Volume 65, No. 164 MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019 50¢ QUEENS TODAY December 9, 2019 AN NYPD OFFICER IN THE CRITICAL Response Command found a razor blade in a sandwich he bought from a shop in Rockaway Park, News 4 reported. The officer was taken to a hospital where he was treated. AN ASTORIA LANDLORD IS IGNOR- ing toxic mold levels inside one couple’s apartment, the tenants say. The mold has caused severe swelling on one of the tenant’s Sex abuse survivors and members of the organization Ending Clergy Abuse hold banners in front of St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican faces, according to a report by NY1. in February. AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TO- gether with the Kiki Coalition, yesterday Bayside bishop charged with abuse hosted the sixth annual RED Ball: RED Revolution, a fashion show and runway By Jonathan Sperling Our Lady of La Salette Church on 204th competition inspired by the Kiki Ball The clergyman Queens Daily Eagle Street, allegedly used his position in the scene. This year’s theme, RED Revolution, was charged with The spiritual leader of a small Bayside church to engage in sexual acts with the celebrated revolutionaries of the LGBTQ church has been accused of sexually as- boy between 2011 and 2014. The unidenti- fied victim confronted Milagrosa regarding community who fought for civil rights and saulting a 12-year-old congregant over the sexually assaulting a the abuse in 2018, and Milagrosa later ad- liberation, and who inspire today’s activists course of three years. to bring forth a new revolution to end the HIV pre-teen congregant Bishop Jesé Milagrosa, 69, the leader of Continued on page 10 epidemic in New York City. IN ADDITION TO THE RUNWAY Financial barriers, timing complicate action, community partners hosted a health fair, during which the Health Department provided free NYC condoms and lubricant access to substance use treatment packs, and community partners offered HIV and STI testing. By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle The road to recovery for people with sub- “THIS YEAR OUR RED BALL: RED stance use disorders often begins during an Revolution recognized LGBTQ heroes who acute crisis. A person coming down from a paved the way and provided our youth with high who wants to stop using is ripe for in- a safe space to celebrate their culture and tervention, which means that time is of the unapologetically be themselves,” said Health essence and immediate referrals could lead Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Thank to sustained recovery. you to the Kiki Coalition for their unwavering The city’s plan to close detox units in 11 support and helping us to once again host a municipal hospitals will have an uncertain successful event.” impact on the window of time for accessing services, advocates and social service pro- viders say. THE WOMAN WHO STARTED A GIRL New York City’s Health and Hospital Scout troop for homeless girls is running for Corporation will begin closing detox units the City Council in District 21. Girl Scout in its hospitals, including one in Elmhurst 6000 founder Giselle Burgess, 34, told the and one in Jamaica, THE CITY first report- ed Monday. HHC said the units were un- Queens Courier she plans to file paperwork derutilized and that the agency would re- next month. assign staff who specialize in treating and making referrals for people with substance abuse issues. The hospitals will now direct ACTING QUEENS DISTRICT ATTOR- people seeking detox to visit emergency ney John Ryan announced on Friday that The city will close the detox unit at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens in Jamaica. rooms. Continued on page 2 Continued on page 2 Photo by tdorante10 via Wikimedia Commons Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Visit us Online @queenseagle facebook.com/queenseagle queenseagle.com Financial barriers, timing complicate access to substance use treatment QUEENS Continued from page 1 The plan raises questions about how hospital staff will assist patients who seek substance use services, said licensed social worker Kristi Kimmerle, the director of pro- TODAY grams at the supportive housing nonprofit Housing and Service Inc. December 9, 2019 “It’s a challenge because when someone is ready and willing while they’re in the hos- pital, they can just be sent to the detox unit Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney with specially trained staff,” said Kimmer- Laura Henigman has been named the recipient le, whose organization provides permanent of the Queens District Attorney’s Office’s 23rd supportive housing for formerly homeless Annual Gene Kelly Award. adults, many of whom have substance use disorders. “You have to act quickly.” “In the ERs, are