Immigrants' Access to Public Benefits & Housing Programs

Webinar | Available

Advanced - Approved for CE

6/18/2024 (one day)

10:00 AM-1:00 PM EDT on Tue

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$75.00

Public benefit programs have different rules and guidelines on immigrants’ eligibility for public benefits; therefore, helping immigrants obtain these benefits can be a challenging and complicated task.

We will explain what “qualified aliens” and “Person Residing Under Color of Law” (PRUCOL) are. We will cover the immigration criteria for:

  • Cash Assistance 
  • SNAP
  • Medicaid 
  • Essential Plan
  • Child Health Plus
  • Medicare
  • Federal Housing Programs
  • NYS and NYC Housing Lotteries
  • NYC Rental Assistance Programs and Shelter System
Programs mentioned above have other eligibility criteria which we will not review in this course.

We will introduce several tools to help in identifying programs for immigrants with a certain status, as well as immigrants without documentation.

NOTE: This course will not discuss how an immigrant can naturalize or become legal in the U.S. or how one can obtain any of the statues that will be discussed.

Target Audience: Social service and legal professionals who work with immigrants and who assist them with applying for benefits.

Contact Hours. 3.0




Director of Training, Benefits Plus Learning Center

Leslie Bailey, specializing in public benefit programs for over 25 years, oversees all aspects of the Benefits Plus Learning Center training program; from facilitating courses, to designing new courses to the implementation of the continuing education program. She focuses on cash benefit programs such as SSI, SSDI and Cash Assistance and food programs, as well as programs that provide support to working families like child care.

She has authored several chapters for the Learning Center’s premier publication Benefits Plus Online. Leslie began her career providing benefit counseling to low-income families and individuals. She holds a social work degree from Lehman College. .

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Director of the Benefits Plus Learning Center

Michelle has been training and supporting professionals and clients with information on public benefits for over 20 years, with a focus on health benefits. She enjoys working with providers who are committed to helping their clients in comprehensive ways, to make sure that they have all supports available.

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Project Director, Benefits Plus Learning Center

Yvonne Peña has developed and shaped the housing segment of the Benefits Plus Learning Center; writing and revising for both our Benefits Plus Online publication and training courses focusing on federally subsidized housing programs, housing subsidies, and various housing systems.

In addition, she facilitates all of the Learning Center’s housing courses and creates new courses as rules and housing policies change. She provides valuable consultation services to social service professionals.

Yvonne holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Follow Yvonne on Linkedin.