continued health and safety of the resident participants. Residents in the programs are receiving assistance from both the Department of Health and Family Service in finding appropriate/safe alternative housing and health services. We appreciate the strong and dedicated work of the staff at both programs during this time.' Earlier this week, the program's closure had many residents under the impression they were being evicted and could be out on the street this weekend. Thursday, Rochester Housing Authority, which operates the two towers but does not care for the residents under EHP, stated there was no eviction, but DOH was relocating some of those affected while others were invited to stay and live in the towers under a different program. DOH says the program closure was prompted by a review that found several problems with how Family Services was running it. Specifically, DOH found Family Service of Rochester, which is based in Fairport, accepted people who needed more services than EHP could provide, lacked of supervision, provided poor record keeping, did not monitor narcotics, failed to offer proper nutrition, and did not adhere to medication protocol. DOH went on to say Family Service of Rochester did not have the resources to address the violations and 'voluntarily surrendered their licenses and opted to close the programs,' emphasizing the decision was made by Family Service of Rochester and not the state, adding the process of moving residents required urgency because Family Service of Rochester's 'staffing was insufficient and funding was depleted.' Meanwhile, RHA Executive Director Shawn Burr said Family Service failed to pay the rent owed to RHA – rent the tenants had already paid to Family Service. Burr said he'd like to see an investigation and those responsible for any misconduct or mismanagement be held accountable. In their statement Friday, Family Service of Rochester did not address the DOH findings or RHA accusations. News 8 has called Family Service of Rochester several times. Friday, the person who answered the phone said Neil Cavalieri, who is listed on the not-for-profit's website as the CEO, no longer works there. Also, IRS filings show a bleak financial picture dating back to 2022. It does not appear the City of Rochester nor Monroe County have any direct role in any of this, but both have involved themselves to try to fix the problem. Rochester Housing Authority has encouraged anyone under EHP who was not relocated to stay in their home so they can be placed under a different program that will allow them to remain where they are. Also, Legal Assistance of WNY has sent attorneys to both facilities to offer advice to shaken residents and their families. 'We're here to help the residents through challenging times that was not handled in a good way, pressuring people to move without much notice… we have people in tears about it and it should not have happened this way,' said Jeff Nieznanski, an attorney with Legal Assistance of WNY. If you need to contact them, call (585) 325-2520. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Message to Danforth and Hudson Ridge residents: There's no eviction
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Thursday morning, Theodore Austin was watching his belongings and those of others who had lived with him at Danforth Towers on Rochester's west side being loaded in U-Haul trucks. This, after he was told a few days ago the state program, Enriched Housing Program, or EHP, which allowed him to stay here was pulling the plug and he had to leave by this weekend. 'Throwing an old person out who can't walk, can't do nothing, I don't know,' Austin said from his wheelchair. Turns out, while it's true Austin and many others did have to leave, the state has come in to relocate them to other facilities that can offer the services they can no longer receive at Danforth and Hudson Ridge. 'I got to follow the truck, I guess,' Austin, who has lived at Danforth for 8 years, said, gesturing to the moving truck. 'I'm waiting for a ride to come take me to where I'm going.' Shawn Burr, Executive Director of the Rochester Housing Authority, which operates Danforth and Hudson Ridge apartments says this is a state issue and the state should have made it clear to the 100 or so seniors affected by this that they're not being evicted. While some did have to be relocated, others, Burr says, can stay at Danforth and Hudson Ridge by getting moved into a new program. 'Some have left and we're trying to work and communicate so we can find out who's coming and who's going and who can stay because we want to focus on who can stay and provide the resources necessary for them to stay,' Burr said. The state, meanwhile, said it had to end the program that allowed all these folks to stay at the towers because of poor conditions inside, while RHA points the finger at Family Services of Rochester, which the state was using to run the program, saying that organization did not pass along the rent money the residents had paid them. News 8's Adam Chodak: Are you suspicious? Burr: 'Oh, absolutely, as I'm sure everyone is…' Chodak: What do you hope happens in that regard? Burr: 'I hope there's an investigation done and whoever needs to be held accountable is held accountable. We're talking about residents in need and their lives, right? And their money, where did it go?' News 8 reached out to the State Attorney General's Office of see if there's an investigation and so far there's been no response. There's also been no response from Family Services of Rochester, which is based in Fairport. Legal Assistance of Western