New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released audits of State entities

On October 4, 2023, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the audits of State Departments, Agencies, Public Authorities and other entities listed below were issued.

Click on the text highlighted in color to access both the summary and the complete audit report

 

Metropolitan Transportation Authority – New York City Transit: Risk Assessment and Implementation of Measures to Address Extreme Weather Conditions (2021-S-27)

Flooding remains a serious issue for the City and the Metropolitan Transportation Agency’s (MTA) transportation system, including New York City Transit (Transit). In September 2007, the Chair of the MTA appointed a commission to make sustainability-related recommendations to the MTA and its agencies. The audit found that, to date, the MTA has not implemented one of the most important recommendations – the development of the climate change adaptation master plan. Further, review of a sample of capital projects intended to correct or prevent damage found that projects were often incomplete in scope of work, not finished on time or within budget, or insufficiently documented.

 

Department of State – Implementation of the Security Guard Act (Follow-Up) (2023-F-20)

Article 7-A of the General Business Law, also known as the Security Guard Act (Act), requires that individuals working as security guards have a valid registration card and entrusts the Department of State (DOS) with issuing registration cards. The Act also requires guards to complete training and renew their registration every 2 years. A prior audit, issued in July 2021, found security guards classified as police/peace officers did not fulfill their training requirements, including armed guards who did not complete the required firearms training. The follow-up found DOS made significant progress in addressing the problems identified in the initial audit report, implementing a new procedure for monitoring and reviewing training records. Of the initial report’s four audit recommendations, three were fully implemented and one was partially implemented.

 

Department of Transportation – Compliance With Freedom of Information Law Requirements (2020-S-12)

The New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) provides for public access to government records. Under FOIL, agencies, including the Department of Transportation (DOT), must make all eligible records available for public inspection or copying upon request. The audit found DOT did not always comply with the FOIL requirements, identifying instances of non-compliance, including cases of DOT not providing the requested records available, denying the request, or failing to acknowledge the request within the statutory time frame. Furthermore, DOT obstructed the audit by, among other actions, requiring that all meetings be attended by supervisory staff from DOT’s main office and not providing all requested information.

 

New York Power Authority – Selected Management and Operations Practices: BuildSmart NY/Executive Order 88 (2023-S-27)

BuildSmart NY is a program created to carry out Executive Order 88 (EO 88), which mandated a 20% improvement in the energy efficiency performance of State government buildings by April 2020 and the BuildSmart 2025 program expands upon the original program and sets new objectives equivalent to a 34% reduction in energy usage. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) administers EO 88 and organizations subject to EO 88 (Affected State Entities [ASEs]) work with NYPA to achieve their allotted portion of the overall savings targeted by 2025. NYPA’s Final Report shows the actual reduction reported was 14.4% by April 2020, and when committed projects (incomplete) are added, the reduction is 22.6%. However, the report includes 123 projects of 158 that are not scheduled to be completed until as late as 2024. Additionally, when NYPA annually reported the status of the BuildSmart NY program, officials shied away from identifying the deficiencies in ASE non-compliance and instead asserted that they had no ability to enforce EO 88.

 

State Education Department – Adult Career and Continuing Education Services: Vocational Rehabilitation Supported Employment Program (Follow-Up) (2023-F-15)

The State Education Department’s (SED) Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) program provides vocational rehabilitation services for and supports the employment goals of people with a disability. To help program participants achieve and maintain employment, counselors develop an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) with each participant, which identifies the employment goal, services that will be provided to help achieve that goal, and how progress will be measured. A prior audit, issued in March 2022, found that SED did not always meet the time frames for eligibility determinations or finalization and annual reviews of IPEs and SED did not provide any documented evaluations to show the ACCES-VR program was being adequately monitored. The follow-up found SED made progress addressing the issues identified in the initial audit report, replacing its case management system to allow for improved oversight and developing step-by-step guidance for counselors completing IPEs. Of the initial report’s three recommendations, two were implemented and one was partially implemented.

