Monday, March 16, 2026, 9:30 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Children and Youth
0:08 Morning. Good morning and
0:08 welcome to the New York City
0:09 council and hearing for the
0:10 community, children and youth,
0:11 please. Science all self only
0:12 trying to devices if you wish
0:13 to participate in today's
0:14 hearing. Please fill an
0:15 appearance card with the
0:16 sergeant arms, if you need
0:17 anything else, please contact
0:19 us are at arms moving forward.
0:20 No one is to approach the days
0:22 just dean's. We're ready t
0:27 obegin. Good morning, everyone
0:28 and welcome to the first part
0:29 of today's budget hearing my
0:31 name is counsel dorothea
0:32 Stevens and I serve as the
0:33 chair of committee on children
0:35 and use the first part of
0:36 today's committee hearing is
0:37 on fiscal 20 27 preliminary
0:41 budget and the 20 26 slimmer
0:42 and the polonium mayors
0:44 management report for the
0:46 administration for children's
0:47 services or thank you. So the
0:49 interim commissioner melissa
0:50 has this for joining us today.
0:52 We're also joined by deputy
0:55 speaker Nantasha. Williams
0:56 financial chair Linda Lee the
1:01 testimony the following
1:02 testimony. Questions from we
1:03 will hear from me at 12 noon
1:06 and then public testimony
1:07 around two. 30. Thank you t
1:10 oall my all the advocates and
1:11 the community members who have
1:13 joined us today, I will keep
1:15 my comments here brief as I
1:16 always do and request that the
1:18 interim commissioner to kee
1:19 pall testimony as brief as
1:20 possible. So we can move t
1:22 othe questions from council
1:25 members schools 20 27
1:28 preliminary budget is or 90%
1:34 greater than the fiscal 20 26
1:36 adopted budget. The
1:37 preliminary plan includes
1:39 increased investments in
1:39 several areas, including child
1:43 care about detention programs
1:43 in foster care payments no
1:45 20 26 in a playground plan
1:51 growing of additional funding
1:54 in fiscal 22 30 is the center
1:58 of so many issues important t
2:00 othe council this budget cycle
2:03 providing free or low cost
2:04 child care strengthening our
2:08 City systems, our cities,
2:09 threats and I'm 13.
2:10 Uncertainties from hostile
2:12 federal government shining
2:12 light on areas where under
2:15 mandate or cost. Originally
2:17 braun by the state have deeply
2:19 affected our City agencies. I
2:21 was delighted to see that the
2:22 data in the m r. Showed a 3
2:27 98% increase in child care
2:27 about you. Enrollment in the
2:30 first four months of fiscal 2
2:32 022 when compared to 20 25 2 2
2:34 the sexual I'll successful
2:36 outreach and much more
2:38 efficient application process.
2:41 In fact, demand for chalker
2:42 about just have grown so much
2:43 that the now maintains a
2:45 weightless for over 1600 olivo
2:49 eligible children providing
2:50 free or low cost childcare is
2:52 one of the most important
2:52 challenges our City faces or
2:56 one of them, and I loo
2:57 kforward to discussing work in
2:58 this area as well as the
3:00 urgent need to maintain the
3:02 agency's current caseload in
3:04 the weightless juvenile Justin
3:06 is also area of ongoing
3:07 concern to the council,
3:10 according to the ppm are for
3:11 the first time since fiscal 20
3:15 22, has seen a decrease in
3:16 detention admitted it admit
3:19 saw admissions to juvenil
3:20 edetention is declined by 3.7%
3:23 and the first four months of
3:24 20 26, compared to the same
3:26 period fiscal 20 25 immodest a
3:30 modest but meaningful
3:30 improvement. I speak, sir. The
3:31 importance of the agency's
3:34 preventative services at the
3:35 same time they the agency's
3:37 daily population in juvenile
3:40 detention increased by 21.5%
3:44 for the first four months of
3:44 fiscal 20 26 asked compared t
3:46 othe same period fiscal 202
3:49 5this decrease in emissions
3:51 prepared with increased this
3:54 dip decrease in admissions
3:55 paired with the increased
3:57 average daily population can
3:58 be explained by longer average
4:00 looms of state by juvenile
4:01 detention facilities for use
4:02 ,I would like to learn more
4:05 about of this increased youth
4:08 population with more complex
4:09 or serious cases requiring
4:10 extended periods inhe t I
4:12 would also let's learn about
4:14 the agency's plan to ensur
4:14 ethat the trauma, informed and
4:16 community based treatments is
4:19 provided whether whenever
4:20 possible, and preventive volvo
4:21 and juvenile system in the
4:22 first place I look forward to
4:25 hearing about dealing with
4:26 staffing issues as well as
4:27 capital upgrades and
4:28 conditions at the two securit
4:32 ydetention facilities. Horizon
4:33 crossroads. I look forward t
4:37 otoday's discussion and budget
4:38 actions, including the
4:40 preliminary plan performance
4:41 matrix, including the are
4:44 capital plan and virtual
4:46 programs such as child vital
4:48 programs such as child care
4:49 prevention services and foster
4:51 care. I'm particularly
4:52 interested in hearing to mee
4:54 tthe mostly fats that needs at
4:58 risk families across the City
4:58 and working to increase
5:00 utilization and preventative
5:02 services, I ensure health and
5:03 safety and stability for our
5:05 families. It is the council's
5:07 responsibility to ensure that
5:08 City budget is fair,
5:09 transparent, accountable t
5:10 oall New yorkers asked the
5:13 chair of children youth. I
5:14 will continue to push for
5:15 accountability, accuracy and
5:16 too sure that the budget
5:17 reflects the needs and
5:19 interests of our cities youth.
