Angie, a then 34-year-old Spanish-speaking patient with Down syndrome admitted with acute COVID-19, received personalized care, language services, and in-person visits from her loved ones that contributed to her recovery.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers with disabilities have faced challenges and inequities in several areas, including employment, vaccines, and housing. Representatives from the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) discussed these issues in a virtual talk hosted by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at Mount Sinai. The session, “The Aftermath of COVID-19 in New York City,” can be viewed here.
The talk was part of the Raising Disability Awareness Virtual Talk Series, launched by ODI in 2020 for Disability Awareness Month in October, which featured speakers from around the Mount Sinai Health System and the community to raise awareness and promote an inclusive and equitable workplace and health care environment for people with disabilities.
Panelist Eliezer Ramos, a Business Engagement Associate for the NYC: ATWORK Employment Initiative at MOPD, addressed the importance of increasing resources to the population after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our goal is to make New York City the most accessible city in the world,” he said. According to Mr. Ramos, “People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to live in poverty. Unemployment rates for New Yorkers with disabilities increased more quickly during COVID-19. And they’ve remained the highest they’ve ever been.”
MOPD aims to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers with disabilities, focusing on transportation, employment, financial empowerment, education, technology, housing, health, and access. The hope is that MOPD can expand services in all areas to improve the day-to-day experiences of people with disabilities, Mr. Ramos said. Working with the city and its partners to improve transportation, enhance recruitment for internships and job opportunities, and bridge the digital divide are a few ways MOPD is working for people with disabilities. A report on the city’s current and planned initiatives for people with disabilities is at AccessibleNYC , Mr. Ramos said.
Job Training and the Digital Divide
MOPD uses a hands-on approach to train organizations, such as schools and educational systems, on disability etiquette and awareness. “The more we can do to educate our city, the better,” Mr. Ramos said. Using digital accessibility resources, student groups, and training, the MOPD works to help students reach their goals and inform the educators.
Crystal Rivera, Program Officer for Empowered Cities at MOPD, described how challenging it was connecting people with disabilities with job opportunities. “We had realized a lot of our job seekers were working on job applications and submitting resumes through their mobile phones, because they did not have access to technology,” she said.
Because many job seekers have poor Internet access, and limited use of computers, they had difficulty attending Zoom meetings—which during the pandemic have become an integral part of the working world. “They heavily relied on their cell phone for computer tasks,” Ms. Rivera said. “And many of those who do have computers, lack digital literacy training.” These are some of the disparities that are addressed by Empowered Cities, an initiative to advance equity and economic opportunity for low-income people with disabilities and their families.
A lack of safe and affordable housing is another issue that has disproportionately affected people with disabilities in New York City. Arthur Jacobs, Housing Coordinator at the MOPD, described the steps the office is taking.
Housing and Health
“We continue to develop new accessible units through the set-aside program in the affordable housing lotteries. And that breaks down to a 5 percent set aside for people with mobility disabilities, and a 2 percent set aside for people with vision and or hearing disabilities.” Mr. Jacobs said. New Yorkers who meet requirements can apply for affordable housing through the city’s Housing Connect site.
Mr. Jacobs also shared some insight on how New Yorkers with disabilities can get assistance with post-pandemic housing. “New York City continues to develop new accessible units through the set-aside program in the affordable housing lottery,” Mr. Jacobs said. “It is a great way to ensure that people with disabilities have a space that they can afford and fit their needs.”
Panelists said that like many populations throughout the country, people with disabilities have been affected by misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. “We do hear a lot of fear. There’s a lot of misinformation being passed around, a lot of hesitancy from people that have multiple conditions,” Ms. Rivera said, adding that they may have heard false information that vaccines will worsen their condition or give them COVID-19.
The Language Services team at the Mount Sinai Health System provides language translation and interpretation services to support patients with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. Assistance includes interpretation services in different modalities for inpatient and outpatient care as well as critical communication with patient’s family members. In response to COVID-19 protocols in place, the team developed patient-facing tools, deployed video interpreting equipment and assistive technology to pro-actively meet the needs of patients and families. To learn more about the services offered, please visit the Language Services webpage.
Additional disabilities-related resources are available on the Mount Sinai Office for Diversity and Inclusion site.