Joint Office of the Governor and Office of the New York State Attorney General Guidance to Private and Non-Profit Organizations and Entities

This guidance document is intended to provide information to private and nonprofit entities like social services agencies and providers (including homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and other residential facilities as well as nonresidential and drop-in sites for social services); houses of worship such as churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples; medical and healthcare facilities; and other entities that provide community services and spaces, in evaluating how to respond to requests from federal immigration authorities while protecting the rights of their residents, clients, patients, members, and staff.

This brief guidance has been prepared following a sharp increase in the number of questions and requests our offices have received following the Department of Homeland Security directive rescinding prior guidance protecting “sensitive places” from federal civil immigration enforcement activity. The purpose of this guidance is to prepare and educate organizations and institutions so they can focus on the people and communities they serve, their mission, and their essential work.

Online Access to Section 8 and Project Based (PBV) Housing Waiting Lists in Westchester County, NY

Access online Section 8 and Project Based (PBV) Housing Waiting Lists in Westchester County, NY through NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation beginning 2/18/2025.

Existing applicants for CVR’s wait lists can now update their address, household composition, income, and other information using the online portal. New applicants may apply for rental assistance for any open wait lists. Below is a list of the current status of CVR’s PBV site-based wait lists:

Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness and Neighbors Link Presents:

Enhancing Homeless Services: Effective Strategies for Assisting Undocumented Clients. 

Please join us for an informative session about Immigration Rights, Immigration Law and Best Practices for assisting Undocumented clients.

Elizabeth T. Mastropolo, Esq., Neighbors Link will present on:

-How to identify people who would benefit from immigration services + benefits.

-Educating clients about their rights.

-Agencies and organizations for client referrals and assistance.

-Essential immigration tools for our clients.


Date: February 4th 2025  

Time: 11:00am-1:00pm

Where: Hybrid

*We highly encourage you to attend this informational session in person. Parking is free and refreshments will be served*

Physical Address: 570 Taxter Road, Elmsford, NY 10523  

Registration is required.  

Please click on the link below to register.  

You will receive the Webex Link and/or physical address after registering.

Training Alert: Yonkers Community Action Program (YCAP) Informational Session

Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness Presents:  Yonkers Community Action Program (YCAP) Informational Session 

Please join us for an informative session about the Yonkers Community Action Program (YCAP). YCAP seeks to engage and empower clients by providing resources and services designed to enhance health, education, and employment opportunities. 

Yonkers Community Action Program Offers:  

-Office of Victim Services (OVS)

-Rental Assistance

-Utility Assistance

-Youth Workforce Development

-Drug and Alcohol Prevention Services and Many More!
Date: January 27th 2025

Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm

Where: Webex

Resource: New York State Address Confidentiality Program

Are you a victim of domestic violence, stalking, sexual offense, and/or human trafficking?

Are you a reproductive health care services provider, employee, volunteer, patient, or immediate family member of a reproductive health care services provider?

Do you fear for your safety or the safety of a family member?

The program is available to victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual offense, and/or human trafficking who have had to move or are planning to move to a new location for safety reasons.

Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness & Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center Presents:

Financial Literacy: A Stepping Stone to Housing Stability and Independence

Please join us to learn more about how we can help our clients achieve their financial goals.

The Mount Vernon Financial Empowerment Center offers:

-One-on-One financial counseling

-Debt management strategies

-Budgeting and savings plans

-Credit repair guidance

-Connections to local housing, employment and legal services

Date: January 8th 2025

Time: 10:00am-11:30am

Where: Webex

 Registration is required. Please click on this link to register.

City of White Plains Youth Bureau: JumpStart for Dads

A New Skills and Support Program for Fathers and Expectant Fathers

Sponsored by the White Plains Youth Bureau and Grandpas United

Jumpstart for Dads is a FREE program offered to all fathers and expectant fathers. It is under the auspices of the Grandpas United volunteer group of the White Plains Youth Bureau.

The Jumpstart for Dads Program:

  • 12 one-hour weekly virtual group meetings.

  • Co-Facilitated by a pair of volunteer community fathers and grandfathers.

