ACQC Case Managers assist people living with HIV/AIDS in coordinating the various services available to them. The primary goal of each Case Manager is to be an advocate for those living with HIV/AIDS: they are experts in handling and working the red tape and bureaucracy that one encounters in "the system". The services that Case Managers advocate for include the following:

Because this page is a long one, please make each bullet a hyperlink to the description of the service below so that it may appear at the very top of the page.

• AIDS Health Insurance Program
• Client Education
• COBRA
• Community Referrals
• Legal Assistance
• Maintenance in Care
• Medical Care
• Mental Health
• New York State Disability
• Nutrition
• Peer Education
• Public Assistance/ HIV/AIDS Services Administration
• Social Security
• Transportation

To become a client, please contact the Site Director of an ACQC site in your area. More Info

AIDS Health Insurance Program
AIDS Health Insurance Program (AHIP) pays health insurance premiums for certain persons living with HIV/AIDS who have lost their jobs or can only work part-time and would otherwise loose their health benefits.

Client Education
Educational seminars are periodically sponsored by the Case Management Department covering a wide variety of issues of concern to those affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. Once you are enrolled as a client you will receive a monthly update of seminars and other events planned in the upcoming months. Your Case Manager can also help you obtain literature on topics of concern, such as new treatment options and clinical trails.

COBRA
The ACQC COBRA Case Management program is a family centered program that is based on a team approach to resolving our client's needs. We assist our clientele in navigating a system that at times can be overwhelming and frustrating to them. We put special emphasis on our client’s wellness and optimizing their health. Our goal is to empower clients to become self sufficient. For additional information or to enroll, please contact:

Community Referrals
Your Case Manager knows a wide variety of other services available for you in Queens and the greater New York area. You can be referred for home delivered meals, educational and vocational training, child related services, drug and alcohol detoxification, recovery programs and more. Just discuss your needs and concerns with your Case Manager.

Legal Assistance
While your Case Manager is NOT a lawyer, they can get you an appointment with an ACQC attorney to take care of legal matters such as health care proxies, landlord-tenant issues, permanency planning, child guardianship, wills, unfair collection practices and discrimination. Referrals can also be made to outside attorneys specializing in areas such as immigration, negligence, and criminal law, if necessary.

Maintenance in Care
Our maintenance in care program is for the providers in the community who lost their clients to care (if your clients missed two medical appointments or if their whereabouts are unknown, they are a good candidate for the program). Our care specialist will try to locate them and return them to care. The clients are escorted to their appointments until such time that they maintain their appointments on a regular basis. The focus and purpose of the program is to link clients to their primary medical provider. In addition, clients are referred to supportive services when needed.

Medical Care
Case Managers make referrals to a wide variety of medical facilities, depending on the needs of each client. These might be private practice physicians, hospital clinics, extended care facilities or home care providers. Your Case Manager can also help you obtain dental care and pharmacy home delivery services.

Mental Health
Here at ACQC we believe that "one's emotional state has a profound impact on one's health, just as one’s physical state can deeply affect one’s emotions." Your Case Manager will help you get an appointment with a certified counselor for individual counseling, connect you with a support group or substance abuse counseling, and can direct you to a licensed psychiatrist. The ACQC Counseling Center is fully licensed by the New York State Department of Health.

New York State Disability
New York State Disability (NYSD) is a short-term benefit for people who have left, or must leave their jobs, due to illness or disability. Your employer administers this plan. Some employers, especially in unionized shops, offer a higher level of benefits than the minimum required by New York State.

Nutrition
Good nutrition is essential in maintaining good health. Case Managers at ACQC will assist in referring you to our own nutritionist and food program where you will be assisted with maintaining good eating habits and healthier lifestyle. Our food program coordinator will refer you to different workshops to help you maintain good nutrition. In addition our case managers will assist in providing you with food pantry.

Peer Education
Your Case Manager will be happy to help you get involved in the Peer Education Program Department's various outreach programs. Volunteers in these programs receive intensive training on HIV/AIDS and its prevention and participate in outreach projects to help educate the community at large. There are programs targeted at adolescents, women, Hispanics, IV substance users, post correctional, lesbian women, transgender individuals, gay and bisexual men, as well as gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth.

Public Assistance/ HIV/AIDS Services Administration
Public Assistance (Welfare or P.A.) provides cash payments, Medicaid, food stamps and rent payments for people with few assets and no income. Higher rental assistance is available for those infected with HIV/AIDS (Enhanced Rent). A special department within Public Assistance called the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) provides both higher rent and higher cash payments for those with Center for Disease Control (CDC) defined AIDS and Symptomatic.

Social Security
Social Security Disability (SSD) pays monthly checks to people who have a sufficient work history, have paid into the Social Security Program (FICA taxes) and are now disabled. Your Case Manager can assist in filing paperwork to apply for SSD, or reconsideration, or an appeal.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program run by the Social Security Administration. It pays monthly checks to people who are disabled and have few assets, low income, but do not qualify for SSD.

Transportation
Getting around New York is not easy for those in the best of health. When you have any serious illness this sometimes becomes a monumental task. Your Case Manager can help you arrange transportation through the American Red Cross ambulette service, Medicaid Ambulette, New York City Transit Authority Access-A-Ride or other emergency transportation.