Policy & Advocacy
We work with local, state, and federal government partners to advocate for effective policy decisions that will impact our neighbors and hometowns.
Coalitions & Grass Roots Organizing
We bring together nonprofits, business leaders, and lawmakers to discuss solutions to our region’s challenges.
Direct Services
We operate a series of programs that connect Long Islanders with the services they need.
Welcome to the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island
At the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), our work is to ensure that our region is a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to live. We can set the standard for what an equitable region looks like. That means safe communities, decent, affordable housing, healthy food, access to care and an opportunity to thrive. In our quest for improvements and systemic change, we face a unique set of obstacles. In fact, the poverty rate today is at its highest since 1959. Given the current assault on the country’s most vulnerable communities, our work is more important than ever.
Our Impact
11350 |
People served in 2023 alone |
76 |
Years Serving Long Island |
200+ |
Partnering Organizations |
Recent News
September 12, 2024
Experts: Census data masks deeper concerns for Long Island's poor
By Olivia Winslow and Arielle Martinezolivia.winslow@newsday.com,arielle.martinez@newsday.com September 12, 2024 12:01 am
Read on Newsday
Child poverty rates in Suffolk last year rose from 2022 at a level viewed as statistically significant by the U.S. Census Bureau, but the federal government's one-size-fits-all approach continues to discount the financial hardship for "structurally poor" Long Islanders, according to poverty experts.
The Census Bureau statistics released Thursday showed that while Suffolk County's overall poverty rate in 2023 was statistically unchanged from the year before, for children under 18 it climbed just over 2 percentage points from 6.2% to 8.3%, a change the agency considers statistically significant.
Nassau's child poverty rate saw a decline the Census Bureau considered statistically insignificant, from 6.2% in 2022 to 5.1% in 2023.
High cost of livingWhat's missing from the new Census report, experts said, was an accounting of the true level of poverty on Long Island, fueled by a high cost of living, compared to other parts of the United States.
"The federal definition of poverty is so ridiculously low, we look wonderful," said Richard Koubek, chair of the Welfare to Work Commission of the Suffolk County Legislature, citing Long Island's low poverty rate and high median household income.
The latest Census Bureau data confirmed Long Island's low poverty rate and high median household income, $132,080 in 2023, compared with national median for the year, $80,610.
The overall poverty rate for Nassau and Suffolk counties was 6.1% in 2023, not statistically different from the year before, when it was 5.9%, according to Newsday's analysis of the 2023 one-year estimates from the bureau's American Community Survey.
In 2023, according to the census data, the nationwide poverty rate threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $30,900, far short of what's needed for a family to make it on Long Island, Koubek said.
"Our cost of living is so high that our poverty level should be doubled the $30,000," he said. "You've got to regionalize the federal poverty rate." But he lamented, "any attempt to do that has failed."
Statistics belie strugglesNassau's poverty rate was estimated at 5.4% in 2023, virtually unchanged from 2022 when it stood at 5.3%. Suffolk's was 6.5% in 2022 and 6.8% in 2023, a statistically insignificant change.
The Census Bureau showed New York State's poverty rate was more than double Long Island's in 2023, at 14.2%. The national poverty rate was 11.1% that year, the bureau reported.
Long Island's poverty rates are typically lower than the state or national levels, but that belies the struggles that many Long Islanders face, several human service providers said.
"There are very well defined and well worn pockets of poverty on Long Island," said Jeffrey Reynolds, president and chief executive of Garden City-based Family & Children's Association (FCA).
The association serves about 36,000 people annually, providing a range of services, including behavioral health, housing programs, seniors programs and recovery programs, as well as a food pantry.
"Single moms with kids are having a rough time. Long Island hasn't figured out how to address pockets of poverty," Reynolds said. The census data show that the poverty rate for female-headed households on Long Island with no spouse present was higher than other groups, at 10.9% in 2023 — 10.8% in Nassau and 10.9% in Suffolk.
'Transportation barriers'Reynold said Suffolk County's larger geographic area adds "transportation barriers," such as limited bus service, to the list of challenges facing families with limited incomes.
"In Suffolk access to services is hampered and child care is harder to access," Reynolds said. "It's harder to get your kids there, drop them off, get yourself to work, pick them up. These things many Long Islanders struggle with become infinitely harder" for poor single mothers, he said.
The latest census data ignores "systemic issues that keep families locked in poverty: lack of access to child care, lack of access to well-paying jobs, the lack of housing options," Reynolds said.
In an email, Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and chief executive of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, estimated that about 20% of Long Islanders are considered "structurally poor. This means they struggle to meet the high cost of living despite earning above the federal poverty line."
She added: "Many of our clients are continually faced with the difficult choices between paying for housing, utilities, food, and health care. The ongoing lack of affordable housing options continues to drive up costs, making it increasingly challenging for lower-income residents to find suitable living arrangements. ... it’s important to reflect on what this means for the children in these families. Children in lower-income households are more likely to experience poor health outcomes."
August 20, 2024
Rise Life Services Hosts Networking Event
August 8th, 2024
Read on Dan's Papers
The Wine Down, Network Up event was held at Duck Walk Vineyards in Water Mill, honoring Vanessa Baird-Streeter, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, and Joe Giametta, Facilitator of the Business Development Council for ABA.
The event’s proceeds were donated to Rise Life Services, a Riverhead-based nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding individuals with physical and mental disabilities.
August 8, 2024
Read on StreetInsider
Social Care Networks across 9 of the 13 New York State regions are partnering with Unite Us to address health-related social needs, track outcomes, and facilitate reimbursements for Medicaid members to align with the goals of the 1115 demonstration waiver.
