Rensselaer County Health & Human Services

Rensselaer County to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Opening of Van Rensselaer Manor on Friday Silver Jubilee to Include Current and Former County Officials to Re...cognize Opening in 1996 Rensselaer County will celebrate the anniversary of the opening of the Van Rensselaer Manor in 1996 with a special ceremony this Friday, June 18 at 3 p.m. at the senior care facility, County Executive Steve McLaughlin announced. Members of the press are invited to attend. The current Van Rensselaer Manor was opened June 12, 1996 as a replacement for the former Van Rensselaer Manor, located on adjacent property in North Greenbush. The VRM was and still is considered a state-of-the art senior care facility, with a wing for Alzheimer’s residents and other features. The ceremony will also recognize 39 employees who worked at the former VRM and are today, still working and serving residents at the current VRM. County Executive McLaughlin will take part in the ceremony, with former County Executive Henry Zwack and Chair of the Legislature Neil Kelleher also expected to attend. Former County Executive Kathleen Jimino and former County Executive John Buono are unable to attend, but sent greetings. We are very proud of the outstanding level of care provided at the Van Rensselaer Manor. The Manor is a shining example of our commitment to our seniors and their families, and we look forward to many more years of service at the VRM, said McLaughlin.

Hop on the Vax Bus! Rensselaer County is teaming up with Capital District Transportation Authority - CDTA to promote and support vaccinations this summer. The V...ax Bus is a mobile clinic that will make appearances at some of the 30 pop-up clinics the county is hosting this summer, including concerts, Tri-City ValleyCats games, farmers markets and community events. The Vax Bus will also visit other events, including unannounced stops. The Vax Bus is an idea by County Executive Steve McLaughlin with assistance from CDTA CEO Carm Basile. Albany Med President and CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna endorsed the idea, with county Public Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas also supporting the plan. See more

The next mass food distribution in Rensselaer County will be this Friday, June 11th at the Rensselaer Boys and Girls Club located at 544 Broadway in the City of Rensselaer. It begins at 9 a.m. and is open to all.

Join NYSCRC Wednesday December 16 at 1:00 pm for an informative webinar for professionals - All About Pooled Community Trusts. To register visit www.nyscrc.org/events The panel of experts include: Doris Green, Director of NYSCRC, who led the development of the Future Care Community Pooled Trust (Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc., The Arc of Monroe, Al Sigl Community Sarah Szewczyk - Director of Outreach and Community Relations at NYSARC Trust Services... Sarah Szewczyk joined NYSARC Trust Services as the Director of Outreach and Community Relations in 2016 to provide information and assistance to people with disabilities and seniors who need a pooled supplemental needs trust to qualify and maintain eligibility for Medicaid and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Sarah speaks regularly at industry conferences and provides in-service trainings on supplemental needs trusts for attorneys, social workers, and service providers across New York State to educate people, families and professionals about protecting benefit eligibility for people with disabilities. Sarah is responsible for cultivating relationships within the disability community to identify opportunities to enhance NYSARC’s supplemental needs trust programs and to build a network of resources to help fulfill the NYSARC Trust Services mission to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Kelly Barrett Sarama, Supervising Attorney - WNY Coalition Pooled Trusts. Kelly is a Supervising Attorney at the Center for Elder Law & Justice in the Healthcare Advocacy Unit. She represents clients in appeals and grievances involving Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Long Term Care, Medicare, and private health insurance companies. Kelly also serves in number of coalitions that advocate for clients’ healthcare rights in New York State. She has been an active member of the Bar Association of Erie County since 2015 and has served as Chair of the Elder Law Committee since 2018. Kelly is also a member of the New York State Bar Association where she participates in the Heath Law and the Elder Law and Special Needs Committees and is a member of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.

If you get a call, text, email or even someone knocking on your door claiming they can get you early access to the COVID-19 vaccine, STOP. That’s a scam. D...on’t pay for a promise of vaccine access or share personal information. Instead, report it to the Senior Medicare Patrol at smpresource.org, the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or file a complaint with your state or territory attorney general through consumerresources.org. See more

We thank everyone who already stopped by with puzzles and word search books. We are very grateful. If you wish to help a senior from the list below - please let us know and we will check the senior off of the list. There is no due date or deadline. We will continue to collect as needed. Thank you again for your generous contributions to the amazing seniors in our County.

Help brighten the holidays for a senior in Rensselaer County:

To Register, please call 518-270-2660 or click on this link: https://apps.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties

If you are suffering...please reach out. If you, or someone you know, is a victim of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation, help is available. @HealthNYGov @NYSOPDV

The Rensselaer County Veterans Newsletter for Nov/Dec 2020

Food support for @CDPHP Medicaid members in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties!

To register: https://apps.health.ny.gov/doh2/applinks/cdmspr/2/counties

Here is next week's lineup of education programs and support groups. Find one that fits your schedule and join us remotely! Contact Sierra for registration and more information at 518.675.7214 or by email at [email protected]. #ENDALZ

Saturday, October 24th is DEA National Take Back Day across the country. Please visit the following link to find a drop off site near you! https://takebackday.dea.gov/

On Wednesday, October 21, 2020 Pastor Scott Packard of Redeemer Church in Albany is bringing the USDA Farmers to Families Program to the City of Troy and making stops at several Troy Housing Authority (THA) locations. Boxes of food (fresh produce, dairy and/or meat products) weighing 35 pounds will be handed out on a first come / first served basis. The public is invited to participate during drive up / walk up events at the following locations (times are approximate):... 1:00PM Taylor Apartments, Division & Front Street, Troy, NY Building 4 Parking Area Persons walking and driving should enter from Division Street. Those walking should remain on the sidewalk. Those driving should remain in line in the parking lot for pick up. 1:00PM Kane Apartments, 5 115th Street, Troy, NY 12182 in front of the building Those walking must remain on the sidewalk. Drivers must drive into the half circle for pick up. 3:00PM Kennedy Towers, 2100 6th Avenue, Troy, NY 12180 in front of the building Those walking must remain on the sidewalk. Those driving must drive in the circle for pick up. This is part of the USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The event is taking place out doors to allow for proper social distancing. All persons participating must wear a mask or other face covering at this event.

The latest in series of drug take-back days sponsored by Rensselaer County will be held on this Friday, October 16th from 10am - 2pm at the North End Station, 2... Francis Place in the city of Rensselaer. Thank you to County Executive Steve McLaughlin, Public Health Director Maryfran Wachunas, Sheriff Pat Russo and Rensselaer County Legislature Chairman Mike Stammel for these events held during the months of September and October. We hope to see you there! See more

The 2020 Census will conclude today, October 15th. If you have not completed the 2020 Census, you have today! It takes less than 10 minutes to complete! 2020census.gov Some last minute updates:... Internet self-response will be available across the nation through October 15, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST), (through 5:59 am Eastern Daylight Time on October 16, 2020). Visit 2020Census.gov to respond today. Phone response will be available for its regularly scheduled time on October 15, 2020. 1-844-330-2020 Paper responses must be postmarked by October 15, 2020. Nonresponse Followup census takers will continue resolving nonresponding addresses through the end of the day on October 15, 2020. #YouCountRensco #GetCountedNY #2020Census