Digital services have gained a lot of ground since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As New York City seeks to expand its technology offerings, digital equity has become increasingly important, which the city is addressing through a strategic plan and Big Apple Connect, among other efforts.
The launch of the MyCity portal now allows users to interact with multiple city agencies in the city’s 10 most common languages and can also be used with screen readers to make the resource more accessible to users with different disabilities.
The portal’s creation was the result of a collaboration between the city's Office of Technology and Innovation, Administration for Children's Services (ACS), Department of Education (DOE), Department of Social Services, as well as the state Office of Children and Family Services.
The first phase is focused on streamlining of the child-care assistance application, which consolidated the paper application used by DOE and ACS. The city expects tens of thousands of residents to use the new online form annually.
“For the first time, families who need help paying for child care can apply in one place, with one application,” said Mayor Eric Adams in the announcement.
As of Wednesday, users can check eligibility, apply for and track services and benefits as they apply for child care. The portal also securely saves users’ information and documentation to simplify future applications.
Phase one also directs users to the city’s benefits screener and to existing resources for small-business owners and job seekers. The second phase is expected to launch later this year to further support job seekers and small-business owners.
The city's announcement also underlines that the portal will act as a centralized data repository, enabling information sharing across government agencies to make delivering services to residents more efficient.
Prior to the release of the portal, the city adopted months of user testing sessions to gain feedback about the user experience. The portal also offers a video tutorial to simplify use.
