at over 1,600 eligible eligible children. Providing free or lowcost child care is one of the most important challenges our city faces. Well, one of them and I look forward to discussing ACS work in this area as well as the urgent need to maintain the AY's current case load and in the weight list. Juvenile justice is also an area of ongoing concern to the council. According to the PPMR, for the first time since fiscal 2022, ACS has seen a decrease in detention admissions, ACS saw admissions to juvenile detentions decline by 3.7% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period fiscal 2025. A modest a modest but meaningful improvement that speaks to the importance of the agency's preventive services. At the same time, the a the AY's daily population and juvenile detentions increased by 21.5%. For the first four months of fiscal 2026 as compared to the same period in fiscal 2025. This decrease in admissions paired with increase this decrease in admissions paired with the increased average daily population can be explained by longer average lengths of stay by juvenile detention facilities for youth. I would like to learn more about ACS strategy to meet the needs of this increased youth population with more complex or serious cases requiring extended periods in detention. I would also like to learn about the agency's plan to ensure that the trauma-informed and community-based treatments is provided whether whenever possible and prevent involvement in juvenile system in the first place. I look forward to hearing about ACS dealing with staffing issues as well as capital upgrades and conditions at the two secured detention facilities, Horizon and Crossroads. I look forward to to budget actions including the preliminary plan performance matrix including the PPMR ACS capital plan and virtual programs such as child um vital programs such as childcare prevention services and foster care. I am particularly interested in hearing ACS strategy to meet the multifaceted needs at risk families across the city and working to increase utilization and preventative services that ensure health and safety and stability for our families. It is the council's responsibility to ensure that city budget is fair, transparent, accountable to all New Yorkers. As the chair of children and youth, I will continue to push for accountability, accuracy and I would like to take this time to thank my staff that help prepare. Margaret, what did I say? >> My name, what's your last name? >> Barnsley. >> Barnsley. Uh, Julia. Um, Haramus, assistant director. Richard Yates Wong. Um, the fellow re Aasawa. >> Oscowawa. >> Aasawa. >> A gasawa. Okay. Thank you. Elizabeth Arts. Um, and my entire staff back at the district office and my deputy chief of staff, Gre Mayors. I will continue. I will now turn it over to the committee staff to administer the oath. I would like to acknowledge um Felder, council member Felder, who has also joined us. >> Uh we will now hear testimony from the administration. Before we begin, I will administer the affirmation. Panelists, please raise your right hand. I will read the affirmation once, then call on each of you individually to respond. Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before this committee, and to respond honestly to council member questions? >> Thank you. Good morning. Happy uh Women's History Month. My name is Melissa Hester and I am the interim commissioner at the Administration for Children's Services. I am joined today by Wynette Saunders, the first deputy commissioner, Margaret Plentikoff, the deputy commissioner for financial services, and Stephanie Gandelle, the deputy commissioner for external affairs. Nancy Ginsburg, the deputy commissioner for the division of youth and family justice, Louisa Lanirez, the deputy commissioner for the family services division. Ena Menddees, the deputy commissioner for family permanency services, and Elizabeth Wamir, the deputy commissioner for the division of child and family well-being are also here and available for questions. I am also joined by the full ACS cabinet and many of the senior leaders who lead ACS's work and helped us prepare for today's hearing. Thank you, Chair Stevens and members of the Children and Youth Committee for holding today's hearing on our preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027. I appreciate the opportunity to share with you the important work that ACS is doing to keep children safe and to provide support to children, youth, and families. I also want to take a moment to thank the ACS team and our provider agency partners for their commitment, compassion, and dedication to this important work. As you will hear more about today, our preliminary budget plan includes important actions to help ACS build on our accomplishments and continue to move this important work forward. Child care is a critical support for families and we are thrilled that the Mandani administration is committed to strengthening and expanding the city's early childhood system so that families across the city will have access to high quality affordable child care. Starting in 2022, ACS spearheaded an effort to substantially increase the number of children enrolled in child care with costs paid fully or mostly by an ACS issued child care voucher. In 2022, approximately 7,500 lowincome children were enrolled in the ACSisssued voucher and today approximately 71,000 children are enrolled. As the council and advocates will surely recall, at this time last year, the state had not committed to maintaining funding for these vouchers. We faced a billion dollar deficit and the prospect of thousands of families losing their child care vouchers. ACS is grateful to the city council as well as the advocates for your invaluable partnership in advocating for additional state support for the child care assistance program. Thankfully, has been able to continue to reertify the vast majority of eligible families, allowing families to maintain this critical support. We are encouraged by the additional CCAP funding in this year's state executive budget. Based on the city's analysis, the governor's budget would allow us to continue our current policy of providing continuity of care for most low-income families and support the growing need among families on cash assistance served by the human resources administration. While the current funding wouldn't immediately allow us to begin offering care to children on the voucher wait list, we will continue to regularly assess enrollment across ACS, New York City public schools, and HRA to see when this may be possible. The city's FY2027 preliminary budget includes $1.1 million when fully implemented for 10 new staff to bolster our ability to maintain program integrity and compliance, safeguarding the over $1 billion in federal and state aid for CCAP as the child care system continues to grow. Supporting and uplifting families and communities so they have the resources, information, and services they need to thrive is our critical mission is critical to our mission. We want families to get the resources and connections they need to foster healthy child development and relationships. So there is never the need for child protection involvement. Our prevention providers, community partnerships, family enrichment centers, and office of child safety and injury prevention do this in every community of the city and every day. We have now completed our plan to expand from three to 30 family enrichment centers with the contract for the 30th FEC getting registered in January. FEC's are welcoming walk-in family- centered spaces open to all community members. Everything from the name, the furniture, and the offerings are co-designed with families. These spaces are intended to enhance the family and child well-being by promoting protective factors such as resilience and social connection. The 30 FEC's in various stages of implementation are in various stages of implementation and are all now engaging families and neighbors in their respective communities. We have also been intentional about our efforts to ensure that families in need are able to access services and supports through ACS or other nonprofit community-based providers. We are continuing to collaborate with our sister agencies including New York City public schools, DHS, DYCD, and Health and Hospitals to both get the word out about the support line and ensure that they know how to access services for families without the need to make a report to the statewide central register. We have trained over 27,000 mandated reporters across schools shelters hospitals and afterchool programs. As a result, we have seen a steady reduction in the number of reports from those we have trained. Down 16% for education and childcare reporters, down 16% from social service agencies, and down 7% by help by health. In November 2023, we launched a support line staffed by MSWs whose sole purpose is to connect callers to the resources they need. The support line now receives an average of over 300 inquiries each month and I encourage you to share this resource with your constituents. The phone number is 2126767667. With the aid of our support line and our collaboration with our prevention provider partners, we have also focused on increasing community referrals to prevention so families can get connected to supportive services that help them address difficult challenges so that they and their children can thrive. We see these efforts working with new enrollments in prevention up nearly 10% last year and community referrals increasing from 12% of prevention referrals in January 2023 to 25% in January 2026. Earlier this month, ACS along with the New York City Department of Strong Foundations, our new collaboration with DOH for which you will see the intracity transfer from ACS to DOH. This program funded at approximately $20.1 million over three years with $19.2 2 million from ACS will enable DOH to expand programs that support new parents and their children, reaching more families in the community. Specifically, the funding will support one expanded eligibility for nurse family partnership called NFPX to include late registrants, pregnant people in their third trimester up to the birth of the child and people with previous live births nurse family partnership. Populations typically not eligible for the program. Two, expanded capacity in the prenatal and early childhood mental health clinics to serve more families and offer additional clinical, peer, and material supports. And three, expanded trainings, funding prenatal mental health certification and establishing a three-year fellowship to develop a pipeline of staff with prenatal and early childhood childhood knowledge and skills to support families with young children. There is no mission more important than keeping children safe from harm and this remains our north star for ACS. Safety means protecting children from the harms of abuse and neglect as well as same time as we are working to reduce unnecessary reports. If a child is not safe, calls are warranted. And we need to be sure that our child protective staff have the tools and the skills they need to identify those children truly in danger and to connect families to services and supports and foster care if necessary so children can be safe. The average child protective case load is currently 7.6, six, which is well below national standards and greatly strengthens the capacity of our child protective teams who do their work with all the skill, compassion, teamwork, and professionalism for which they are trained and supported. In January, we launched our new clinical support program for child protection, which provides our teams with licensed professionals who have expertise in mental health. Through the newly enhanced program, these experts add critical insight to our work and can engage directly with families to offer specific to each Word out to parents and caregivers about keeping children safe from preventable injury bed safely, how to store toxic h household products and the importance of window guards, especially as we head into nicer weather. We hope that you can share these messages on your social media pages, too. We have