 

State Education Department – Oversight of Mental Health Education in Schools (Follow-Up) (2023-F-21)

Under Section 804 of the Education Law (Law), the State Education Department (SED) is responsible for enforcing a requirement for mental health education in schools. An initial audit, issued in April 2022, found that mental health teams at many school districts were understaffed and that SED did not require school districts to submit any documentation indicating compliance with the Law. SED made progress in addressing the problems identified in the initial audit report, developing a mechanism to determine if schools are providing mental health education and taking steps to secure more mental health staffing. Both recommendations from the initial report were implemented.

 

New York City Office of Technology and Innovation – LinkNYC Program Revenues and Monitoring (Follow-Up) (2022-F-25)

New York City’s Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) procures citywide IT services. In December 2014, NYC entered into a Franchise Agreement (Agreement) with a consortium of technology, media, and connectivity providers (Consortium) to replace aging public pay telephones with state-of-the-art connection points called Links that would offer free Internet access and phone service. A prior audit issued in July 2021 found that OTI did not sufficiently monitor and enforce the Consortium’s compliance with the Agreement terms, including the collection of almost $70 million due to NYC. The follow-up found that OTI made progress in addressing these issues, but it could do more to ensure revenues owed are assessed and collected correctly and Links are properly installed and maintained. Of the initial report’s 18 recommendations, seven were implemented, six were partially implemented, and five were not implemented.

 

Medicaid Program – Recovering Managed Care Payments for Inpatient Services on Behalf of Recipients With Third-Party Health Insurance (2021-S-24)

For Medicaid recipients enrolled in managed care, the Department of Health (DOH) pays managed care organizations (MCOs) a monthly premium for each enrolled recipient, and, in turn, the MCOs arrange for their health care services, including inpatient services. Many recipients have other third-party health insurance (TPHI) in addition to Medicaid. Medicaid is considered the payer of last resort, and, as such, MCOs are required to coordinate benefits with the recipient’s TPHI prior to paying for Medicaid services. The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General uses a contractor to identify and recover payments made for services that should have been paid for by a recipient’s TPHI. During the audit period, the contractor did not bill TPHI carriers or initiate provider reviews for the recovery of $52.2 million in inpatient claims where MCOs paid as the primary insurance despite recipients having TPHI inpatient coverage.

 

Department of Health: Medicaid Program – Improper Medicaid Payments for Claims Not in Compliance With Ordering, Prescribing, Referring, and Attending Requirements (Follow-Up) (2023-F-4)  

As of January 1, 2014, New York’s Medicaid program required health care professionals who order, prescribe, refer, or attend (OPRA) Medicaid services be appropriately screened and enrolled in Medicaid and their National Provider Identifier (NPI) – a unique identification number – to be included on Medicaid claims. A prior audit issued in August 2021 found Medicaid made over $1.5 billion in improper and questionable payments for claims that did not contain an enrolled or affiliated OPRA NPI as required or where the NPI was not properly validated by the Department of Health (DOH) at the time of payment, and $19.4 million in payments for claims that contained an OPRA NPI that should not be included on Medicaid claims or that should be further reviewed by DOH due to past misconduct. The follow-up found that none of the improper and questionable payments have been reviewed. Furthermore, DOH has not improved system controls to prevent improper use of an override option for pharmacy claims that were denied because they did not contain the NPI of an enrolled provider in the prescribing field, and, as a result, auditors identified another $11.3 million in improper pharmacy payments since the initial audit. Of the initial report’s 12 audit recommendations, one was implemented, three were partially implemented, and eight were not implemented.

 

New York State Health Insurance Program – UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York: Overpayments for Physician-Administered Drugs (2021-S-32)

The Department of Civil Service contracts with UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York (United) to administer the Medical/Surgical Program of the Empire Plan, which covers a range of services, including physician-administered drugs, which are also covered under the Empire Plan’s separate Prescription Drug Program. A physician-administered drug is an outpatient drug (other than a vaccine) that is usually administered by a health care provider in a physician’s office or other outpatient clinical setting. The audit identified $5,536,537 in actual and potential overpayments for the cost of physician-administered drugs during the audit period. As of March 29, 2023, United recovered $254,188 of the improper payments.