New York is helping residents impacted by this. If you or someone you know would like their help, call (585) 325-2520. Here's Rochester Housing Authority's most recent statement on the matter: 'We would like to be clear that the Housing Authority is not evicting Enriched Housing residents. This action is being coordinated by New York State Department of Health. This is extremely concerning and a disregard for the residents of our facilities—people who rely on these services for their basic safety and well-being. The Housing Authority has been working in good faith with Family Services for months to recover six figures in back rent that they were supposed to pay on behalf of the residents who paid them to do so, yet our outreach has been met with silence or vague responses at best. To now turn around and give us just one week notice that the program will be terminated and the residents relocated is not only outrageous—it's reckless and inhumane. Let's be clear: The Housing Authority has been doing everything in its power to prevent this crisis. We've been working diligently with the New York State Department of Health, our legal team, and yes, Family Services, trying to reach a resolution. We are furious that given this short timeframe, we are in this position but will continue to work with residents to ensure their housing needs are met.' Here's the State Department of Health's latest statement on the issue: 'In our role as regulator, holding operators accountable for the quality of care they provide remains a top priority for the New York State Department of Health. Our primary concern is the health and well-being of the impacted residents at these two Enriched Housing Programs. Recent surveys of the Hudson Ridge and Danforth Towers Enriched Housing Programs identified violations that posed immediate risks to resident health and safety. As a result of these findings and because the operator agreed it lacked the resources to correct the identified violations, the operator initiated an expeditious emergency closure of the Enriched Housing Programs and the transfer of residents to appropriate placements that could serve their needs. This action in no way impedes the residents' right to transition to the setting of their choice. Department of Health staff have been and will continue to be onsite at both facilities throughout the closure process to ensure safe and appropriate transfers and that residents receive appropriate care during the transition. Residents have and will continue to have the right to choose their homes. We cannot comment on the financial status of Family Services of Rochester.' Here's State Senator Jeremy Cooney's statement on the matter: 'The most important factor is that the impacted residents of Danforth Towers and Hudson Ridge Towers are allowed to stay in their homes. I thank the Rochester Housing Authority for making it clear that these residents are not being evicted. I am currently in communication with the New York State Department of Health to determine what occurred here and what the next steps are to ensure long-term housing stability for these members of our community. Should any residents of the towers have further questions or concerns, I encourage them to contact my office for assistance.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ardy Gould Announces Launch of EHP Inc.'s Innovative Healthcare Portal, Enhancing Employee Benefit Management Nationwide
Managing Partner Mardy Gould introduces a user-friendly portal, streamlining healthcare benefits management and boosting efficiency for employers and employees. 'Launching this portal marks a pivotal advancement in employee benefits management, reflecting our continuous commitment to innovation, excellence, and user satisfaction.'— Mardy Gould JACKSONVILLE, FL, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2025 / / -- Mardy Gould, Managing Partner of EHP Inc., 'The Employer's Choice,' proudly announces the official launch of the company's innovative online healthcare portal. This state-of-the-art platform significantly enhances the management of employee benefits for employers nationwide by simplifying processes, enhancing transparency, and improving user engagement through advanced technology and intuitive design. 'Our newly launched healthcare portal underscores our dedication to empowering employers and their employees by simplifying benefits management,' said Gould. 'We believe this portal will substantially enhance user experience, streamline administrative tasks, and make healthcare benefits easier and more efficient for everyone involved.' Streamlined Benefit Management The new EHP portal equips employers with comprehensive, user-friendly tools designed to efficiently manage healthcare programs. Key features include real-time data access, simplified enrollment processes, robust reporting capabilities, and intuitive interfaces aimed at reducing administrative burdens. Enhanced Employee Experience Employees benefit directly from seamless access to their healthcare information, facilitating easy benefit management, claim tracking, and convenient online access to essential health services. The portal's intuitive interface promotes higher engagement, driving improved employee satisfaction and increased benefit utilization. Advanced Security Measures Committed to HIPAA compliance and stringent security standards, the portal incorporates advanced encryption, secure authentication protocols, and regular security audits. These measures safeguard sensitive employee health information, ensuring confidentiality and data integrity. Dedicated Employer Support