included sample images at the end of this testimony. The number of children in foster care has continued to decline each year. At the end of 2025, there were 6,292 children in foster care, down from nearly 6,400 at the end of 2024 and over 7,500 just 5 years ago. We have also seen the number of children at the Nicholas Capetta Children's Center decline to an average of 61 children in FY2025 compared to 74 in FY2024. While the numbers of children at the children's center and in foster care continue to decline, it remains critical that we provide the highest quality care and support the children in our care. Over the past year, we have further enhanced our policies, protocols, and staff trainings to further support a safe and traumainformed environment for youth residing at the children's center. This work has included physical changes, including a restructured entrance area to include more modernized security equipment and additional medical triage operation to support more timely medical clearances at a mission. a new bedroom sleeping area for younger teen girls such as 13 year olds separate from older teens and a paint furniture decoration color scheme that is more traumainformed. In the coming months, we will be launching a new allowance program for youth ages 13 and older who are residing at the children's center and opening up a new music studio. The FY27 preliminary budget includes additional support for our work at the Children's Center so that we can maintain a safe and secure site and better ne better meet the needs of youth. Specifically, the plan includes a baseline amount of $4 million starting in FY27 for additional children's center staff and support services. This includes funding for 13 additional staff, including a behavioral health manager, a deputy director of intake, and additional special officers to provide 24-hour security and support for the facility. The funding also supports expanded chaperone services to ensure youth at the children's center can get to and from school regardless of where their home school is and other appointments such as visits, court, and doctors. In addition, the funding reflects an increase to medical consultation services at Belleview Hospital to account for collective bargaining adjustments. The FY27 preliminary budget also includes city funding to support the statemandated foster care rates that ACS is required to provide for foster parent stipens, adoption subsidy, and kin gap subsidy. This includes $215 million in FY26, which is comprised of 165 million in the FY27 preliminary budget and 50 million that is at that was added in the November plan. 263 million in FY27 and 313 million baselined starting in FY28. As you may recall, the state increased these rates several years ago, but did not include additional state funding in the foster care block grant. ACS long supported the higher rates and appreciates the city baselining these funds that the state did not provide. The New York City foster parents, adoptive parents, and relatives who commit through kinship guardianship open their hearts and homes to children in need. And we are so grateful. When children need to come into foster care due to a safety concern, we continue to f focus on finding kinship homes with nearly half of all foster children currently living with relatives or close family friends. We have also focused on increasing the number of foster homes recruited and thank the chair for helping to coordinate last year's foster parent recruitment day with council members throughout the city. Once children are in foster care, ACS and our providers work diligently with families so that children can return home as quickly as possible and if that's not possible, achieve permanency through adoption or kin gap. We are also focused on supporting youth while they are in our care and as they transition to young adults. Last year, the city invested in the youth safety and support initiative, which enabled us to expand fair futures programming to over 5,500 youth by FY29, college choice to over 400 youth, and included funding for a new career choice program. Recently launched, Career Choice provides support to youth in foster care to attend a vocational or job readiness training and financial assistance to successfully complete the program as a pathway to independence. Additionally, Career Choice includes an ACS partnership with DYCD advanced and earn program. The first youth to join this program are currently seeking their mechanic certifications. This year, ACS in partnership with the Center for Fair Futures and the Mayor's Office of Community Health launched the Soul Care Pilot, a partnership to enhance mental health and wellness for youth ages 13 to through 26 based on feedback from young people. SoulCare aims to enhance mental health and wellness for youth in foster care by empowering youth to care for their own mental health in ways that resonate with them. taking a writing class, doing pottery, joining a gym, going to dance classes, or experiencing the joy of a Broadway show. The soul care pilot includes collaboration with five foster care providers and fair future futures coaches to provide youth with supportive one-on-one coaching and guidance focusing on mental health and well-being with referral through specially trained fair futures coaches and referrals to local programs and alternative therapy providers that align with youth preferences and needs. ACS is also focused on providing services and supports to justice involved youth both in the community and for those who are ordered into our care. As part of last year's youth safety and success initiative, ACS received funding to expand two programs that have demonstrated effectiveness at reducing justice involvement. The first is Girls Just Us. A highly successful gender responsive juvenile justice diversion program targeted at girls was operating in Brooklyn and is now expanding to serve the Bronx in FY26 and Queens in FY27. The second program is assertive community engagement and success or ACEs. An evidencebased program for high-risisk youth that have been involved in the justice system. This program provides social pathways from gang and gun violence to young people ages 16 through 24 and is in the early stages of being expanded citywide so that over 500 young people will be able to participate each year. The FY27 preliminary plan also includes $194.5 million of state funds replacing city funds starting in FY26 for ACS. This at risk youth funding is from the state and is part of a larger adjustment of $300 million state funds replacing city funds across several city agencies. We are still awaiting final details from the state and OM regarding these funds, but we are pleased that the state is adding these funds and acknowledging our shared commitment to New York City's youth. There are currently over 340 young people across our two secure detention facilities, Crossroads and Horizon. While the number of young people has risen in the secure juvenile detention centers, the total number of 16 and 17 year olds in custody in New York City has significantly decreased in the last 10 years. In 2013, there were over 300 16 and 17 year olds held on Riker's Island. In 2016, there were 200 and today there are less than 200 who who are 16 and 17. Second and relatedly, youth are primarily in detention pre-trial and we are seeing increased length of stay. This is due to the fact that the youth have complex serious cases that take a long time to move through the court process. Over 73% of youth are in detention due to a murder or murder related charge. ACS strongly believes that despite the increase in census, young people ordered to be detained should be receiving age appropriate services in the juvenile system. We are doing this every day and our efforts to ensure youth in our care receive traumainformed and education centered experience as possible is both taking hold and being recognized. Last year, the Nunes monitors alerted the court that their pursuant that their work pursuant to the agreement we entered into voluntarily was complete. The Nunes monitor stated the various reforms implemented by ACS have decreased violence and improved safety and have showcased ACS's and facility leadership's commitment to design and sustain a durable vision for the facilities operation that addresses youth individuals individual needs and supports the staff who work at Horizon. Fundamentally, the monitoring team's goal is to become unnecessary, and ACS has demonstrated its internal capacity to identify and and address its problems and challenges without the need for external oversight. Now that ACS has achieved substantial compliance with the three final provisions in the fourth voluntary agreement, it appears the monitoring team's work with ACS is complete. The FY27 preliminary budget plan includes additional investments so that we continue to address the needs of the youth in detention. When fully implemented, the initiative includes $ 8.1 million in city funds starting in FY27, which adds 40 staff as well as additional funding for expanded cleaning and barber services to ensure the safety and well-being of young people while they are in our care. There are also there are also expense funds for the development and operation of additional classroom space at Crossroads. As the council knows, ACS has been working with DDC to construct an annex at Horizon, which will not only expand capacity, but also create additional space for classrooms, programming, vocational training, health and mental services, and dining. The annex will also include a new exercise pavilion due to open in FY27, and seven of the additional staff will support programming in this new space. While the additional 33 staff will ensure safety and security at both sites for secure detention. Our capital budget includes funding for the Horizon annex and the capacity expansion project at Crossroads, which will provide additional space prior to the annex's completion. All of these investments are aimed at enhancing ACS's ability to meet the needs of the increased census of older youth in detention. As you can see, the ACS team and our provider partners have made much progress this past year, ensuring New York City's children, youth, and families have access to the services and supports that help them to thrive. As we move forward, we remain committed to listening to the voices of the parents, children, and youth directly impacted by our work and remaining on the path that enables us to make the best decisions for each family, child, and youth we encounter. Thank you, chair, and members of the committee for your continued support, collaboration, and commitment to making New York City a better place for children, youth, and families. Good morning. Um, that was not brief, but I'm gonna let it pass because you you were new, but we appreciate it. I'm actually going to pass it over to Council Member Williams, who has to step out and she has a few questions. >> Thank you, chair. Um, and the first thing I wanted to say is, um, you all planned the green and then they told you to. >> I was like, is that a coincidence? Oh, it's W history month and I just wore green and now we're all coordinated. >> Wow. We wouldn't have left you out. >> Oh, wow. Okay. Thank you. Well, looks nice. >> We would not have left you out. >> Very coordinated. We love it. Um, okay. The first question I have is about the rising juvenile detention population and construction at Horizon Detention Centers. So, according to the PMMR, juvenile detention admissions fell during the reporting period for the first time since fiscal 2020. More broadly, however, since the passage of Raise the Age, the number of youth in detention has increased substantially with 2487 total admissions in fiscal 2025. To accommodate this change, ACS has embarked on significant capital projects, which you talked about in your testimony, to expand and enhance the detention facilities, including 275.4 four million allocated in the prelim capital commitment plan across fiscals 2026 through 3035 for a project at Horizon Detention Center in the Bronx. Does ACS project the total number of admissions to detention will increase