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - August 8, 2024) - Unite Us, the nation's trusted technology partner for social care transformation, congratulates its partner organizations for being selected by the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) to lead the Social Care Network (SCN) in their region. In their role, SCN leads are responsible for maintaining a comprehensive network of community-based organizations (CBOs) that will be responsible for delivering and tracking services addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs) to eligible Medicaid members.
Announced on August 7th, the NYS DOH's selections included five Unite Us partner organizations that will serve nine regions, including Care Compass Collaborative, Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, Healthy Alliance Foundation Inc., Hudson Valley Care Coalition Inc., and Public Health Solutions. Unite Us will serve as the infrastructure for collaboration in each region's network of CBOs, healthcare providers, and managed care organizations (MCOs), which together represent 72% of Medicaid members across the state.
With Unite Us' secure and proven technology, SCNs will be able to fulfill the requirements of the state's 1115 Medicaid waiver by facilitating social care referrals, enabling reimbursements for CBOs providing services to members, and tracking outcomes. Together, this delivers the comprehensive data needed for NYS DOH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to evaluate the waiver's impact, which is a core component of the demonstration in order to determine the longevity of these services as a lasting benefit in managed care.
A few of the recently appointed SCNs share their enthusiasm and goals for delivering the objectives of the 1115 waiver demonstration in their respective regions.
Public Health Solutions (PHS): "Public Health Solutions is excited to scale WholeYouNYC, our coordinated, accountable, and modern network of organizations as the Social Care Network for three counties New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), and Queens to provide greater access to services in New York City communities," said Zachariah Hennessey, Chief Strategy Officer, Public Health Solutions. "We are committed to delivering on the goals of this demonstration to ensure these services are a lasting Medicaid benefit. Leveraging Unite Us, we will screen Medicaid members for health-related social needs and connect them to essential community resources while ensuring reimbursement to sustain service capacity."
Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI): "HWCLI is poised to scale our comprehensive and integrated social care system across the Long Island region as the Social Care Network, ensuring greater access to health and social care services for vulnerable members in our community," said Lori Andrade, Executive Vice President, HWCLI. "Collaborating with Unite Us, we will develop a sustainable technology infrastructure for screenings, referrals, and reimbursement for HRSN services across our health and social care partners. This initiative promises to foster a lasting and transformative impact for years to come."
Healthy Alliance Foundation Inc.: "As the lead entity for the Social Care Network in the Capital, Central, and North Country regions of New York, Healthy Alliance will continue creating stronger, healthier, and more connected communities," said Erica Coletti, Chief Executive Officer of Healthy Alliance. "Our longstanding partnership with Unite Us has provided us with the technology infrastructure required to keep the community member at the center of all we do, having managed over 95,000 service requests through the platform. The 1115 NYHER Waiver presents a tremendous opportunity to strengthen and sustain the social care ecosystem of New York State, and we are honored to be part of it."
Care Compress Collaborative: "Care Compass Collaborative is deeply honored to serve as the Social Care Network for the Southern Tier Region. We aim to build on our efforts to enhance access, improve quality, and reduce healthcare costs for Medicaid members, advancing health equity and reducing disparities with new HRSN services," said Mark Ropiecki, Executive Director. "Using Unite Us as our technology infrastructure will allow partners to screen, refer, and reimburse providers for the new HRSN services while collecting comprehensive data to evaluate the waiver's impact on the Department of Health and ensure the longevity of these services in managed care."
Hudson Valley Care Coalition Inc: "Our coalition of CBOs, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, county government, and behavioral health agencies, is honored to be selected as the Social Care Network in the Hudson Valley. We are dedicated to creating communities of health and wellness for all," said Amie Parikh, CEO, of Hudson Valley Care Coalition. "Embracing shared technology across our network not only streamlines the process of screening, connecting vulnerable New Yorkers to HRSN services and providing reimbursement for these critical services but also fosters a sustainable healthcare ecosystem in the Hudson Valley. Leveraging Unite Us will bridge care gaps, enhance communication, and empower organizations to deliver more accessible care."
Unite Us Advanced Technology and Commitment to Privacy & Security in 1115 HRSN Medicaid Waiver States
Unite Us is uniquely positioned to support 1115 Medicaid HRSN waivers by connecting individuals to essential social care services, offering integrated Medicaid member eligibility verification, and embedding a scalable payments solution that ensures CBOs receive fair, timely reimbursement to strengthen their capacity.
These features are part of the Unite Us comprehensive closed-loop referral platform, which delivers unparalleled visibility into Medicaid members' longitudinal care journeys to deliver real-time insights into screenings, referrals, and case outcomes spanning our accountable networks. This holistic approach promises to deliver the NYS DOH and the CMS with robust, standardized social care data across all SCN regions, leveraging Unite Us for effective program evaluation and optimization.
In addition to its market-leading technologies, Unite Us has become the industry's most trusted partner for prioritizing the privacy and dignity of individuals seeking care. Unite Us New York partners trust their information will be protected and secure. Unite Us protects all social care information as though it were protected health information, employing the same security measures required by HIPAA for all data on our platform, regardless of where it originates. Our platform enables partners to securely exchange information to seamlessly connect members to services that can improve their health and well-being.
"We commend our SCN partners for their years of dedicated service to our community's most vulnerable," said Taylor Justice, Co-Founder, and President at Unite Us. "As the technological backbone for SCNs and their vast networks, we're dedicated to streamlining screenings, referrals, and reimbursement processes while providing essential data to NYS DOH and CMS for program evaluation. Drawing from our experience with other HRSN Medicaid waiver initiatives in states like North Carolina and Oregon, we're committed to delivering on the goals of this demonstration and advancing whole-person care. We'll ensure that HRSN services become a lasting benefit in managed care."
Nonprofits and CBOs seeking to join the Unite Us coordinated care network can connect through uniteus.com/contact/.
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