 

New York State Health Insurance Program – Empire BlueCross: Overpayments for Physician- Administered Drugs (2021-S-33)

The Department of Civil Service contracts with Empire BlueCross (Empire) to administer the Hospital Program of the Empire Plan, which covers services including physician-administered drugs. A physician-administered drug is a drug, other than a vaccine, that is typically administered by a health care professional in a hospital or facility setting. In certain circumstances, physician-administered drugs are paid under the Empire Plan’s separate Prescription Drug Program, but both programs should not pay for the same physician-administered drug for the same patient on the same date of service. The audit identified $2,776,510 in actual and potential overpayments for the cost of physician-administered drugs during the audit period. As of June 21, 2023, Empire had started recoveries for $116,287 of the improper payments.

 

Department of Civil Service – New York State Health Insurance Program: Incorrect Payments by CVS Caremark for Medicare Rx Drug Claims That Were Improperly Paid Under the Commercial Plan (2022-S-24)

The Department of Civil Service (Civil Service) contracts with CaremarkPCS Health, L.L.C. (CVS Caremark) to administer the prescription drug program for the Empire Plan, which includes the Empire Plan Medicare Rx drug plan (Medicare Rx Plan) for retired members and their dependents who have Medicare, and a Commercial Plan for members and their dependents who do not have Medicare. Claims paid under the Medicare Rx Plan are eligible for enhanced drug manufacturer discounts and federal subsidies that are not available for claims paid under the Commercial. For the audit period, auditors identified claims totaling $12,358,531 that were incorrectly paid under the Commercial Plan instead of the Medicare Rx Plan.

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Cybercrime in New York Rises

Cyberattacks in New York state increased 53% between 2016 and 2022, jumping from 16,426 incidents in 2016 to 25,112 in 2022. The number of attacks targeting critical infrastructure in New York state nearly doubled to 83 in the first half of 2023 compared to 48 during the entirety of last year, according to a report released on October 5, 2023, by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Estimated losses in New York from cyberattacks in 2022 totaled over $775 million, while losses nationwide totaled $10.3 billion.

“Cyberattacks are a serious threat to New York’s critical infrastructure, economy and our everyday lives,” said DiNapoli. “Data breaches at companies and institutions that collect large amounts of personal information expose New Yorkers to potential invasions of privacy, identity theft and fraud. Also troubling is the rise in ransomware attacks that can shut down systems we rely on for water, power, health care and other necessities. Safeguarding our state from cyberattacks requires sustained investment, coordination, and vigilance.”

Relative to other states, New York had the third highest number of ransomware attacks (135) and corporate data breaches (238) in 2022, trailing only California and Texas for ransomware attacks and California and Florida for corporate data breaches. New York also had the fourth-highest number of cybercrime victims in the nation in 2022 with losses skyrocketing 632% since 2016.

The two most attacked critical infrastructure sectors through ransomware and data breaches in New York were Healthcare and Public Health (9) and Financial Services (8). Commercial Facilities and Government Facilities (7) tied for third.

Combatting the Threat

Securing critical infrastructure from cyberattacks will require sustained investment, coordination and vigilance. In 2022, the Governor appointed a state chief cyber officer to lead cross-agency efforts to combat cyber threats and improve the state's critical infrastructure assets’ cybersecurity. The cyber chief leads a newly created Joint Security Operations Center, a multi-agency cybersecurity coordination hub linking New York state, New York City, local and regional governments and critical infrastructure stakeholders and federal partners for information sharing, cyber threat detection and incident response. In August, the Governor released the first statewide cybersecurity strategy, which will allow the state to access new federal funding.

The federal Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, for which rules and regulations are being developed, will require cybersecurity reporting for critical infrastructure sectors. The creation of a centralized repository of data breach reports from across the critical infrastructure sectors would also aid in identifying new attack-vectors or exploits before they become widespread, and for coordinated responses to emerging cyberthreats. Encompassing local governments in this database would be important.

DiNapoli’s cybersecurity audits of state agencies and public authorities have found several common technical weaknesses and risks across its audits, such as entities’ misunderstanding of security risks, unsupported applications, unknown data on systems, poor access controls and a lack of monitoring of changes to systems, among others. Recommendations are provided to each agency to enable them to begin corrective actions immediately to strengthen their networks.