in fiscal 2026 and beyond? If so, by how much? And I also wanted to thank you all for participating and contributing to our youth convening. Um certainly your attendance strengthen the event because you guys are the experts. So, thank you so much. >> Well, I'll start by thanking you for organizing that event, you and Chair Stevens, and for including us, and it was a really, really um impactful day, mostly because we got to hear from the voices of those most directly impacted. So, thank you for organizing that. Um you are correct in terms of both the projections on for detention as well as the funding in the capital budget plan for the annex at Horizon. We have seen the population increase which deputy commissioner Ginsburg can talk more about. I think it's important before I turn it over to N to Deputy Commissioner Ginsburg that um while the population crossroads and horizon has increased, the population of 16 and 17 year olds coming into detention or jail has not increased. Um what we're seeing is really a direct result of those young people coming to detention with ACS rather than going to Riker's Island and them not being able to stay with us till they turn 21. Did you want to add? You don't have to. >> Good morning. It's nice to see you. Um we are working very very hard um with the courts. Uh we've done a lot of work with the courts over the last year to improve case processing times. Um OCA has dedicated increased resources to the youth parts to ensure that um they have what they need to uh process cases more quickly. Um on the flip side of that, these cases are very serious. Many of the cases are very serious and there's the more serious the case the more due process attaches and so we are trying to maintain the balance of ensuring that the young people receive the uh defense that they are due um in the courts and that they are not waiting too long to um to receive the outcomes that they are also due. So we when we first came in in 2022, we saw many many cases that got stuck in the system during COVID. We have worked through that entire case load. We just recently went below 90 young people who have been with us for more than a year. That is a tremendous improvement for us. Um, one of the most important aspects of raise the age was to allow the young people to remain in juvenile detention until they turn 21. And we are seeing tremendous outcomes with that older population. They're uh attaining their GED. They're beginning college. We have young people who are leaving us with up to 16 credits of college. Um, and we're very very proud of that advance in the system. We work very hard with CUNI to uh to develop anou so that young people could attend college while they're with us. And we have built out our workforce development opportunities for young people who um are both in high school, college, and um pursuing their GED. >> Thank you, chair. There's like one, two, three, four, five. Althia is the boss, so I'mma ask the rest of the questions you want me to ask. Okay, I'll just do do six. Okay. Um, what construction is ACS completing at Horizon Detention Center? Can you describe the scope of the project and then I'll just ask all the questions and you can just answer them. Um, the other question is, by how much does this construction increase the detention cent's capacity? You did talk about it a little bit in your testimony. Um, so if you have anything to add, please share. If not, all good. Um, when does when did this project begin? What is the timeline for completion? What has been completed so far? And does ACS believe capital costs such as this project may be eligible for the raise the age reimbursements that the state seems to be allocating to us finally after many years. >> We can start with the last one and then we'll turn it over to Deputy Commissioner Ginsburg. Do you want to do >> Sure. Um, as far as we know at this point, the youth at risk funds um will not be eligible for capital, but we are waiting to receive more information from the state. >> Okay, I'll try to cover everything you asked. Um, the plan for the annex is for 48 additional beds, um, eight additional classrooms, eight additional medical and mental health beds if necessary. Um construction started in 2025. Um we are looking to complete the exercise platform in the fall of this year that will be three um stacked basketball courts that can also be used as a track or handball or other activities. Um, shortly after that is complete, the work on the the foundation for the annex will begin, which is slated to be complete in early 2029. Um, we are we right now have not built any additional capacity that is online currently. >> Thank you, Deputy Commissioner. looking forward to touring soon and thank you so much chair. >> Thank you um Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams. Um oh yeah I forgot to add doctor so many titles. Um you know I think even on the facility everyone knows how I feel about this. If we build it they will come. and I'm not happy about it. But I also understand we can't have young people sleeping in classrooms currently, but 48 is a lot to be building out and our hope should be that we don't need it. Um, and so I just always just have to make sure I state that for the record because it pains my heart that we're at a place where this that we're having an increase even with raise age. I know people like try to blame it for that, but like that's not really what it is. We should really be thinking about how do we continue to get this these numbers down. But I digress. Here is my first question. Raise the age state reimbursement. Since the patches of raise the age um legislation in 2017, New York State has appropriated 1.7 billion to reimburse counties for costs related to detention 16 and 17 year olds charged with crimes in age appropriate facilities. Since 2017, 658 million has been distributed, leaving just over 1 billion appropriated unspent. The outline eligible expenses are broad, spanning more potential agencies than just ACS. They they allow for approval localities to submit qualifications, expenditures dating back to the inception of Raise the Age that include juvenile delinquent prevention services, law enforcement services, transportation services including transportation provided by sheriff, court operation expenses, adolescence offendant adolescent offender facilities detention, specialized secure detentions, and it goes on. Despite this, the city has never seen a a scent of the money appropriated by the state for raise the age due to section 54M of state um finance law, a provision which states counties must either adhere to a 2% tax cap or submit a waiver to the state showing financial hardship. First, how was the passage subsequentially implemented for raise the age impacted ACS's budget? >> Thank you for that question. Um, everything you just said is correct. New York City has been entirely left out of all of the raise the age funding since raise the age um came into effect. Um, and we know there are state legislators in Albany right now fighting to change that. So, we just want to first say thank you for that. Um, in terms of calculating the budget that we've lost over this entire period of time, it would include more than just ACS. Um, and we'd need to work with the other agencies and OM to get you that and we can get back to you with the number. >> Yeah, I think that it's important that we are are looking at that especially because we're currently experiencing financial hardships and so how do we recoup that? So, I have some questions on that too. Do you have an estimate of total cost by ACS? So, you said you don't have that. Have have you considered applying for hardship waiver to rec um recoup costs related to raise the age? If not, why? Um and yeah, >> I don't think that would be a decision for ACS to make. I think that um OM and the mayor's office would need to make a decision like that. >> But you can speak on do you think that it's appropriate? I'm not Do you want I'm not sure we're the ones to be able to assess whether or not New York City is having a financial hardship. ACS I mean >> well I'm going to say it. We having a financial hardship. We should be recouping the money. I know how you know I know how this goes. So I'm going to say it. Um is ACS aware of the requirements of a waiver? Um might well you said you don't want to answer this. Given the urgency of the closing fiscal gap, Mayor Ramani stated the goal of revenue cost shifting from state to city. Has ACS recently considered this? You're going to say no. OMB should be doing this and this is not your decision. So, I'm going to answer the question for you. I >> I will say we are in conversations with OM about the cost shifts that have happened to ACS which are broader than raise the age and we have been sharing that information. >> Okay. Um, does ACS believe the re um raise the age reimbursement process should be um considered at the state level? If so, how has the agency been working with state partners to pursue this? >> Since the passage of raise the age, which a couple of us from this panel were on the other side advocating for raise the age at the time, um have been continuing to advocate. So Nancy and I were on the other side at the time. Um we've been continuing to advocate for New York City to get its share. Um the state does in our opinion have a responsibility to children and youth in New York City too. >> Um I'm sorry I have to acknowledge um council member Kaban Joseph and Azis has also joined us. Um one of the things that the public advocate asked me to highlight was just um for you guys to talk a little bit about can you talk about even with the funding that we are getting um from the state this year. How are we ensuring that we are working with grassroot organizations with staff that have lived experience to ensure that they're also being part of the conversation um with the money that has been funded for this year for atrisisk use. >> So I agree with whoever said that was a great question. I can't see it's behind me. Um we don't really have a lot of information at this time about the money how it can be used um between the state and the city. That's still being discussed. Um but that's a really good point. we can bring that back to our colleagues. >> Yeah. Um really want to make sure that we are including organizations who have not historically been a part of these conversations but have been doing this work either way and so want to make sure we highlighted that. Um Deputy um Commissioner Nancy, I know you had spoke a little bit about the college credits when you were talking to Council Member Williams about our young people. I just wanted to ask how have we looked at I know that there was an RFP out before for um activities in the detention centers but you did speak about the college credits and I know last time we were there some of the young people complained that they were taking the same seminar and college credits over because there wasn't a lot of variety um for students who were seeking to get college credit and access. So can you talk a little bit about like what variety has been offered to them? Has that changed? I know we haven't been there in a couple of months and wanted to see has there been any progress because I know you said folks are graduating with 16 credits up to 16 credits but when we were there one of them one of the young people talked about how they took freshman seminar three times at that point because there wasn't a lot of variety. So um we had uh different college opportunities at the beginning of the last administration. And I think the young person you spoke to was referencing a period of time before we entered into the agreement with CUNI. Um we are in year two of this relationship with CUNI and there has been a lot of work both with um BMCC that services Crossroads and Hostos which services um Horizon and Hunter which is providing coordination for this project um to increase the number of professors who are available to teach classes. And as we see an increase in the number of professors, we can offer an increased number of classes. One of our um one of our challenges is finding consistent space to hold these classes. And so we are holding the classes at different times of the day in different locations to ensure that we can uh provide access to as many students as possible for these classes. And so this semester we have um five options for the young people and we have different groups participating in those classes and none of the classes that are being offered this semester have been offered in the past. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm sure the chair of um higher education will have more questions, but I just wanted to um jump in because I know you had spoke about it in the first question that council member Williams asked. Um it looks like um Chair Lee has to leave soon, so I'll allow her to ask a few questions. >> Sorry. Thank you, Chair. Trying to hop around to the different hearings today. Um thank you. and I will also be an advocate along with the chair as well as you guys in terms of the raise the age because that is something that we had talked about when we went to Albany for tin cup day. So that is something that we will try to continue to advocate for. Um which goes into uh more of the budget questions around foster care new need and state cost shifts which incorporates some of this. Um the preliminary plan includes an additional 165.1 million in fiscal 26, 263.1 million in fiscal 27 and 313 million in fiscal 28 and in the outy years for payments for children in foster care. And we know that the state increased the maximum state aid rates um a couple of fiscal years ago but did not include additional funding to she's she nodding her head uh funding to cover the cost of the increase and the city has been providing additional funding needed on a year-to-year and year-to-ate basis since the rate change. So with this increase in funding, do you all feel that um the ACS baseline more accurately budgeted is budgeted to fully cover projected foster care costs? >> Yes, that's correct. So as you mentioned, the state had increased the rates for foster parents adoption subsidy and king gap subsidy, which we supported conceptually, but the state has a block grant and they didn't increase the funds in the block grant. >> Okay. Okay. And then just for the record, can you walk us through which types of expenditures are covered with the funding? >> Do you want to do that? >> Sure. >> Um, sure. So, the the foster care MSAR, it cost the it pays for the administrative rates for the providers as well as the stipens for the foster care parents, kinship, uh, guardians, and adoptive parents. >> Okay, perfect. And how has the increased maximum state aid rates affected ACS's budget? And could you provide figures for how the city's contribution um has grown historically? >> Um sure. Going back to um FY24, we've had to add um in CTL additional investments. So we added 118 million in FY24, 138.8 8 million in 25 215.1 in in 26 as you mentioned 27 263.1 and then in FY28 and beyond 313 million in CTL. So all of these were investments were due uh to those raising those risen rates. >> Okay, perfect. >> Just for the record, I should have said this is Deputy Commissioner Margaret Patnikov who's the deputy commissioner for financial services. >> Great. Thank you. Um, and given Mayor Money's concern with cost shifts from the state to the city, um, I'm assuming the answer is yes, but have you raised, um, in conversations with the administration the MS in as an area where the city should push the state to provide additional support? >> Yes. And there's other child welfare cost shifts as well. >> Okay. Actually, that was my next question. Um, what are some of those other uh cost shifts that you wanted to advocate for in all? >> I'll start with my least favorite one and then I'll pass it. Deputy Commissioner Platnikov for more. Um, but going all the way back to 2008, the state used to pay 65% um of the non-federal share for prevention services and that has been reduced to 62% every year since annually as part of the state budget process. The statute actually continues to say 65%. Um, okay, great. And then um the foster care block grant used to support um close to home, which it no longer does. And then it also supported community supported education. Um and that was also removed from being eligible for uh the foster care block grant. >> Okay. >> Right. There actually used to be $30 million in the um budget for close to home and now there's zero from the state. >> Wow. >> Um and then also if you could just specify because going down from 65 to 62% when you're talking about millions, hundreds of millions of dollars I'm sure is a lot of funding. So, what does that 3% translate to in terms of dollars? >> We'd have to calculate it. I know the full budget for prevention is 37 372.4 million, but that includes federal, state, and city. We'd have to calculate that. But >> it would be significant especially over if you go over time. >> Okay, perfect. And of course going back to my uh uh questions around um I'm glad to see that the support line is staffed by MSWs because as you know I used to chair uh men's health committee and now we have our amazing chair Tiffany Koban who's here. Um, and so just wanted to know because one of my biggest pet peeves was always where do we make sure that we can catch people, you know, where they may fall off uh the grid, so to speak. And just wanted to know in your conversations, has there been any for the support line, has there any been any conversations around connecting it to 988 and also how to better work with DOH? because I mean 988 we had a whole thing on that too because a lot of folks still don't know what it is but I would imagine that folks who do know that are calling may benefit from hearing some of the services. >> A very very important question. Thank you for asking. I'm going to pass it to Deputy Commissioner Lonaris. >> Okay. >> Good morning. >> Morning. >> Um so we are working with 98. In fact, uh all of our programs will be listed uh in the 98 uh website and they will include uh the support line as the contact. Uh so we'll be able to connect families if there's a need. >> Okay, perfect. And just wanted to emphasize my support for the prevention dollars because as we know that saves the city and state money and keeps people healthy. So I will make sure to emphasize that as well. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks chair. Thank you. Back to the regular schedule programming. Um, atrisisk youth money for New York City. The Plymouth budget includes 194.5 million in city funding swaps for state baseline starting at fiscal 2026. Um, this is part of a larger adjustment that shifts a total of 300 million of city funds to the states across agencies. Um with majority of the funding for ACS and the remainder of the law department, the police department, the mayor Mani announced the investments in the governor Hokll the day before the release of the PLR budget according to the 30-day amendment, the proposed estate budget in fiscal 2027. This funding relates to expenses for youth um and prevention and other youth justice supports. What programs with which programming within ACS does this funding swap apply to? Thank you for that question. We're really interested in the answer, too. At this time, final determinations for the programming are still being developed. Um, we are grateful for the state providing the city with these resources, and we will share more information with the council once we have more details. Given the similarities between the areas outlined in the 30-day amendment and the previous raise the age reimbursement program, is this ACS is ACS aware of why the state chose to fund those programs specifically rather than modify the existing reimbursement process for raise the age? >> I am not aware. Are you we're not aware. I've heard conflicts um conflicting reports of whether the state intended to provide these fundings to the city for just one year or also for future um fiscal years. In the plarity plan, the additional funding was baseline by the administration and ACS understanding that the state has committed to providing this funding going forward. If not, why was this funding swap baseline? >> Our understanding this is that these funding will continue in the future >> from the state. from the state. Yes. And actually to your earlier question, we believe that they changed it from the RTA to the youth at risk to provide us more flexibility. >> Okay. Thank you. That's good to know. >> Do you expect the city will be able to use this 300 million in state funding for the broader scope of expenses that um allow under the previous discussion reimbursement um for raise the age reimbursement programs? >> We just don't know yet. But appreciate the questions and why you're asking them and we will definitely get back to you. >> Do you think there's a scenario where the city could receive 300 million um risk money and apply for the hardship waiver for the existing raise the age program to maximize city reimbursement for future past expenditures? >> In theory, we could because this is a separate budget allocation from raise the age. >> I believe so too. That's why I asked. I think both could exist. Um, states legislators have introduced legislation to establish a youth justice intervention fund that would provide 550 million to community based organization serving youth who are at risk for involvement with the system or um have been adjudicated juvenile delinquents, juvenile offendants through age 25. What ACS positions on this legislation? We are really appreciative of both the state legislators and the advocates who are advocating for these proposals that would expand community-based resources. We too, as you know, believe very strongly in prevention, which is why we had invested in Girls Just Us and ACEs last year and we look forward to learning more details. >> Has AC had any discussion with state and partners about this partnership or proposal? >> Not not to date. Does ACS anticipate this could be allocated to providers in the city? What funding flows through ACS directly to providers? >> There is money that flows directly from ACS to providers, but there are other ways to get funding to providers, too. And we don't know enough about how this proposal would work in that manner. >> 131 youth entered foster care in the first four months of fiscal 2026, a 5.2% 2% less than the 188 I mean 1,08 who entered foster care during the first period in fiscal 2025. The percentage for children entering foster care who were placed um in relatives who were placed with relatives also declined. Three 34.6% of children entering foster care were placed in relatives in the first four with with relatives in the first four months of 2026. A 9 a 9.6% 6% less than the same year um period last year. Why were there less youth placement with relatives? And is ACX exploring any other programs or policies to increase the number of children in foster care placed with relatives? >> Thank you. Placing young children and youth coming into foster care with kin remains a high priority, top priority for ACS. And I'm going to pass it to Deputy Commissioner Ena Mendes, Deputy Commissioner for Family Peracy Services to share more. >> Thank you. Um, Deputy Commissioner Gandell and good morning um, nice to be here um, Chair Stevens. So, regarding kin, we we developed a multi-prong approach because kin placing children with kin is extremely important. So while investigations are underway, the division of child protection shifted some staff which are licensed social workers to help the um staff that are doing the child protection specialists that are doing the investigation look for kin. Engaging parents, speaking to children, other people connected to the family to find kin. Um taking notes. So we we really do prioritize and the shifting of those particular staff to help. Um, originally it was just the CPS worker doing looking for kin and everything else. So, the the additional licensed social worker helps that process and we think we've seen some great improvements. We do notice that some of the kids coming into care, the recent data shows that they're a little older. So, we don't know if that's impacting. We do collaborate with the division