Reynolds v. Giuliani

No. 98 Civ. 8877 (WHP) (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 14, 2005) ; Clearinghouse Number: 52229

Description

New York Officials Must Expedite Food Stamps and Medicaid Benefits to Applicants in Immediate Need

Abstract

On plaintiffs’ motion for reconsideration, the district court granted plaintiffs’ request for permanent injunctive relief in this action challenging New York City Jobs Center practices. Plaintiffs alleged that defendant city and state officials systematically prevented otherwise eligible individuals from obtaining food stamps, Medicaid, and cash assistance by imposing unreasonable requirements on applicants for benefits. Plaintiffs claimed that defendants failed to provide to all eligible individuals medical assistance with reasonable promptness, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1396a(a)(8), and failed to provide expedited food stamps within seven days, in violation of the Food Stamp Act. The court held that plaintiffs claims were enforceable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The court rejected defendants’ argument that only substantial compliance with the law is required. The plain language of the relevant statutes is unambiguous and requires state agencies to comply strictly with their obligations to provide food stamps and Medicaid benefits to eligible applicants, the court held. The court permanently enjoined defendants to (1) provide expedited food stamp service to eligible applicants within five days; (2) provide, in accord with state law, temporary assistance to applicants in immediate need for Medicaid, food stamps, or cash; (3) separately process applications for food stamps when the applications for cash assistance are denied or withdrawn; (4) send notices to applicants confirming voluntary withdrawals for Medicaid and document such withdrawals; and (5) give adequate and timely notice by correctly completing administrative forms.

Additional Information

Attorney Information
Plaintiffs represented by Scott A. Rosenberg, Christopher D. Lamb, Hwan-Hui Helen Lee, Anne K. Callagy, Joshua E. Goldfein, Esperanza Colon, Adriene L. Holder, Legal Aid Society Civil Division, 90 Church St., New York, NY 10007 (212.577.3300); Henry A. Freedman, Marc Cohan, Rebecca Scharf, Welfare Law Center, 275 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001 (212.633.6967); Yisroel Schulman, Constance P. Carden, Randal S. Jeffrey, New York Legal Assistance Group, 130 East 59th St., 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (212.750.0800); Kenneth Rosenfeld, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp., 76 Wadsworth Ave., New York, NY 10036 (212.822.8306).
Docket Date
2005-02-14 00:00:00+00:00