Cybersecurity Challenges Facing Local Governments and Schools

DiNapoli also released a report on the cybersecurity challenges facing New York’s local governments and school districts. In New York, cyberattacks have impacted local governments and schools both large and small, including reported attacks at counties including Albany, Chenango, Erie, Nassau, Schenectady, Suffolk, and Schuyler; cities including New York, Albany, Buffalo, Yonkers, Long Beach, and Olean; and towns including Brookhaven, Ulster, Canandaigua, and Moreau.

In 2019, a ransomware attack on the Syracuse City School District froze the district out of its own systems, crippling the website, email system, phones, and back-end functions like payroll and student management. Other attacks on local governments have had far reaching impacts. The September 2022 ransomware attack on Suffolk County, the ramifications of which the county is still dealing with, required the county to disable important computer systems and move many of the county’s functions back to pen and paper for months. It was a cautionary example of the potential impacts of a cyberattack, and highlighted the risk to state systems that linked local government systems could pose.

These and other recent events have demonstrated the serious risks that illegal access to these systems can pose to critical local government and school operations that rely heavily on technology. DiNapoli’s report provides guidance and resources for local governments and schools to help them manage the risks associated with cybersecurity.

Risks in Local Governments and School Districts

From 2019 through July 31, 2023, DiNapoli’s Local Government and School Accountability division released more than 190 information technology (IT) audits, finding more than 2,400 cybersecurity-related issues. The audits focused on breakdowns or gaps in fundamental cybersecurity components. The most common areas where improvement and corrective action were needed included cybersecurity governance aspects such as training in IT security awareness, policies and procedures, and the need for contingency plans. Because these cybersecurity audits are sensitive in nature, many findings and recommendations for corrective action are communicated confidentially to local government and school officials. Often the audit recommendations can be implemented at no or low cost to local governments or school districts.

Reports

Cyberattacks on New York’s Critical Infrastructure: Staying Ahead of the Threat

 
New York Local Government and School Cybersecurity: A Cyber Profile

 

Increase in the maximum sick leave days that may be accumulated by employees of the State as the employer designated Managerial or Confidential within the meaning of CSL Article 14 [the Taylor Law] proposed

The Department of Civil Service has proposed an amendment to §28 of the Attendance Rules for Employees in New York State Departments and Institutions to read as follows:

"28-1.3(b) Increase Sick Leave Accruals (b) Employees shall earn sick leave credits at the rate of one-half day per biweekly pay period and may accumulate such credits up to a total of 200 225 days."

No change has been proposed with respect to the use of up to 200 days of such credits to pay for health insurance in retirement in accordance with §167(4) of the Civil Service Law nor that an employee shall not earn sick leave credit for any biweekly pay period unless such employee is in full pay status for at least seven workdays during such biweekly pay period.

A part-time employee who is required to work a fixed number of hours on a fixed schedule five days per week, or who is required to work at least half-time each biweekly pay period for a fixed number of hours on a fixed schedule, shall also earn sick leave credit as provided herein, but total pay when absent on such leave shall be the amount which would have been due had such employee worked regularly at his/her usual hours for such period.

The text of proposed rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from Jennifer Paul, NYS Department of Civil Service, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, Albany, NY 12239, (518) 473-6598, email: commops@cs.ny.gov.

Data, views or arguments may be submitted to Eugene Sarfoh, Counsel, NYS Department of Civil Service, Empire State Plaza, Agency Building 1, Albany, NY 12239, (518) 473-2624, email: public.comments@cs.ny.gov.

Public comment will be received until 60 days after publication of this notice, published in the State Register on October 4, 2023 [Vol. XLV, Issue 40].

 

Municipal and School Audits released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli

On October 3, 2023, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the following local government and school audits were issued.

Click on the text highlighted in color to access both the summary and the complete audit report.

 

Cattaraugus County – Sexual Harassment Prevention (SHP) Training

SHP training was provided to employees and elected officials. However, of the 150 total individuals auditors tested (125 selected employees and all 25 elected officials), 36 employees and 18 elected officials did not complete the annual training.