of family services, family services division. We created um a kin a teen pilot program. So, we're matching our teen prevention providers to support those families so that the kin feel confident enough. If children are not found at placement and a child is placed with non-kin, the work doesn't stop to look for kin. We work very closely with our foster care providers. They do similar things speaking to parents and kin. We recently worked with um Harvard GPL, government policy lab, I think it's called. and we we worked with agencies on a pilot and we've created some additional documents and materials to share around best practices um how to support kin what what would be needed to help them get certified um so and so those are efforts we're and strategies we have in place and we're hopeful that that will continue to support our kin identification recruitment support and engagement >> thank you the preliminary plan includes an additional 300,000 um in city funding in fiscal 2026 and baselined a 1.1 million starting in fiscal 2027 um for 10 baseline positions uh to support child program integrity. What program or services does this relate to? Why is the additional funding required and how is this amount determined? What positions are being added and what are the remaining responsibilities? >> Thank you for this question. We're going to pass it to Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Wrimer. I apologize. Can you repeat the question? >> Of course. Um I was asking what programs or services um are related to the childcare program integrity? Um why is this additional funding required and how was the amount determined and what positions are being added and what are their main responsibilities? >> Sure. There are 10 positions being added. The current team is just two positions which includes one staffed position, one vacancy. And this team is responsible for overseeing the use of state and federal funds that support childcare assistance across ACS, HR, and some of New York City public schools seats. Um, so the staff will be responsible for overseeing program integrity both um in concert with childcare providers as well as applicants. So doing random samples of applications to ensure that we're doing everything we need to do to comply with state and federal laws, site visits to providers etc. >> Um, what's the timeline for the hiring these new positions? >> We will be um working on that as quickly as possible and working with OM to try and get those lines hired. >> So do you have like an estimate like in the next couple of months or >> I don't have an exact projection. Um what are the positions currently filled um the childcare program integrity unit? Are there any filled? >> Yes, right now there are just um two positions for the childcare program integrity unit. One is a director position that is filled. We are currently um on track to hire the other vacancy as well as these new lines that we are very very happy to have. Um, and I know you said that it was they would be overseeing like a cross-section, but what does that look like working with all those different agencies? And will they just be with ACS or will like how will this cross-section happen? >> They will just be working with ACS, but we work very closely with regard to the use of the childcare block grant funds that come to us from the state, which are a mix of state and federal funds. Um so we work very closely um with the department of education already with their eligibility unit. Um we share many providers as you know and the same is true for HR. Um so our goal is to make sure that we are working with the infrastructure at both of those agencies. Um so for example um when there are child care providers serving children with ACS vouchers, they are very often also serving children that have childcare assistance through HA. And so um it makes sense as the lead agency receiving that block grant and managing that block grant from the state that we would be working together so that there are not separate and siloed mechanisms for working with childcare providers that are in fact serving children being served across both agencies. >> Okay. >> The state proposed um executive budget included up to 1.5 billion in base funding for the city to put towards childcare vouchers. an increase from the 1.1 billion including for each of the past two years accountability. Um, additionally, the proposed budget included 475 million in a onetime funded allocation allocated to New York City's ACS program. What are ACS current projections for the funding needed to maintain its current voucher case load? So given the governor's state executive budget, um our analysis is that we can continue um our current policy which is to reertify the vast majority of families that are currently receiving vouchers. Um so that is that is what we are currently looking to do and we will be working in the upcoming budget cycles with OM um to assess whether or not there is need for additional um CTL in the budget to support that. what gaps remain >> right now. Um obviously the the state budget proposal is a proposal. Um but if that were to become the adopted state budget that would allow us to continue our current policy. Uh it does not allow us in the immediate term to start moving through the the voucher weight list which you mentioned um in your opening. Uh but we will continue to look across HR, New York City public schools and ACS to see when that might be possible in the future. So, this would allow us to make sure that those with vouchers um that are in prior federally uh mandated priority categories, which is the vast majority of families that we serve would be able to continue receiving those vouchers so long as they resertify on time and remain eligible. >> How much will be needed to get the um the weight list cleared? >> We don't have an exact projection for that. It depends on a few things. Um so the children on the wait list may be and and we know many are served by other um programs. So they can be served through DOE's seats obviously zero through 5year-olds. They also can be served with DYCD after school seats. So we don't have an exact understanding of what takeup would be. So it's difficult for us to know exactly what it would cost. The other thing is as you would expect the weight list grows on a regular basis. So it's a bit of a moving target and difficult for us to say exactly what resources would be needed there. But don't you think it would be helpful for us to like at least have like scenario one if we needed to do all the kids, scenario two if they were in this and they didn't need this anymore so that we can get an idea because I think it's really hard to advocate being a person who does a lot of the advocating and yelling to not have a number to be able to say exactly what we need and need and able to move forward. >> Yeah, absolutely. And we can work on that and keep having conversations about what some of those scenarios might look like. >> Yeah, I just think that is so important. And I know it's hard and I'm not trying to dismiss the complexities of people being on the wait list and understanding that most people want the ACS voucher so they're not leaving the weight list so they're like I'll just wait it out and I understand that but I think that it is important for us to have different numbers so like we could have a target and so that when I am talking and when our colleagues are talking and pushing we could at least have a general number to be able to say hey this is what we're looking to get to. So thank you. So, I'll be looking forward to working with you guys to to get that number so we can continue the fight. Um, given Oh, and I see that we have council member Gutierrez who also joined us, so I'm sure she'll have questions about childcare vouchers as well. Given the mayor's recent announcement that a chief saving officer is will be appointed to each mayor agency to identify city funding savings of um 1.5% in fiscal 2026 and 2.5% in 2027. I'm very concerned that the potential impact on ACS services for New York City children and families. Are any programs or aspects of ACS budget such as frontline childcare welfare workers um exempt from this requirement? If so, which ones? Um could you share the programs and services um many that um we see reduced that will be received reducing funding and saving exercises. So I can introduce you to our chief savings officer who's also Margaret Platnikov. >> You have a lot of jobs today. >> Um uh thank you chair. Um so at this point as you know um as you mentioned 1.5% in FY26 2.5% in FY27 and out and those are CTL targets which we are revenueheavy agencies so we generally have to cut more in order to get to the CTL target. So we were tasked with finding recurring savings through efficiencies, program consolidation and insourcing and um to look at eliminating and sunsetting programs. At this point I can't share any specific details with you but I can say that you know we are um looking at opportunities to generate additional revenue. We are looking at um performance indicators utilization and um we really want to ensure that um we have them the a minimal impact to services. While closing the fiscal 2027 budget gap remains urgent, um, and ACS has ACS identified any long-term changes that would generate savings or great greater efficiencies? >> Um, certainly we are we are looking at it at this point. Um, this is due Friday as you may know. So after that point when it's finalized, we'll be able to share more details. Um, we're glad to hear about the end of the 2:1 hiring policy, but this was concerning to hear that the agency will only be permitted to fill half of their current vacancies. Will ACS be requiring to eliminate any of its vacancies? If so, how many and which types of positions? >> We very much share your concern and at this point I can't share any details, but we're working with OM closely to figure out um what this is going to look like. >> So, I should just call you Monday after you finish your plan. Got it. Um, >> huh. >> You know how to find You know how to find us. >> Oh, I'm aware. Um, um, at this time I'm going to turn it over to my colleagues so I know who have a number of questions. Council member Kaban, I'll come back for a second round. >> Thank you. Thanks for being here, everybody. Uh, I'm going to start with a couple of questions related to mental health services. Um, what mental health services does ACS offer to youth transitioning out of foster care in particular? And then of those are are any of those services contracted out and which ones if so? >> Thank you for that important question. I'm going to start by passing that over to Ena Mendes. >> Hi, good morning. So when children are in foster care as they are approaching transitioning out, they usually go on a period of what we call trial discharge. So whether they're reunified with their parents or let's say they're transitioning out out on their own into independence and that provides the agency an opportunity to support the family during this this period. We have discharge grants. We have various things. So a lot of the service plan that was in place prior to child discharge continues. So that would be um so regarding mental health services agencies may use their own internal clinic or they may be using you know community- based mental health providers. All children once they leave foster care have Medicaid or child family plus. So a lot of those services can continue and they can continue to leverage their Medicaid to um provide the mental health services. We ACS ourselves do not contract let's say with mental health providers. The agencies um are charged with that responsibility and they make sure and then when the children go to final discharge that's when the case would um close. For older kids, we have fair futures and they are entitled to a coach and the coach can then also secure um services for them. >> So I I want to ask about specific uh budget lines and then about gap. So for the the services that you just mentioned, what's the current budget for those services in in FY26, the projected in FY27 and does ACS have a dedicated personnel services budget line for mental