Where Disabled Immigrants Can Get Help in New York City

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of December 2020, 61 million adults in the United States have some type of disability, or one in four Americans. In New York City, the figure is 1 in 5. Three million New Yorkers reported a health disability, according to a Department of Health study. While the number of immigrants with disabilities is unknown, and while some types of disabilities are more visible than others, this does not negate the fact that all types of disabilities can adversely affect the lifestyle of people and the lives of those around them. Edition DocumentedNY has compiled a list of resources and departments where immigrants with disabilities can apply for help.

Americans with Disabilities Act

To help Americans with disabilities, George W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, which, like the Civil Rights Act, protected people with disabilities from harassment or discrimination.

It guarantees equal opportunities for people with disabilities in public places, at work, in transport, in state and local government services and in telecommunications.

What is disability

The CDC classifies a disability as any condition of the body or mind that makes it difficult for a person with the condition to perform certain actions and interact with the world around them. People with disabilities include conditions that affect mobility, cognitive thinking, independent living, hearing, vision, or self-care.

There is no definitive list of what counts as a disability. However, the regulations define conditions that can be considered a disability:

• Deafness
• Blindness
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Limited intelligence
• Partial or complete absence of limbs
• Mobility disorders requiring the use of a wheelchair
• Autism
• Cerebral palsy
• HIV infection
• Multiple sclerosis
• muscular dystrophy
• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Schizophrenia

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Resources in New York for People with Disabilities

• NYC Well: provides help with mental health problems online, by calling 1-888-692-9355 or by texting Well to 65173.
• NYC 311: provides assistance to New Yorkers with a variety of issues (transportation, housing, benefits, meals, etc.). Use the website for assistance or call 311.
• Legal Aid Society of NYC: legal advice and representation on a variety of issues, including civil practice, criminal defense, juvenile rights, benefits, homeless rights, immigration law and taxes.
• Advocates for Children: serves children and youth (ages 0-26) in New York City who have difficulty in school or face discrimination in school or early learning programs.
• Mobilization for justice: offers free legal aid in New York to low-income New Yorkers in the housing sector; foreclosure; civil rights; bankruptcy, taxes, employment, benefits, immigration and more.
• MTA Guide to Accessible Transit: this site provides information on accessible public transportation in New York, including railways and New York airports.
• Public Park Accessibility in NYC: on this website you will find available facilities, activities and programs in NYC city parks.
• NYC Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) Program: The DRIE program is a future rent increase exemption for eligible people with disabilities living in New York City with rent controlled, rent stabilized.
• NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD): provides information on employment, transportation, housing, and other resources for people with disabilities in New York City.
• NYC Be Ready Emergency Management Preparation Resources: provides information for people with disabilities in preparation for an emergency or natural disaster.
• NYC Department of Education - Assistive Technology: provides support and guidance on assistive technology for staff, teachers, and school administrators.

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List of organizations helping immigrants with disabilities

• Disabled in Action (DIA): a human rights organization that seeks to end discrimination against people with disabilities - all people with disabilities. They are fighting to remove the barriers that prevent us from enjoying full equality in American society. DIA is composed primarily of people with disabilities and is managed by them. Telephone and fax: 718-261-3737. Disabled in Action website
• Guide to Independent Living: An illustrated guide to independent living for people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities. Created by the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) and the AHRC. Additional information on link.
• Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY: The goal of the Center for Disability Independence, New York (CIDNY) is to ensure full inclusion, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by eliminating barriers to social, economic, cultural, and social issues. Email Mail: [email protected]. CIDNY Manhattan phone: 212-674-2300. CIDNY in Queens phone: 646-442-1520. CIDNY website
• Harlem Independent Living Center: Helps communities of people with disabilities achieve optimal independence through culturally and linguistically appropriate services through advocacy, education, empowerment. Located at 289 Saint Nicholas Avenue. Suite 21 Lower Level, New York, NY 10027. Phone: 212-222-7122. Email Mail: [email protected]. Site Harlem Independent Living Center.
• Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, Inc. (BCID): a non-profit organization run by most people with disabilities for people with disabilities since 1956. Phone: 718 -998-3000. BCID website
• Bronx Independent Living Services (BILS): a non-profit public organization whose goal is to enable all people with disabilities to understand and exercise their civil and human rights in order to live a fully integrated life in society. Phone: 718-515-2800. BILS website
• Staten Island Center for Independent Living: the only one-stop multi-service provider that is mostly staffed and operated by people with personal experience with disabilities. Staten Island Center for Independent Living website
• Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS): is a non-profit organization run by people with developmental disabilities and for people with developmental disabilities. Phone: 646-896-1938. SANYS website
• Synergy: is a multiservice non-profit organization founded in 1977. The agency focuses on serving people and families with developmental and cognitive disabilities throughout New York City and underprivileged communities in Harlem. Located at 2082 Lexington Avenue 4th Floor, New York, NY 10035. Telephone: 212-643-2840. Sinergia website
• National Federation of the Blind (NFB) - NYC Chapter: the organization knows that blindness is not a characteristic that defines you or your future. The NFB believes in the full power of the blind and has the strength, influence, diversity and determination to help make your dreams come true. Phone: 718-567-7821. NFB website
• American Council of the Blind (ACB) New York Chapter: ACBNY is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Its goal is to support and promote the educational, professional and social progress of blind and visually impaired people. Phone: 800-522-3303. ACB website
• New York City Black Deaf Advocates: founded in 1983, the organization's mission is to better educate itself and the Deaf community about the rights and responsibilities of Black Deaf people. They also identify, study and disseminate information related to the impact of social, economic, educational, political, religious and health issues through forums, groups, lectures and seminars, as well as through enhanced leadership development and employment opportunities for deaf and deaf people. development of their potential. Email Mail: [email protected]. New York City Black Deaf Advocates website
• National Alliance on Mental Illness NYC Metro: an organization that provides support, education and advocacy to families and people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who live with mental illness. Phone: 212-684-3264. Email Mail: [email protected]. Site National Alliance on Mental Illness NYC Metro