 

Town of Orangeville – Town Clerk/Tax Collector (Wyoming County)

The clerk did not properly record, deposit, remit or report collections. The clerk did not maintain complete and accurate accounting records, provide accurate monthly reports to the supervisor or provide an annual accounting to the board as required. The clerk also did not: accurately record, remit and report detailed clerk fees for 21 of the 24 months reviewed; deposit clerk fees and real property tax collections within required timeframes or in a timely manner; remit real property tax collections totaling $2 million to the supervisor or the county treasurer within the required timeframes; or accurately record and report real property tax collections.

 

Wallkill Central School District – Claims Auditing (Ulster County)

The claims auditor did not ensure claims were adequately supported, properly authorized, approved before payment, for valid purposes or properly reported to the board. Auditors reviewed 100 claims totaling $1.7 million and determined: none were reviewed for sufficient budget appropriations, which could result in budget lines being overspent; 58 totaling $1.6 million did not have sufficient supporting documentation, which could result in paying a claim that is not valid and legal; and 11 lists of claims totaling $464,801 were not included in the claims auditor reports to the board. As a result, the board was not aware of all claims paid.

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Expanded New York State statewide language access policy

 GOVERNOR HOCHUL CELEBRATES ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF STATE’S EXPANDED STATEWIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICY AND NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS 

La traducción al español de este comunicado de prensa se proporciona a continuación.

 

State Fulfilling Commitment to Improve Language Access Services for New Yorkers with Limited English Proficiency 

 

Office of Language Access Launching Statewide Ad Campaign and Promoting Upcoming Listening Tour 

 

State Agency Language Access Plans Available Here 

 

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the one-year anniversary of the expansion of New York State’s language access policy and the launch of the Office of Language Access. To ensure all New Yorkers can easily access state government programs and benefits — no matter their preferred language — the language access law mandates all executive State agencies providing direct services or benefits to provide interpretation services in any language and to translate vital agency documents into the top 12 non-English languages most commonly spoken by New Yorkers. Each agency has a Language Access Coordinator overseeing the provision of language access services and a Language Access Plan that is updated at least every two years. The Office of Language Access will publish in early October the first report of language access services provided by agencies since its launch. 

 

"With the Statue of Liberty in our harbor, New York has welcomed immigrants from across the world for generations," Governor Hochul said. "Through the Office of Language Access, we made important progress to tear down language barriers and make critical services and resources more accessible to all New Yorkers who have come here to build a better life for themselves and their families."

 

New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “New York State is one of the most diverse states in the country, and there are millions of New Yorkers who do not speak English as their primary language, and the Office of General Services is proud to be part of Governor Hochul’s efforts to dismantle the language barriers that block many New Yorkers from easily obtaining government services that most of us take for granted. Every New Yorker deserves a government that provides equitable, fast, and efficient services. I applaud our Office of Language Access and our state agency partners for all they have accomplished over the past year by providing more equitable access to vital documents, information, and services.”

 

New York State Chief Disability Officer Kimberly Hill said, “I am so proud that the Office of the Chief Disability Officer has been a part of an incredible partnership with the Office of Language Access that will assist many New Yorkers in obtaining equal access to communication. My entire team would like to wish OLA a very happy first anniversary and we  look forward to many more exciting collaborations in the future!”

 

Office of Language Access Executive Director Margarita Larios said, “We’re proud of our first year’s accomplishments in collaboration with State Language Access Coordinators and their Executive agencies. We are energized to continue working hard to ensure all New Yorkers have easy access to state government programs and services, no matter their English proficiency. We are focusing on raising awareness, getting feedback and empowering New Yorkers to seek the government services they deserve, regardless of their preferred language. Our ad campaign highlights our state’s unique language and cultural diversity, a key to why so many of us came to New York to make our dreams come true. I’m grateful to our partners across state agencies, community-based organizations, state and local governments, language services providers, and beyond. We still have a lot to do but are well on our way thanks to Governor Hochul’s and OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy’s steadfast commitment to advance language justice in New York State.” 

