SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

Federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds are awarded to grantees in all counties in New York State. Community action agencies, community-based organizations, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations receive CSBG funds to provide advocacy, outreach, services and programs for economically disadvantaged persons in their local communities.

This hearing will focus on the New York State Department of State's CSBG Management Plan for federal fiscal year 2008-09. The Management Plan delineates the manner in which funds will be expended and how the State will meet the federal CSBG program requirements.

Copies of the Department of State's draft CSBG Management Plan may be obtained from the Department of State website at www.dos.state.ny.us/dcs/forms.htm, or by contacting:

Evelyn Harris
New York State Department of State
Division of Community Services
41 State Street
Albany, NY 12231
(518) 474-5741

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees' interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Program are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Elaine Fernandez
Legislative Analyst
Assembly Committee on Social Services
Room 522 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: fernane@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4371
Fax: (518) 455-4693

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

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