EHP provides employers with extensive support resources, including comprehensive training materials, dedicated support teams, and ongoing educational sessions. These resources ensure effective utilization of portal features, enhancing overall benefit administration capabilities. Commitment to Continuous Innovation Under Gould's leadership, EHP is dedicated to continuous enhancement of the portal, integrating user feedback and adopting innovative technologies to meet evolving needs. Future developments will include additional features, advanced analytics, and customizable options to further improve employer and employee experiences. Embedded Quote: 'Launching this portal marks a pivotal advancement in employee benefits management, reflecting our continuous commitment to innovation, excellence, and user satisfaction.' – Mardy Gould, Managing Partner For additional details about EHP's healthcare portal and comprehensive benefit solutions, visit Media Support EHP Inc. email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Corruption, capacity and crumbling budgets
Despite more than 30 years of democracy, South Africa's housing crisis remains unresolved, with millions of people still waiting for access to adequate homes. Image: IOL Despite more than 30 years of democracy, South Africa's housing crisis remains unresolved, with millions of people still waiting for access to adequate homes. While the government has successfully provided housing for nearly 3 million households through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which was initiated in 1994 to address the socio-economic imbalances created by apartheid The housing backlog continues to grow. According to the National Housing Needs Register, more than 2.4 million households still require suitable housing. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Experts have warned that the number of households in need of housing may increase even further as more people move to urban areas in search of job opportunities and improved living conditions. The country's urbanisation rate is expected to rise to 71% by 2030. The Development Action Group (DAG), a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods, argues that government policies aimed at addressing the housing crisis have often been poorly implemented. "Despite numerous policies and programmes that specifically speak to low-cost housing (i.e. RDP and social housing, etc.) and vulnerable groups (EHP, Special Needs Housing Policy, etc.), the policies and programmes have not always been implemented in the most efficient way. "Some of the gaps include insufficient funding and mismanagement of available resources, inadequate capacity to deliver, poor intergovernmental cooperation, inadequate land management and poor coordination between departments on land decisions, lack of policy certainty." Despite this, the government remains committed to addressing the housing crisis. Human Settlements spokesperson Tsekiso Machike has emphasised that housing remains a priority, with clear targets set in the 2024-2029 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP): Deliver 237,000 BNG/RDP units. Provide 314,000 serviced sites. Register 80,000 title deeds. Upgrade 4,075 informal settlements. Build 15,000 social housing units (rental stock). Distribute 140,000 subsidies to assist the ' missing middle ' in purchasing or building homes. However, while the government has set clear and ambitious targets for housing, implementation at the municipal level has often been an issue, with reports of corruption and mismanagement hindering progress. Machike explained that the government has a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, emphasising that this commitment is reflected in actions such as dismissing officials, pursuing convictions. "The government's commitment is reflected in measures such as dismissing officials, pursuing convictions, and establishing initiatives like the Fusion Centre to combat corruption,". "The government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and has developed a National Anti-Corruption Strategy to guide anti-corruption efforts across various sectors,". Last month, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said that many housing projects were delayed because contractors went bankrupt, and some faced supply chain issues and irregularities. According to Jens Horber, a researcher at Ndifuna Ukwazi, one of the biggest challenges facing municipalities was decreasing budget allocations and slow administrative and development processes and insufficient state capacity and skills. "Due to decreasing budget allocations, slow administrative and development processes and insufficient state capacity and skills, there has been a steady decrease in housing and serviced site delivery over the past 15 years". "The slow pace of delivery and the lack of support for backyard housing and other genuinely affordable housing options means that housing demand massively exceeds supply, resulting in the continued growth of informal settlements", he said. To address the housing crisis, the Development Action Group (DAG) stresses that the strategic release of well-located land for affordable housing must be prioritised "The strategic release of well-located land for affordable housing must be prioritised, we must proactively plan for informal settlements, we have to be very pragmatic in our approach to site-and-services and establish the mechanisms necessary to ensure its successful implementation. "We must dedicate significant resources towards infrastructure development and maintenance, and most importantly, we have to create spaces for consistent community engagement where beneficiaries of housing assistance have actual decision-making ability, therefore playing a direct role in their own development". IOL News