 

Housed within the NYS Office of General Services (OGS), OLA was created in October 2022 to provide the critical support, guidance, oversight, and coordination required to ensure the 46 executive agencies complying with the language access law (Executive Law Section 202-a) implement it efficiently and effectively. OLA and the expanded statewide language access policy was codified as part of the FY 2023 Budget, fulfilling a commitment made in Governor Hochul's 2022 State of the State agenda.

 

Among the milestones reached since the OLA was launched on October 3, 2022: 

 

• In collaboration with the New York State Digital and Media Services Center (DMSC), OLA created an Office of Language Access toolkit, including the “Your Language Access Rights in New York State” brochure in 26 languages, “I Speak” card, landing page, and other materials to promote and facilitate the provision of languages access services. These materials were distributed to 46 agencies in July. An ASL interpretation video of this brochure is also available. 
• Partnering with the Governor’s Office of the Chief Disability Officer, OLA created first-in-the-nation American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation video series of key documents from different agencies, to increase access to important information for the Deaf community with limited English proficiency who uses ASL. There are 40 ASL videos now available in the OGS YouTube channel, and the list continues to grow. 
• Launched the media ad campaign “As a New Yorker...” providing the public with multilingual information and documents about the language access law, the process for filing a complaint, individual state agency Language Access Plans, and a list of agency Language Access Coordinators.
• OLA conducted 10 feedback sessions with more than 20 community-based organizations advocating for language access services from each of the 10 New York regions to better understand language access needs and inform programmatic planning.
• OLA supported covered agencies with over $300,000 in funding for the translation of vital documents. 
• Collaborated with New York State Department of Health, Department of Labor, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Taxation and Finance, Division of Human Rights, Office of Medicaid Inspector General, and Office of Mental Health to add up to four languages to their list of vital documents translation languages, as provisioned in the language access law.  
• Created a dashboard for New York State staff with data on non-English languages spoken at home by New Yorkers with LEP to support data-driven decision-making. 
• OGS tripled the number of language service providers available on the state contract agencies can access to provide interpretation and translation services. 
• OLA completed a state agency language access coordinator assessment survey and held quarterly language access coordinator meetings to determine opportunities for optimization and support of agencies. 

 

The OLA is now launching its first statewide awareness campaign to provide New Yorkers with information about their rights to access state programs and benefits with the assistance of free language services. The campaign also promotes OLA’s statewide listening tour, which is scheduled to kick off in mid-October. 

 

New Yorkers will see the multimedia awareness campaign in English and in the top non-English languages spoken statewide (Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Yiddish), as well as American Sign Language. As part of the campaign, informative public service announcements will appear through mid-November on social media and streaming video platforms, billboards, and radio, as well as newspapers, magazines, and more.  

 

Also, as part of its strategy to raise awareness and get feedback directly from New Yorkers about the state’s language services, OLA will conduct listening sessions at locations across New York this fall.  

 

The OLA listening tour is scheduled to begin in Buffalo on October 14, with sessions planned also for Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Westchester, Long Island, and New York City. The final session will take place virtually on November 21. 

 

Additional information about the listening tour, including times, dates, locations, and details on registering are available here.  

 

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SPANISH TRANSLATION:

LA GOBERNADORA HOCHUL CELEBRA EL PRIMER ANIVERSARIO DE LA POLÍTICA AMPLIADA DE ACCESO A IDIOMAS A TODO EL ESTADO Y LA OFICINA DE ACCESO A IDIOMAS DEL ESTADO DE NUEVA YORK

El Estado cumple su compromiso de mejorar los servicios de acceso lingüístico para neoyorquinos con dominio limitado del inglés

 La Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico lanza una campaña publicitaria a nivel estatal y promueve la próxima gira de escucha

Planes de acceso lingüístico de agencias estatales disponibles aquí 

La gobernadora Kathy Hochul anunció hoy el primer aniversario de la expansión de la política de acceso al idioma del estado de Nueva York y el lanzamiento de la Oficina de Acceso al Idioma. Para garantizar que todos los neoyorquinos puedan acceder fácilmente a los programas y beneficios del gobierno estatal, sin importar su idioma preferido, la ley de acceso lingüístico exige que todas las agencias estatales ejecutivas que brindan servicios o beneficios directos brinden servicios de interpretación en cualquier idioma y traduzcan documentos vitales de la agencia a los 12 idiomas principales, además del inglés, más hablados por los neoyorquinos. Cada agencia tiene un Coordinador de Acceso Lingüístico que supervisa la prestación de servicios de acceso lingüístico y un Plan de Acceso Lingüístico que se actualiza al menos cada dos años. La Oficina de Acceso al Idioma publicará a principios de octubre el primer informe de los servicios de acceso al idioma proporcionados por las agencias desde su lanzamiento.