health services particularly for that that transition? Um, yeah, >> I think we would need to first do some analysis, but I think it's cooked into the rates that we pay our providers and in addition the providers claim to Medicaid and we wouldn't have that information. >> Okay. Can you talk a little bit about um just any gaps you you can identify where you could use support or partnership with us and making sure that every single you know young person in foster care is accessing mental health services. Our providers are very focused on that. And in addition to support through the family permanency, they can also get services through prevention families after discharge. I think that broader than ACS, there is just insufficient children's mental health services. And so in some ways the children we're working with have >> increased likelihood of access because they're connected to providers who are providing these services. >> Okay. So it would be fair to say that overall right um there is we're not meeting the the need our capacity is not meeting the need of young people across the city in terms of access to like a really strong stable continuum of care for mental health care. there is some increased access through agency in involvement and engagement through ACS. Fair to say >> is that >> I think so. I think a big part of it is really about state support um for mental health services. >> Okay. I just wanted to add one thing should have shared when children when the even when the case is closed, children are still eligible to receive mental health clinic if they're getting that from the agency through their 29 eye clinic which is a separate clinic that agencies have and they can do that up to one year. Okay. Um and then I I'm going to shift gears entirely and and ask about the detention facilities. Uh there have been obviously these reports around the trends in detention facilities showing some improvement um in terms of the recovery rate of illegal substances or or medication um in FY24 to the beginning of FY26. Uh but still right like we have these reports of for example last year an ACS youth development specialist was arrested and charged with smuggling contraband into the youth development um into crossroads. There have been at least five other incidents similar to to this since 2024. So could you talk a little bit about what actions being uh taken to address the flow of contraband into those facilities and uh you know even go into the hiring and training process for youth development specialists and how the the practices may have changed over time to account for this. >> Sure. And part of why you're seeing what you're seeing is because of our increased efforts in this area which deputy commissioner Ginsburg will speak more about. >> Thank you for that question. and we have dedicated tremendous resources to this issue. Um we have increased our um our equipment so that we can detect um contraband before it enters the facility. We um have new scanning equipment at both the front door and at the back door where young people come in from court to which has increased greatly. um our recovery of contraband. We are working closely with DOI um as you referenced um to ensure that we don't have individuals bringing contraband into the facility. Um we also have improved scanning ability um and search ability. We are working very we have increased our relationship and our staffing with the ACS police. We have a specialized search unit um that can extensively search the facility both exterior and interior um to ensure that our the contraband rates stay low. Um we are ve obviously very concerned about this and are doing everything that we can to reduce contraband rates. We are working also with our training unit to ensure that the W the incoming YDS are trained in contraband detection and we do inservice training um booster training for our staff to ensure that those searches are happening with fidelity. >> Thank you. Thank you chair. >> Thank you. Um before I go to the next council member, um I would love for you to talk about the pilot program. Um so the the chair of mental health here uh the new pilot program that you guys have around mental health services that the young people kind of came up with um so she can kind of understand the totality of some of that stuff because I know you didn't mention it but I did want make sure we got that on the record and she heard as well. >> Sure. My apologies. So we um are we have a public private partnership and we're working very closely with um a variety of individuals to pull together what we're calling soul care and soul care is for older youth geared to older youth currently who um recognize the need for some type of mental health support but the traditional therapy maybe they've done that they're not interested in continuing. So, Soul Care um trains the fair future coaches to be the conduit to um connecting young people to alternative types of mental health services. Could be boxing. We have hip-hop therapy. We have um with um Melody Santano, um foster care unplugged, which is like a play type therapy, but play for adults, like you're actually putting on plays and performing movies. There's music therapy. We're working with an organization called Art Pharmacy. So, we're in our pilot stage and we're hopeful that um based on the outcomes of this model, we'll be able to um expand. We have an extension through the end of this calendar year. And so, my hope is that possibly we'll put forward a new need so we can expand this to all of our foster care providers. Yeah, I just wanted to highlight that because that was something that the young people kind of like talked about and I'm I'm real big on making sure that we're highlighting what young people are saying and the needs of them and that was a that was a clear uh reaction of young people saying like formal therapy we've been doing for our entire lives. We want to try something else and ACS of responding to that and listening and being able to um counter that. So, thank you and I just want to get that on record. Um, next um person, council member Joseph, >> we were plotting as usual on behalf of the kids. You know, >> thank you, chair. Good morning, each and every one of you. My first question, I'm going to deviate a little bit. Um, transportation for foster youth, that's something I've been fighting for for a long time. Um, and if you look at the data, doesn't look really good. 55% of our youth in foster care are absent because of transportation once they enter into care. And you know, I know this personally. So, well, how are we going to look at um transportation for foster youth? I know it's a $3 million investment that we've been asking for. How we're how do we plan to address transportation for youth? Um and how closely are you working with the New York City Public Schools office and foster care to make sure that we're alleviating that? So, um, is it still morning? Good morning, um, Council Member Joseph. >> Uhhuh. Yes, ma'am. >> So, yes. So, >> we we do work very closely with the New York City Foster Care Office. In 2022, early 2023, we launched um a foster care transportation reimbursement agreement, which we did not have in place before. And that outlines how foster care providers can be reimbured for the transportation. And it allows for trips up to 10 days. And the hope is that within that period, up to $200, and the idea is that within 10 days, children will be assigned to a bus route, but that does not always >> that doesn't happen, >> right? And so we are now having additional conversations. So, our finance team, we've talked internally. We actually have a meeting with New York City public schools this Friday to figure out how best to kind of expand this transportation agreement. There are some challenges what they've shared. So, through our conversations with them that, you know, there are these placements and where the school is, there's not a clear bus route. And so, how do we solve that? Because we want the children to get um to school. Obviously, we're pri prioritizing placing with kin. So maybe the kin live in a different burrow but we want the kids to go to the school of origin. So there are some nuances. So we have a meeting this Friday. Um there was a meeting that um the past Friday I missed the meeting with the advocates. So we are talking to our stakeholders and partnering with New York City public schools. And then we're talking internally how to identify a the logistics around what is the service. Is it a ride share? Is it some type of agreement with maybe another type of bus company that can provide it? and then we'll just try to identify next steps. So, we we're aware of the issue. We're just trying to peacemeal it out and figure out how to best tackle. >> It's been an issue since I was a foster mom. I it's been an issue since I adopted my boys. So, it's been an ongoing issue and even when I became a council member, it was and that was why it was so strategic to create that office to make sure that we are providing transportation for our foster foster youth, right? Not everybody's going to be a means like, "Nope, we're going to go to the same you're going to go to the same school that I was teaching at." So you don't have a transportation issue, but not every parent has that. So we want to make sure that and the the data for our foster youth and absenteeism rate is too high. It's 55%. We need to bring that down in terms of transportation in the first 10 days when they are placed in care. They should not be home or somewhere else. So this is um lived experience, not speaking from third party. This is lived experience. So my first question is around child center staff and support service new needs. Your preliminary plan includes an additional three million for Mi for mixed city, state, federal funding in fiscal 2026, four million in the fiscal 2027, growing to 4.2 million by fiscal 2020 2030 for staff support services at the child center. Additionally, the funding supports 13 new baseline positions. Can you tell me what programs or services does this relate to? >> Thank you for this important question. First, Deputy Commissioner Saunders will take it. Good morning, Chair Stevens. Good morning, Council Member Joseph. Thank you so much for that question. Um, it is of critical importance to us to provide top quality and care for our young people at the Children's Center. With that being said, the investments that you spoke of really focus on strengthening our med medical, mental health support, our operational capacity and safety and security of the center. Um, a large portion of that is focused on chaperones just like you mentioned earlier around transportation. We take very seriously that we want to make sure that kids maintain their community ties. So regardless of what school that child went to or goes to, we take that child to their community school. So we are ensuring that we have enough chaperones to uh maintain those community ties at school, but also medical appointments, also recreational visits, also visits and court. So a lot of that is baked into that. Um with that being said, we also have money that is focused on our medical consultation. Um we want our nurses and we also have um mental health supports. Right now we have uh four psych four child psychologists, two psychiatrists and we want an additional mental health enhancement there as well. >> Um so why is the additional funding required and how what was the amount? Have you do you have a number? The amount determined for this >> the the additional amount is 4.2 million. >> 4.2. Thank you. And what operational costs will this funding cover? What portion of them relate to the contracted providers? >> So for the children at the children's center, they're not yet with one of the contracted providers. Um so this is funding for for the most part for our team. It also does go to Belleview. um for the mental health and the chaperones are contracted out. >> It's contracted out. >> This is specifically for the children who reside at the children's center. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> We needed that on the record. Um so what positions are being added and what what would that responsibility look like? >> Okay. So I have the actual list. So, we have um one behavioral health position, which I spoke of earlier, one deputy director of intake, and we have se um 11 for peace officers. >> Okay. And what positions currently staff at the children's center now? >> Oh, well, that's a long list. >> That's a long list. You'll get back to us. >> No, no, I I I know them. >> You you know them? >> I do know them. >> Um so, um we have nurses. We have um the doctors that I spoke of that are part of the mental health team from Belleview. We have uh child care staff. We have childare supervisors. We have social workers. We have um a team of uh programming specialists who really focus on the reduction of idle time and supporting young people and engaging them in positive activities. Um we also have uh temps that assist us with uh supervision onsite and the chaperoning as we spoke of earlier. Uh we also have a transportation team and we also have peace officers and I think I covered most. Well, thank you. That is um now I'm going to head over to our justice uh juvenile justice staff and support service new need. We had we held a hearing not too long ago. Matter of fact, two hearings I think council member Steven Chair Stevens, we held two hearings around justice involve youth. How is it looking now? Um I know it's overcrowded. Our our plan is to bring down the population. How many of our students are now receiving full classes and getting their full services? >> So, Deputy Commissioner Ginsburg, do you want to talk a little bit about education? So we've set up a split a split schedule for the young people so that um the high school students go in the morning and GED students receive their services between 3 and six so that we could increase the number of young people accessing services. Generally the GED students if they are willing to attend that day are going. We're seeing uh very good uh retention rates for GED students. Um about 80% of the high school students are attending. Um we have a number of supports that we have put into place to support these students. So we have tutoring um that is provided by our um partners uh providing workforce um development. They also provide tutoring services. We have recently started an algebra tutoring service because it is an area that our young people historically have struggled with >> across the city. >> Across the city. Correct. >> Across the city. Um so we are hoping that we see um increased pass rates on the regions due to this intervention. The kids are very excited about it and they have been attending um the attending rates are very good for that tutoring. Um we also have um working very very closely with our passages um academy partners from New York City public schools. They have increased literacy supports. Um they are running Saturday school now for young people to receive their related services. Um increased literacy services. Um and regions prep. >> That was going to be my next question. Our students with IEP, that was one of the population that was not getting none of their services when we when when we had this hearing here. So, I just wanted to hear our students with IEPs, how are they getting their related services or their makeup times for our students with IEPs. So um district 79 has worked very hard to identify um staff outside of passages academy and they come in there's a separate set of teachers and providers that come in on Saturdays and the young people who have related services receive those related services other than counseling which they receive during the week from passages academy staff. So if they have speech or um any other type of uh related service that is not provided during the week by passages, this additional team is providing those services on Saturdays. >> I know our chair will make a visit soon. So um in the >> before you move on, could I just go back to your last question on foster youth? We have um the attendance rates for youth in foster care age 5 to 10 at 91% and 11 to 15 at 86%. I just wanted to clarify. >> I was specifically talking about young people that did not have transportation. >> That's the data. If you pull it up, we can see it black and white. >> Got it. Okay. Thank you. >> That's the youth I was referring to in terms of transportation. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um the preliminary plan includes an additional 4.6 6 million in city funding and 33 positions in fiscal 2026 and a baseline addition of 8.1 million along with 40 positions starting in fiscal 2027 for our juvenile justice staff and support services. What programs or services does is this related to >> I'll start and then um deputy commissioner Ginsburg can add. Um part of the staff is seven additional staff for the new exercise pavilion which will be open and we're very excited about but it's three levels. also needs additional staff. Um, and the rest is for additional security staff for both facilities. >> Um, your additional funding requires what's the amount determined for your additional? Is it the 4.6 million or the 8.1 million? Which one? >> 8.1. >> Thank you. What operational cost will the funding c um cover? What portion of them is related to the contract providers? So most of detention again is d similar to the children's center operated directly by ACS although we do contract out for example for programming the barbers contract out so that's included in the funding know if you want to add >> okay and what positions are being added um to this and what are the what are their main responsibilities >> it's mostly security and the exercise pavilion Um, do you want to talk more? >> There's there's some increase for cleaning >> and what's the timeline titles? >> Go ahead. >> Um, it's 16 special officers for one facility, 16 special officers and one sergeant special officer. >> And what's the timeline for hiring for these new positions? >> As soon as we can. >> What is that? >> We'll be working on that as soon as we can. and we'll you'll let the committee know. Thank you. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you, Council Member Joseph. Council member Gutierrez. >> Thank you, Chair. Um I also just want to lend my support to um Chair Joseph on her advocacy for the transportation of foster youth. She's a wonderful advocate, is constantly reminding the council um to really uplift that. So, I know um you'll be hearing from some advocates today that also agree with that and I just want to um make sure that I support her and uplift that. Um I have some questions related to um the vouchers and I know you touched on in your testimony and so did Chair Stevens, but I just want to make sure um that we didn't cover it. Were you have were you able today this morning to share the amount of children that are currently on the wait list? >> Sure. It's approximately 17,000, but Deputy Commissioner Wrimer is going to take your childare voucher questions. >> Excellent. Thank you. Okay. So, around 17,000. Um, how many child care vouchers has ACS administered to new clients on cash assistance since the reintroduction of work requirements? >> ACS doesn't administer cash assistance to families on or doesn't administer childare assistance to families on cash assistance. Um, HR does that. So, they would have those numbers. >> So, you don't have those numbers? >> No. Okay. I have the current number of children enrolled um that are on cash um and using child care assistance, but I don't have the numbers based on the work requirements. >> Um as of the end of January, there were about 29,000 children enrolled in cash assistant or in childcare assistance that are on cash. >> Okay. Vouchers with cash. Okay. And are you able to those are the numbers from uh January? You said >> end of January. >> End of January. Okay. Have you seen the growth? Have you seen the the rate grow month-to-month? >> There has been modest growth monthtomonth. Um H is still projecting and of course they will be able to tell you more what's behind their projections, but still projecting over the next months a steeper growth curve. Um but end of January was about 29,000 children and that is up from about 27,000 um for example last April. >> Wow. Okay. >> So slow growth. >> Okay. And do you do you think that those numbers pair up with what ACS may be projected? >> H does those projections and we are in close communication with them every month about what those look like. Um but we don't hold those projections. >> Okay. Do you does and I I think let me just ask it so that I have it on record. Does ACS I know you're in communication with H. Can you share um any projection of uh the the child care vouchers um the projection of number of new clash assistance clients that will provide child care vouchers by the time work requirements are fully reintroduced by this time next year? >> I think they'd have to give those most recent projections. Um the last time we spoke with them though they do expect it to rise significantly so tens of thousands more children. Um but they should weigh in on the exact projection and okay rate of increase that they expect. >> Can you share what the breakdown of the ages are for um children on the wait list? The 17,000 or so. >> I don't have that with me but we can certainly share that. >> Okay. And do you have a sense of whether or not some of these children may or may not still need the vouchers? >> We know that um many children on the wait list are getting care from DOE or DYCD after school programs. We don't have perfect information on all of that. Um the way that the child care assistance program works is that if a family applies, they have an opportunity to seek a voucher or to be enrolled in contracted care. So it is it may be and is the case that many children that have applied with the intention of being in a DOE contracted seat are in one of those seats. However, those children remain on the wait list so that if a parent if we reach them on the wait list at a future moment and that parent wants to select a voucher, they can. >> Okay. And do you when was um when did when did basically you stop allowing or granting vouchers to families on the wait list? We um we were providing vouchers to any child or any child of a family that applied and was found eligible up through May 5th >> of last year >> of last year. So up till that point there was no weight list at all. At that point in time given where we were on the budget and where the budget landed in the state process um we began the weight list at that time which has now grown to about 17,000 children. Um and um and we implemented a policy to reertify the vast majority of families that are currently receiving vouchers. So we really are prioritizing right now continuity of care given what are >> um and understand the challenges. Um what do you have a sense of what your projection would be to end the weight list? >> We we don't um for a for a couple of reasons. As we just talked about, we don't know exactly what take up would be as we started to move through the weight list because some families have their children in other arrangements and may decide at that point that a voucher is not necessary. >> But you're not aware of familyto family on that 17,000 who those families are. >> We know some that are enrolled in DOE care, but we don't know um the universe or totality of arrangements that families have made. >> But are are you all working to kind of figure that out in communication with families? like what is the way to basically like update this waiting list so that you have a sense of >> we families wait >> they're going to work with us to get us a list of different scenarios that they promised that they're going to work with us to do different scenarios for a ones who have different ones whether they're in the child care um and things like that so >> we will work on what projections of different take up from the weight list would be what I will say though is that families have a right to remain on the weight list so we would never remove someone from the weight list just because they No, no, I'm not implying that. I just want to make sure I I I think there are families on that wait list that are like