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Still room for frontline community protections in Gov. Shapiro's 'Lightning' energy plan
Aerial shot of power plant and industrial buildings on the bank of the Allegheny River in Springdale, a town 18 miles north of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County. (Courtesy of Getty Images) On January 30, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced his 'Lightning Plan,' a comprehensive proposal meant to address Pennsylvania's energy future and promote a wide array of energy projects in the Commonwealth. Elements of the plan were reflected in Shapiro's proposed 2025-2026 budget, released in February, and are discussed in EHP's new white paper: 'Pennsylvania's Shale Gas Boom: What the Shapiro Administration Can Do to Better Protect Public Health.' The 'Lightning Plan' proposes an 'all of the above' approach to securing Pennsylvania's energy future, parts of which may benefit the health of Pennsylvanians. Climate emissions reductions, faster approval and tax credits for renewable energy projects, and standards that incentivize the next generation of energy will all help to improve public health. The plan also calls for rebates and incentives for consumers to buy new energy efficient appliances and other goods that reduce energy use. Energy efficiency is always a good approach – the cheapest, cleanest, and healthiest kilowatt-hour is the one not used. We applaud any steps that will support a just transition to a renewable energy economy and support jobs for the Commonwealth. Other components of the Lightning Plan, however, fall short in protecting public health. As in the past, the Shapiro Administration continues to define 'clean energy' broadly to include fossil fuels, such as shale gas. Shale gas is used as feedstock in certain hydrogen, petrochemical, and aviation fuel plants operating or proposed in Western Pennsylvania and other areas of the state. The incentives in Shapiro's plan give these industrial complexes the ability to add to Pennsylvania's existing pollution problems. When it comes to energy, there must be a reckoning with how we define 'clean.' Because of what we know about pervasive infrastructure leaks and climate risks associated with unburned methane, any claim that fracked gas is a realistic climate solution is patently false. Pollution from shale gas operations hastens climate change, producing more devastating storms, floods, heatwaves, fires, and insect-borne diseases – putting public health at risk for all Pennsylvanians and, indeed, for people across the globe. Meanwhile, families who live in proximity to the vast network of gas wells, processing plants, compressor stations, pipelines, storage facilities, petrochemical operations, and other infrastructure continue to be exposed to pollution that raises the risk of health harms. Research shows associations between shale gas development and an array of health impacts, including poor birth outcomes, asthma exacerbation, heart failure and high blood pressure, stress and mental health issues, and cancer. At least one study also suggests that continued shale gas development has weakened, rather than strengthened, the local economy and contributed to reductions in population and jobs. Furthermore, there has historically been little to no meaningful government engagement with communities when making decisions about the infrastructure they will host, even though their residents will bear the brunt of those decisions in the form of adverse health impacts. Ultimately there needs to be consideration for public health ramifications with any of these proposed energy actions. A major part of that consideration must be meaningful engagement with the communities hosting energy infrastructure to ensure equity in decision-making processes and to prioritize public health in places where it is most at risk. For years, frontline residents have had little to no say in the construction of shale gas facilities in their communities – including where, how, or if it happens. In response to their concerns, they have received, at best, iterations of greenwashed lip service, most recently with CNX's 'Radical Transparency' initiative. The Shapiro Administration must also take the lead in promoting a just transition to renewable energy. With its strong roots in manufacturing, its expertise in technology and medical research, and an existing workforce that is energy-oriented, Pennsylvania has what it takes to become a renewable energy leader, creating sustainable jobs, reducing health impacts and health care costs, and saving lives. Gov. Shapiro has an opportunity to show courageous leadership in a way none of his predecessors have since the beginning of the shale gas boom: by meaningfully engaging with nearby communities any time energy infrastructure is proposed and by making sure that 'clean' means 'safe' for the vast majority of Pennsylvanians. Alison L. Steele is executive director of the Environmental Health Project (EHP), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization headquartered in Pittsburgh that defends public health in the face of shale gas development. EHP provides frontline communities with timely monitoring, interpretation, and guidance while engaging diverse stakeholders: health professionals, researchers, community organizers, public servants, and others. *This commentary was updated at 2:04.*
