DCOA E*News At-A-Glance
Mayor Vincent C. Gray addressed more than 200 residents who attended the Age-Friendly DC Forum at the Howard Theatre. The Mayor spoke of the ways the District is moving towards becoming an age-friendly city by 2017.
The Office of Planning and the Department of Transportation are working on city infrastructure including streets, sidewalks and buildings. The Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of General Services are making sure that playgrounds are inclusive to all regardless of their abilities. Improvements have been made to libraries, and the taxicab and transit network. The Mayor also added that affordable housing has been expanded and we are working on creating communities where neighbors help one another which is the essence of senior villages. The District is working hard to improve the quality of life of all residents by making neighborhoods safer, greener and more livable.
As a follow up to the White House Conference on Mental Health held this past June and President Obama’s call for a national dialogue on mental health, Mayor Vincent C. Gray will host a citywide discussion on mental health. Creating Community Solutions DC will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Square, NW. The forum will educate District residents about important mental-health issues – especially those affecting youth between the ages of 12 and 24– and help foster collaboration and coordination among local service providers, associations, schools, community organizations and government agencies. The event is for residents of all ages and service providers. For registration or for more information click here.
DCOA provides funding annually to the Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) in support of LCE’s program areas assisting seniors 60 years of age and older. LCE educates older District of Columbia residents on their legal rights and provides individual legal representation on discrete legal problems through our Lead Agencies as well as at seven neighborhood self-help offices; it engages in systemic advocacy assisting large segments of the D.C. older population including predatory lending cases, systemic improvements to the real property tax system, and residents transitioning from long-term care facilities back into the community. LCE also advocates legislation before the Council of the District of Columbia on issues that affect the quality of life of senior residents of the District.
Legal Counsel for the Elderly works with DCOA on various policy and legal issues including efforts made by DCOA to address the real property tax issue. DCOA has modified its intake processes to include information concerning payment of real property taxes, and will also remind clients of the need to make semi-annual tax payments.
If you are in need of Legal Counsel for the Elderly services, D.C. residents can call the LCE free 24-hour hotline at 202-434-2170.
The D.C. Public Service Commission has announced Community Hearing dates for Pepco's latest $52.1 million rate increase request. The Office of the People's Counsel encourages all consumers concerned about the reliability and cost of Pepco's services to voice their concerns. Hearing dates include:
Monday, September 30, 2013, 10:00 am D.C. Public Service Commission Hearing Room (Ward 2) 1333 H Street, NW, 7th Floor East Tower | Washington, D.C. 20005
Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 6:30 pm Deanwood Recreation Center (Ward 7) 1350 49th Street, NE | Washington, D.C. 20019
Those who wish to testify should contact the Commission Secretary by the close of business three (3) business days prior to the date of the hearing by calling 202-626-5150. If an organization or an individual is unable to offer comments at the community hearings, written statements may be submitted to:
Brinda Westbrook-Sedgwick, Commission Secretary Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia 1333 H Street, NW, Suite 200, West Tower, Washington D.C. 20005
For more information and to view the notice click here.
CREST transportation escort services provides certified home health aide escorts to accompany District of Columbia residents, age 60 and over to and from their medical appointments. This “door-through-door” service provides valuable assistance to the elder and relief to family caregivers requiring an escort. Please call the CREST program at 202-638-0736 to find out how they can assist you or your loved one.
The Department of Health is offering FREE flu shots at participating Giant, Rite-Aid, Safeway and Walgreens pharmacies in the District on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 1-3 pm. To pre-register to receive your vaccination, call 202-671-0673 or email cynthia.harris2@dc.gov.
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