"Con la Estatua de la Libertad en nuestro puerto, Nueva York ha dado la bienvenida a inmigrantes de todo el mundo durante generaciones", dijo la gobernadora Hochul. "A través de la Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico, logramos avances importantes para derribar las barreras del idioma y hacer que los servicios y recursos críticos sean más accesibles para todos los neoyorquinos que han venido aquí para construir una vida mejor para ellos y sus familias".

La comisionada de la Oficina de Servicios Generales del Estado de Nueva York, Jeanette Moy, dijo: “El estado de Nueva York es uno de los estados más diversos del país y hay millones de neoyorquinos que no hablan inglés como idioma principal, y la Oficina de Servicios Generales se enorgullece de ser parte de los esfuerzos de la gobernadora Hochul para desmantelar las barreras del idioma que impiden que muchos neoyorquinos obtengan fácilmente servicios gubernamentales que la mayoría de nosotros damos por sentado. Todo neoyorquino merece un gobierno que brinde servicios equitativos, rápidos y eficientes. Aplaudo a nuestra Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico y a nuestras agencias estatales asociadas por todo lo que han logrado durante el año pasado al brindar un acceso más equitativo a documentos, información y servicios vitales”.

Kimberly Hill, directora de Discapacidad del estado de Nueva York, dijo: “Estoy muy orgullosa de que la Oficina del Director de Discapacidad haya sido parte de una asociación increíble con la Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico que ayudará a muchos neoyorquinos a obtener igualdad de acceso a la comunicación. ¡Todo mi equipo quisiera desearle a OLA un muy feliz primer aniversario y esperamos muchas más colaboraciones emocionantes en el futuro!

La directora ejecutiva de la Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico, Margarita Larios, dijo: “Estamos orgullosos de los logros de nuestro primer año en colaboración con los Coordinadores Estatales de Acceso Lingüístico y sus agencias ejecutivas. Estamos motivados para seguir trabajando arduamente para garantizar que todos los neoyorquinos tengan fácil acceso a los programas y servicios del gobierno estatal, sin importar su dominio del inglés. Nos estamos centrando en crear conciencia, obtener comentarios y empoderar a los neoyorquinos para que busquen los servicios gubernamentales que merecen, independientemente de su idioma preferido. Nuestra campaña publicitaria destaca la diversidad lingüística y cultural única de nuestro estado, una clave de por qué muchos de nosotros vinimos a Nueva York para hacer realidad nuestros sueños. Agradezco a nuestros socios de agencias estatales, organizaciones comunitarias, gobiernos estatales y locales, proveedores de servicios lingüísticos y más. Todavía tenemos mucho por hacer, pero vamos por buen camino gracias al firme compromiso de la gobernadora Hochul y la comisionada de la OGS, Jeanette Moy, de promover la justicia lingüística en el estado de Nueva York”.

Ubicada dentro de la Oficina de Servicios Generales (OGS) del Estado de Nueva York, OLA se creó en octubre del 2022 para brindar el apoyo, la orientación, la supervisión y la coordinación crítica necesaria para garantizar que las 46 agencias ejecutivas cumplan con la ley de acceso al idioma (Sección 202-a de la Ley Ejecutiva) implementarlo de manera eficiente y efectiva. OLA y la política estatal ampliada de acceso al idioma se codificaron como parte del presupuesto del año fiscal 2023, cumpliendo un compromiso asumido en la agenda del Estado del Estado 2022 de la Gobernadora Hochul.

