Community Health Advocates

The Community Service Society’s Community Health Advocates (CHA) program helps New Yorkers use and keep their health insurance and access affordable health care. In order to assist New York health insurance consumers, CHA runs a toll-free statewide helpline to provide direct one-on-one assistance to individuals and families. Our volunteers do intake for all callers, answering questions, advocating with third parties, and assisting all New Yorkers whether on Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, or uninsured.

In October 2010, the Community Service Society of New York received federal funding to expand its services to all of New York State as a provision of health care reform, the Affordable Care Act. Community Health Advocates (CHA) was designated as the state's consumer assistance program for health insurance, and now offers assistance in more than 170 languages and continues to expand its reach into high-need communities throughout the State. In October 2011, CHA became funded under the New York State Exchange Establishment grant and added five more locally-based organizations to better meet the needs of New Yorkers around the State. Since the 2015 fiscal year, with the support of the Assembly and the Executive, CHA has been funded through the State of New York.