5:21 I would like to take this time
5:25 to think my staff that help
5:26 prepare margaret. What do you
5:29 think my name, but what shall
5:30 I think barney Frank bonds
5:35 .Lee I'm harem is assistant
5:37 director richard yates Wong,
5:40 the fellow really, really
5:44 create? Ask owen. Oh, castle
5:46 wawa. Okay. Thank you,
5:48 elizabeth arts in my entire
5:51 staff back x, the district
5:52 office and my deputy chief of
5:54 staff room ears. I will
5:55 continue. I will now turn it
5:56 over to the committee staff
5:57 after minister oath. I would
6:00 like to acknowledge Felder
6:01 council. Felder, who was also
6:05 joined us, huh? We will now
6:09 hear testimony from the
6:10 administration before we I
6:12 will administer the
6:13 affirmation. Panelists. Please
6:14 raise your right hand. I will
6:16 read the affirmation once,
6:17 then call on each of you
6:17 individually to respond. Do
6:21 you affirm to tell the truth,
6:21 the whole truth and nothing
6:22 but the truth before this
6:23 committee and to respond
6:25 honestly to Council Member
6:31 questions. Thank you. Good
6:42 morning, happy a woman's
6:44 history month. My name is
6:45 melissa hester and I am the
6:47 interim commissioner at the
6:49 administration for children's
6:50 services. I am joined today by
6:51 when that song the first
6:54 deputy commissioner margaret
6:55 plant, nick off the deputy
6:57 commissioner for financial
6:59 services and stephanie gandel,
7:00 the deputy commissioner for
7:03 external affairs. Nancy
7:04 ginsberg, the deputy
7:05 commissioner for the division
7:05 of youth and family justice
7:08 louisa Lynn eras, the deputy
7:09 commissioner for the family
7:11 services division Inna mendez,
7:13 the deputy commissioner for
7:14 family permanency services an
7:17 delizabeth welcome, meera, the
7:18 deputy commissioner for the
7:19 division of child and family
7:21 well being are also here and
7:24 available for questions I am
7:26 also joined by the David
7:28 cabinet and many of the senior
7:29 leaders who lead work and
7:32 helped us pparere for today's
7:35 hearings. Thank you. Chair
7:36 Stevens and members of the
7:36 children and youth committee
7:38 for holding today's hearing on
7:40 our preliminary budget for
7:42 fiscal year 2027. I appreciate
7:45 the opportunity to share with
7:46 you, the important work that
7:48 is to keep children safe and
7:51 to provide support to children
7:51 , youth and families. I also
7:54 want to take a moment to thank
7:56 the team and our provider
7:59 agency partners for their
8:01 commitment, compassion and
8:02 dedication to this important
8:05 work as you will hear more
8:05 about today, our preliminary
8:07 budget plan includes important
8:08 actions to help build on our
8:11 accomplishments and continue
8:12 to move this important work
8:16 forward. Childcare is a
8:17 critical support for families
8:18 and we are thrilled that the
8:20 man donny administration is
8:21 committed to strengthening and
8:23 expanding the city's early
8:25 childhood system so that
8:26 families across the City will
8:28 have access to high quality,
8:29 affordable child care starting
8:33 in 20 22, an effort to
8:37 substantially increase the
8:37 number of children enrolled in
8:39 child care with costs paid
8:41 fully or mostly by an eighth
8:43 issued childcare voucher in 2
8:47 enrolled in the issued voucher
8:53 and today approximately 71000
8:55 children are enrolled as the
8:58 council and advocates will
8:59 surely recall at this time
9:01 last year, the state had not
9:03 committed to maintaining
9:04 funding for these vouchers we
9:05 faced a billion dollars
9:07 deficit and the prospect of
9:09 thousands of families losing
9:10 their child care vouchers, is
9:12 grateful to the City Council
9:13 as well as the advocates for
9:17 your invaluable partnership
9:18 and advocating for additional
9:19 state support for the child
9:21 care assistance program
9:24 .thankfully, this joint
9:26 advocacy helped us receive
9:28 additional state support so
9:29 that has been able to continue
9:32 to recertify the vast majority
9:33 of eligible families allowing
9:35 families to maintain this
9:39 critical support. We are
9:39 encouraged by the additional
9:40 see cap funding in this year's
9:43 state executive budget based
9:44 on the city's analysis, the
9:46 governor's budget would allow
9:47 us to continue our current
9:50 policy of providing continuity
9:51 of care for most low income
9:53 families and support the
9:55 growing need among families on
9:56 cash assistance served by the
