Rabia Khalid testifies for APNA Community Services on enrollment barriers
Rabia Khalid of APNA Community Services, serving South Asian Muslim immigrant communities, describes how limited English proficiency, digital literacy barriers, and complex household structures compound enrollment challenges, and urges meaningful multilingual navigation support, reduced documentation burdens, and formal roles for community-based organizations.
Good afternoon.
My name is Rabia, and I am the program coordinator at APNA Community Services.
APNA serves South Asian Muslim immigrant, refugee, limited English proficient, older adult, and low-income communities across New York City.
Through our work in benefits navigation, case management, senior services, housing assistance, health care, food access, tax preparation, domestic violence support, and other social services, we regularly see how administrative barriers affect access to programs like screen and drink.
Eligible older adults and families can be lost on multiple points in the process from initial awareness and application to documentation, agency review, recertification, and renewals.
For the communities APNA serves, these challenges are often compounded by limited English proficiency, digital literacy barriers, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, disability, complex household structures, and unfamiliar
Unfamiliarity with the government and systems.
Addressing under-enrollment requires stronger program design across the full enrollment and retention process.
First, language access should include meaningful navigation support.
Translated forms are important, but many residents also need assistance understanding documentation requirements, household income rules, deficiency notices, and renewal procedures.
For many South Asian and older adults, effective access may require multilingual benefit navigation in commonly spoken languages with trained staff who can assist residents from application through recertification.
Second, the city should reduce unnecessary documentation burden.
And third, recertification should be designed around continuity for eligible residents.
The city should also consider the realities of multi-generational households.
Community-based organizations should also have a formal role in their enrollment systems.
Organizations like APNA already help residents interpret notices, and expanding this role requires dedicated funding, training, and referral protocols, and clear pathways for case escalation.
Finally, the city should measure where residents are being lost in the process.
Thank you for your time.
I will submit the written testimony.
Thank you.