Emily Keller-O'Donnell, Journalist

City Wins Appeals Ruling on Services for Mentally Ill Inmates

    A state appeals panel has ruled that New York City is no longer required to fulfill a 2003 mandate to provide services to inmates with mental illnesses after they are released from prison.

    The August 10 decision reverses an injunction by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Shafer last year that required the city to continue complying with terms of the settlement in Brad H. v. City of New York, a lawsuit that was filed in 1999 by a group of inmates from city jails.

    The panel said the court no longer has the power to continue enforcing the settlement, which required the city to provide services to inmates leaving prison beginning in 2003 and lasting for five years. Those services included mental health treatment, medication, assistance applying for public benefits and transportation to a home or shelter.

Parent Educator Looks at Relationships in Special Needs Families

    Families with special needs children may have a higher rate of divorce and more marital conflict than other families, according to an article published in The New York Law Journal on August 6.   

    The article by Susan L. Pollet, coordinator of the New York State Parent Education and Awareness Program, compared studies and articles by various sources from 2003 to 2009.

Law Firm Charges Landlords and Owners with Housing Discrimination

    The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) and the law firm Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart LLP filed a lawsuit August 26 charging landlords and property owners with discriminating against an applicant with a disability.

    The lawsuit was filed in state court on behalf of Paul Solomons, 44, of New York City, against more than 20 property owners and brokers. Solomons receives Social Security Disability benefits and a Section 8 voucher from the New York City Housing Authority. He has been looking for an apartment through brokers and landlords.

Guide Dog Foundation Provides Classes and Assistance

    The Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has a guide dog whose name holds special significance to the city’s history, and whose training organization has earned international recognition.

    “The name is Downey and he is ironically named after a great NYC FDNY chief who died in 9/11,” explains Sapolin.

New York State Passes 2010-‘11 Budget

    The New York State Senate voted to finalize a $136 billion budget August 3, following the Assembly’s approval of the plan. The 32-28 vote, which was split along party lines, enacted the plan into law 125 days late.

    The budget reduces funding to the Human Services department by 8 percent, including a 4.8 percent reduction in funding to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) over last year, to $5.1 billion. The OTDA provides support services and financial assistance to seniors and people with disabilities who are unable to work.