9:57 human resources administration
10:01 while the current funding
10:02 wouldn't immediately allow us
10:03 to begin offering care to
10:04 children on the voucher. Wait,
10:07 we will continue to regularly
10:09 assess enrollment across New
10:12 York City public schools and r
10:13 a to see when this be possible
10:18 . The city's 20 27 preliminary
10:21 budget includes $1.1 million
10:23 when fully implemented for 1
10:25 0new staff to bolster our
10:27 ability to maintain program,
10:29 integrity and compliance
10:30 safeguarding the over $1
10:32 billion in federal and state
10:33 aid for seacat as a child care
10:36 system continues to gro
10:40 wsupporting and uplifting
10:41 families and communities, so
10:42 they have the resources
10:44 ,information and services they
10:46 need to thrive is our critical
10:50 mission is critical to our
10:50 mission. We want families t
10:52 oget the resources and
10:53 connections they need to
10:55 foster healthy child
10:56 development and relationships,
10:59 so there is never the need for
10:59 child protection involvement
11:03 out prevention providers,
11:05 community partnerships, family
11:06 enrichment centers and office
11:08 of child safety and injury
11:10 prevention do this in every
11:12 community of the City and
11:15 every day. We have now
11:16 completed our plan to expan
11:17 dfrom 3 2 30 family arrangement
11:21 centers with the contract for
11:24 the thirtieth getting
11:24 registered in are welcoming
11:28 walk in family centered spaces
11:30 open to all community members
11:32 everything from the name the
11:34 furniture and the offerings
11:35 are code designed with
11:38 families. These spaces are
11:39 intended to enhance the family
11:40 and child well being by
11:43 promoting protective factors
11:44 such as resilience and social
11:48 connection. The 30 in various
11:49 stages of implementation are
11:53 in various stages of implement
11:54 and are all now engaging
11:56 families and neighbors I
11:57 ntheir respective communities.
12:00 We have also been intentional
12:01 about our efforts to ensure
12:03 that families in need are able
12:05 to access services and support
12:08 through other nonprofit
12:09 community based providers. We
12:12 are continuing to collaborate
12:13 with our sister agencies,
12:15 including New York City public
12:18 schools, wife, health and
12:20 hospitals to both get the word
12:21 out about the support line and
12:24 ensure that they know how to
12:26 access services for families
12:27 without the need to make a
12:28 report to the statewide
12:32 central register. We have
12:32 trained over 27000 mandate
12:34 dreporters across schools,
12:37 shelters, hospitals and after
12:40 school programs. As a result,
12:40 we have seen a steady
12:41 reduction in the number of
12:43 reports from those we have
12:45 trained down 16% for education
12:47 and child care reporters down
12:49 16% from social service
12:51 sagencies and down 7% by help
12:58 by health in November 2023 we
13:00 launched a support line staff
13:02 by ms, whose sole purpose is
13:04 to connect callers to the
13:06 resources they need the
13:07 support line now receives an
13:09 average of over 300 inquiries
13:13 each month and I encourage you
13:14 to share this resource with
13:15 your constituents the phone
13:17 number is 2 1 2 6 7 6 7 6 6 7
13:23 with the aid of our support
13:25 line and our collaboration
13:26 with our preventionrovi pder
13:29 partners. We have also focused
13:31 on increasing community
13:32 referrals to prevention so
13:33 families can get connected t
13:35 osupportive services that help
13:37 them address difficult
13:37 challenges so that they and
13:38 their children can thrive. We
13:41 see these efforts, working
13:42 with New enrollments in
13:43 prevention up nearly 10% last
13:46 year and community referrals
13:48 increasing from 12% of
13:52 prevention referrals in
13:55 January 20 232 25% in January
13:59 2026 earlier this month, along
14:00 with the New York City
14:01 department of health and
14:03 mental hygiene and deputy
14:04 Mayor r. T. Aga announced
14:07 strong foundations are New
14:11 collaboration with for which
14:12 you will see the interest City
14:13 transfer from a c s cs to d o
14:16 h. M. This program funded at
14:18 approximately $20.1 million
14:21 over three years with $19.2
14:25 million from will end me it
14:29 programs that support New
14:30 parents and their children
14:31 reaching more families in the
14:35 community, specifically the
14:36 funding will support adrienne