Entre los hitos alcanzados desde el lanzamiento de OLA el 3 de octubre del 2022:

• En colaboración con el Centro de Servicios Digitales y de Medios del Estado de Nueva York (DMSC), OLA creó un conjunto de herramientas de la Oficina de Acceso Lingüístico, que incluye el folleto “Sus derechos de acceso lingüístico en el estado de Nueva York” en 26 idiomas, la tarjeta “Yo hablo”, y otros materiales para promover y facilitar la prestación de servicios de acceso a idiomas. Estos materiales se distribuyeron a 46 agencias en julio. También está disponible un video de interpretación de ASL de este folleto.
• En asociación con la Oficina de la Directora de Discapacidad de la Gobernadora, OLA creó la primera serie de videos de interpretación en lenguaje de señas estadounidense (ASL)  del país de documentos clave de diferentes agencias, para aumentar el acceso a información importante para la comunidad sorda con dominio limitado del inglés que usa ASL. Ahora hay 40 videos en ASL disponibles en el canal de YouTube de OGS y la lista continúa creciendo.
• Lanzó la campaña publicitaria en los medios “Como neoyorquino…” brindando al público información y documentos multilingües sobre la ley de acceso al idioma, el proceso para presentar una queja, los planes de acceso al idioma de cada agencia estatal y una lista de Coordinadores de acceso al idioma de las agencias.
• OLA llevó a cabo 10 sesiones de retroalimentación con más de 20 organizaciones comunitarias que abogan por servicios de acceso lingüístico en cada una de las 10 regiones de Nueva York para comprender mejor las necesidades de acceso lingüístico e informar la planificación programática.
• OLA apoyó a agencias cubiertas con más de $300,000 en financiamiento para la traducción de documentos vitales.
• Colaboró con el Departamento de Salud, el Departamento de Trabajo, el Departamento de Vehículos Motorizados, el Departamento de Impuestos y Finanzas, la División de Derechos Humanos, la Oficina del Inspector General de Medicaid y la Oficina de Salud Mental del Estado de Nueva York para agregar hasta cuatro idiomas a su lista de idiomas de traducción de documentos vitales, según lo dispuesto en la ley de acceso a idiomas
• Creó un panel para el personal del estado de Nueva York con datos sobre idiomas distintos del inglés que hablan en casa los neoyorquinos con LEP para respaldar la toma de decisiones basada en datos.
• La OGS triplicó el número de proveedores de servicios lingüísticos disponibles en los contratos estatales a los que pueden acceder las agencias para brindar servicios de interpretación y traducción.
• OLA completó una encuesta de evaluación del coordinador de acceso lingüístico de una agencia estatal y celebró reuniones trimestrales de coordinadores de acceso lingüístico para determinar oportunidades de optimización y apoyo a las agencias.

La OLA ahora está lanzando su primera campaña de concientización a nivel estatal para brindar a los neoyorquinos información sobre sus derechos a acceder a programas y beneficios estatales con la ayuda de servicios lingüísticos gratuitos. La campaña también promueve la gira de escucha de OLA por todo el estado, cuyo inicio está previsto para mediados de octubre.

Los neoyorquinos verán la campaña de concientización multimedia en inglés y en los principales idiomas distintos del inglés que se hablan en todo el estado (árabe, bengalí, cantonés, francés, criollo haitiano, italiano, coreano, mandarín, polaco, ruso, español, urdu y yiddish) así como el lenguaje de signos americano. Como parte de la campaña, anuncios informativos de servicio público aparecerán hasta mediados de noviembre en las redes sociales y plataformas de transmisión de video, vallas publicitarias y radio, así como en periódicos, revistas y más.

Además, como parte de su estrategia para crear conciencia y obtener comentarios directamente de los neoyorquinos sobre los servicios lingüísticos del estado, OLA llevará a cabo sesiones de escucha en lugares de Nueva York este otoño.

La gira de escucha de OLA está programada para comenzar en Buffalo el 14 de octubre, con sesiones previstas también en Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Westchester, Long Island y la ciudad de Nueva York. La sesión final se llevará a cabo virtualmente el 21 de noviembre.

Información adicional sobre la gira de escucha, incluidos horarios, fechas, ubicaciones y detalles sobre el registro, están disponibles aquí.   

  

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