you going to have at- RYAN NOTED THAT THE AWARD IS tending doctors who aren’t specialized in given annually in honor of former Assistant addiction counseling treating clients who are District Attorney Gene Kelly, who died in ready for treatment?” she continued. “Does 1992. ADA Kelly began his career in 1978 and the hospital social worker have to find an in- rose through the ranks to become one of the patient placement? It might be too late.” most dedicated and successful trial attorneys People seeking substance use treatment in the office’s history. The award is presented also face another barrier: insurance. each year to one of the office’s assistant district Kimmerle said her organization’s clients Members of the Queens-Nassau County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental attorneys who most exemplifies Kelly’s unique have at times completed intake paperwork Illness. Photo via NAMI-Queens/Nassau spirit, love of trial work and the courtroom and and traveled by bus to rehab centers only to dedication to justice. be turned away because the program didn’t fail to reimburse for substance use and men- a concept known as health parity actually accept their insurance. tal health services, even though state law is “I have a family member who sees the “One man had his bags packed and he was supposed to enable repayment. psychiatrist and is charged $250 per visit. We ready to go and then he ended up coming “Lower income people and middle income submit to the health plan and get $90 back,” back,” she said. “It’s terrible, because it’s so people who can’t afford to pay out of pocket he said. “But if I went to the gastroenterolo- rare that people are ready to commit.” are the most affected,” Sills said. gist and submitted a $250 claim I would get David Sills, the director of Queens and Sills said insurers should handle sub- 80 percent back.” Nassau County chapter of the National Al- stance use/mental health treatment the same “A lot of people just don’t go to services liance on Mental Illness, said insurers often way they handle physical health treatment — because they can’t afford it.” Sex crimes and shootings rise in Queens Get 'The Best of the Nest' By Jonathan Sperling delivered to your Queens Daily Eagle inbox every week: Crime is down overall in 2019, but reports QueensEagle.com/Subscribe of shootings and sex crimes have steadily in- creased in Queens, according to the latest NYPD data. Citywide crime incidents recorded between Jan. 1, 2019 and Nov. 30, 2019 have decreased Follow us on Twitter by 1.3 percent compared to the same time peri- od in 2018, form 88, 203 incidents to 87, 014 in- @queenseagle cidents. That includes crime such as rape, which is down 1.1 percent citywide. But in the vast majority of Queens police NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea (right) presided at his first monthly crime update as Like us on Facebook precincts, reports of rape, along with other sex the city’s top cop. Overall crime is down across New York City, but police data shows sex facebook.com/queenseagle crimes, have seen a drastic increase. crimes and shootings on the rise in Queens. Photo via the Mayor’s Office/Flickr A total of 200 rapes have been recorded in the Queens North patrol area as of Dec. 1, up seen a rise in rape and other sex crime reports, Shooting incidents are also reportedly on from 198 during the same period in 2018. In the several stand out. Year-to-date rape reports in the rise across the city, including in Queens. In Visit us Online Queens South patrol area, reports of rape have the 100th Precinct, which covers Broad Channel Queens North, a total of 41 shooting incidents risen 16.9 percent, from 160 to 187. Reports and part of the Rockaway Peninsula, are up 400 were reported, up more than 41 percent from queenseagle.com of other sex crimes are up from 564 to 610 in percent, from three to 15. In the 108th Precinct, the same time last year. In Queens South, where Queens North, and from 328 to 352 in Queens which covers Long Island City, Sunnyside, and 14-year-old Aamir Griffin was fatally wounded South. Woodside, year-to-date rape reports are up more by a stray bullet in October, there have been 77 Though the majority of Queens precincts have than 66 percent, from 12 to 20. reported shootings, up from 74 last year. PUBLISHERS: What's on the docket for the Queens legal community Michael Nussbaum J.D. Hasty [email protected] [email protected] QUEENS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION ADA ASSOCIATION MACON B. ALLEN BLACK MANAGING EDITOR HOLIDAY PARTY OF QUEENS HOLIDAY DINNER BAR ASSOCIATION David Brand Thursday, Dec. 12 • 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. [email protected] Wednesday, Dec. 11 HOLIDAY DINNER The Queens County Bar Association, Brandeis Asso- 6 p.m.