  • Utilizes the evidence-based Father-in-15 curriculum from Fatherhood.org.

  • Offered in English and Spanish.

  • Targeting “At-risk” fathers and expectant fathers, but open to all.

Training Alert: Non Profit Westchester and the Westchester County Office for Women

NPW & Westchester County Office for Women present to you: A training on domestic violence awareness, focusing on employee and workplace safety, and lesser-discussed topics such as child sexual abuse. Domestic violence knows no socio-economic, racial or gender-identity boundaries. The impacts are felt beyond the tragedies within the family, in our workplaces, schools and communities. This session will cover Domestic Violence (DV) Basics, key steps for what to do and not do in response, workplace policies, and Westchester County and community resources.

Date: Monday October 28th 2024

Time: 2:00pm-3:15pm

Mode of training: Virtual via Zoom

Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness Presents: Housing First Training

Please join us for our annual Fall learning event!

Date: October 24th 2024

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Housing First is an approach to quickly and successfully connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to permanent housing without preconditions and barriers to entry, such as sobriety, treatment or service participation requirements. Supportive services are offered to maximize housing stability and prevent returns to homelessness as opposed to addressing predetermined treatment goals prior to permanent housing entry.

Training Alert: Mental Health First Aid Training for Veterans/Military Service Members

Have you ever wondered what to do when you are worried about another service member, a friend, or a family member?

Mental Health First Aid for those who served, active/reserve military members and their families teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. This training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to appropriate care.

Request for application - Westchester County Dept. of Planning: Emergency Solutions Grant "Turning the Corner"

Westchester County Department of Planning has issued a Request for Application for Emergency Solutions Grant “Turning the Corner”

ESG provides services to:

  1. Engage homeless individuals and families living on the street;

  2. Improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families;

  3. Help operate these shelters;

  4. Provide essential services to shelter residents;

  5. Rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families;

  6. Prevent families & individuals from becoming homeless.

    Due date: October 24th 2024 at 2:00pm

Voter registration information for people experiencing homelessness

People experiencing homelessness or who are otherwise in transition face special challenges when registering to vote.

Each election, low income and homeless individuals vote at a lower rate than people with higher incomes, despite the fact that many policy decisions directly affect people who are economically disadvantaged. Currently, issues such as raising the minimum wage and funding certain social welfare and housing programs are being debated in the U.S. Congress and in communities around the country.

Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership to End Homelessness Presents: 2024 Fall Symposium

Please join us for our annual Fall learning event!

Date: October 10th 2024

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Presenter Dr. Christopher John, DSW, LMSW, Department of Community Mental Health will present to us about:

-SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR)

-Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT)

-Chronic Substance Abuse (CSA)

-Severe Mental Illness (SMI)

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October 10th 2024

Time: 1:30pm-3:30pm

Presenter Liz Maher, Department of Social Services will present to us about mainstream benefits such as:

-Temporary Assistance (TA)

-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

-Employment

-SSI/New York State Supplement Program (SSP)

-Medicaid (MA) Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) or (nonMAGI) and many more!

Beacon of Hope - Shining a Light on Domestic Violence and its Intersections Training Series

My Sisters' Place is excited to offer the Beacon of Hope - Shining a Light on Domestic Violence and its Intersections training series for service providers and community members.

The first training, Shining a Light on DV and Substance Use, will take place on Monday, October 7th from 1-2:30pm. Together, we will explore the history of how the War on Drugs targets Black and Brown communities (or those marginalized by systemic racism) and how ongoing drug policies impact survivors of domestic violence. We will discuss how to identify the dynamics of domestic violence as it relates to substance use and substance use disorder. Finally, we will share the importance of using Harm Reduction and Unconditional Positive Regard frameworks in providing trauma informed care for survivors.

Job Opportunity: Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill

RISE Program: The Rehousing in Supportive Environments Program (RISE) is a collaborative program providing case management, housing, domestic violence, supportive services, and employment services to homeless domestic violence survivors and their families. This collaborative model was intentionally designed to provide “wrap-around” services in one program. The RISE case manager is responsible for assisting domestic violence survivors and their families achieve and maintain safety and self-sufficiency.