have not been communicated or not even sure like kind of where they are on that weight list. So, I just I want to understand the communication with families once they are made aware that they're on a wait list. I understand you guys are trying to figure out, you know, it's possible they are not eligible for a ECE seat. Um I just want to understand how that communication is with a family who is on the wait list. How often is it? How are you emailing, calling, texting? >> We're emailing. Um we have been emailing and mailing about opportunities to enroll in 3K prek. We did that very recently with um 3K prek enrollments in that cycle closing um and about DYCD openings for after school and so we are doing that on a regular rhythm. >> Sure. I just have one more question. >> Thank you. Um and um at the subcommittee for early childhood committee meeting I think earlier this month we got from both the DOE's um early childhood division and the office for childcare that there is you know consistent communication with ACS with DO with do um where it's multiple times a week. Can you can you just share with me um I guess how that communication is then being shared to families like is does ACS take a role um in communicating these like child care updates um with families? How does that look like? Is it just a text? I want to make sure we're not missing folks. I know the administration did a ton of outreach, link kiosks, radio, social media, all that stuff. Just kind of what is the role that ACS plays in that? Yeah, I mean we do push out communication to families. Um, some of our mechanisms are imperfect because we don't have phone numbers for everyone. We don't have emails for everyone. That is really up to whether or not parents have provided that through their application process. Um, but to the extent that we do have that information, we are pushing out information and if not, unfortunately, it's old school mailing, but we are trying to reach them in that way. Um, the other thing I'll say is that we are working, we worked over the past year with funding from the Robin Hood Foundation, with a few community- based organizations to be supporting families um, in connecting to care. Um, and now that we are in a little bit of a different policy place, we are working with community- based organizations in the Bronx and then potentially expanding um, to be working with families that are reertifying for care. And so in that way, we are testing ways to get much closer to families. So using credible CBOS that have relationship already with families to either help them reertify with ACS and make sure that they are not falling away as you're mentioning and if they no longer remain eligible for ACS care to try and connect them somewhere else in the system. And then my my last question on that is there a role that ACS plays in engaging with families in shelters to assess their eligibility? I know that the administration at my hearing had said there's a lot of you know they took responsibility there's a lot more work to be done there. So just curious um does is AC ACS involved in that like targeted outreach to families? >> When we were able um when we when we didn't have a wait list, we were working with um DHS to train staff on childcare eligibility. Now that families would be applying to get on the wait list. We are less proactively asking families to apply for care because we don't want them to apply for a voucher and then be waiting. Um, so, so we have stepped back from that role a little bit and are more focused on making sure that families receiving care are reertifying, >> but there are scenarios where there's families in shelters that may qualify and not need to be on cash assistance. Correct. >> No. >> Okay. They're all in need of the cash assistance. >> So, a family um that is currently receiving a voucher resertifies as unhoused would absolutely remain eligible in receiving their voucher, but a family applying new would not be able to. They would be on the wait list. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much. And this is great. Send it over digitally so we can we can promote. Thank you guys. Thank you. >> We will do that. Thank you. They just got released in the last week or so. >> I mean, this is a cute baby. You guys you guys did it. >> Our marketing team will be very proud. >> Council member Felder. >> Yeah. Good morning and uh thank you for listening to the questions. you've been thanking us uh and telling us that it was a good question. So far, all of the questions we've asked have been good questions. >> This is going to be a big test then for your question. >> No, it doesn't matter. I don't want to take any chances. So, I'm so thank you for the thank you in advance. >> You're welcome. >> Yeah. I I have a slew of questions that are in no order whatsoever. So I I'm sorry I can't, you know, give give you the bunch and and wait for an answer. So question number one in terms of the cases you you know I would say that more than half of the testimony were related to foster you know care. So a at this point in family court those cases when when does family court close? >> I believe it's 5:00 p.m. >> Yeah, I believe so also. I believe so also. So, I I know it's not your responsibility, but but I just want to tell you that I've been uh advocating together with many of my colleagues I if somebody gets arrested, they will be processed till 12 a.m. Yeah. I'm I'm just that I know that >> on the juvenile side, too. Right. >> Yeah. Yeah. That No, >> for juveniles, too. Yeah. >> Right. the I the point that I'm trying to make is that if if in criminal court they're open till midnight and in family court you have and again this is not a case uh this is an easy one you know it's not your responsibility I'm just suggesting that since you've advocate for so many other things you've talked about. So I would ask you to advocate for one more thing which is that families that come into the to family court after 5:00 that's the end of it. And anyone here knows that uh if you want to, for example, when I'm in the mood to do work, you get the most work done a you know on a Sunday morning when there's not no calls coming in or after 5, you know, you know, when there's nothing going on. So, so not only is it not open after five, you know, so uh and we've done research and there are many there are many employees whether it's judges, whether it's other employees that are necessary that would be very interested in the flex time. you know, it would allow uh many of them to have another job easily instead of having to, you know, take a job at night, an extra job, they would be a working. So, I'm just asking you to advocate for that because it seems unconscionable that a family, you know, that's waiting around waiting around has to wait around another day to get help. I'm not looking for an answer. I say we could take that back back. We can take back that um suggestion. >> We operate 247 and I know that there are a lot of challenges in the you know late shift and operating our child protection, the children centered detention, but we can take that back and look at it. >> Yeah, I thought you would just say that's a good question. Uh and and we will very good question and we will advocate for that. But I this is a story of my life. I was never a good student. So it doesn't matter to me. I know it's a good thing, but take it back. And uh I and please, whoever it is, if it's not your responsibility, I'd appreciate knowing who it is so that I can drive them nuts. Okay. Second thing I wanted to ask you about is is you mentioned the vocational program and again this is an easy one. uh the the I'm just mentioning, you know, again to to to perhaps advocate to your peers in, you know, education. The the New York City public school system used to have a significant vocational program option. They still give, you know, uh tests and they, you know, they Okay. Yeah. Uh, they still should I shut up? >> No. No, you can go. You're doing very good. Go ahead. Yeah. Yes. Very well. Yeah. So, you have to give me extra time for the jokes. >> I got you. I got you. >> Yeah. That doesn't count. the the the point being is that uh the the the city's public school system has very very few options and they can give the same students the tests over and over and over. They're just never going to do well. I know personally from experience the a student named Simha Felder that was in the principal's office when I was lucky and not thrown out all the time. And if I had had that opportunity, I would have done extraordinarily well. you know, I even though my wife says that I don't know what I'm doing, but I know that uh you know, it's just obvious. It's very obvious. No answer necessary. It's a good point and you'll take it back to whoever it is and let me know who it is. That's all. >> I will say I feel like you've done very well for yourself as both a council member and a former senator. I I don't know about that. I It mean all it means is that I really, you know, fooled a lot of people. That's all. Yeah. So that that that's question number two. Question number three is I or point number three, this does have to do with uh something you mentioned about Rikers uh and the numbers. So I just would tell you is that my background for the first 10 years is that I'm a CPA even though I never like doing it but that that's something I was able to do. The the numbers you know you can fix numbers any way you want or at least I can fix numbers any way you want me to. Right. The numbers are really the the reduction that you talk about. I'm I'm certainly not suggesting that anyone is intentionally trying to fix the numbers. All I would say to you is that that whether it's fortunate or unfortunate when when I speak to the precincts that are within my, you know, my district and I talk about different issues. A lot of the the arrests or other things that normally for years would wind up in Rikers are just not happening for for quite some time. So I'm not suggesting that that it's not. So all I'm suggesting is that unfortunately or unfortunately there are many uh you know kids out that are really doing things that maybe that would wind them up in Rikers and it just it's just not uh you know the arrests aren't being making aren't being made. Uh you you don't have to comment on that because there's no way you can and and All comment. I'll just say that if that's the case, then that's a failure on our part for not having preventive services and preventing them from being arrested. It's all comment. >> Oh, okay. So, if you can take that back to whoever you have to uh Yeah, I think that's >> support preventive services. >> Yeah. No, I mean that's that's what they said. I mean, that's what the cops are saying, you know, in the precincts. I'm not I'm not suggesting that uh you know that that it's I'm not suggesting that the numbers are entirely false. All I'm saying is that uh unfortunately or fortunately that's part of it. And then uh and th then the final uh finally uh I just wanted to say is that when you talked originally you talked about the making sure one of the first things about the safety uh you know with uh window guards all of the all of those things and educating them whatever else I it's a wonderful thing to educate people but very I would say on the whole and again from personal experience I'm talking about Simelder you can educate me all day long I probably will not do what you want me to do unless I have to so a and today it seems to me that almost everybody has a smartphone or access to one and I don't think it would be an a difficult thing, you know, in the reertification for someone to have to if do you have are there windows in your apartment, which probably is true. If so, please attach a photo of the windows with the window guards that uh you know, if you if you want to make sure and and I agree that the safety is critical. All I'm suggesting is that sometimes that's the only way you will get what you want to get. And and it is critical because almost every year we we unfortunately, you know, h have cases of somebody getting hurt. >> I hear you. It is incredibly important that people know to have window guards and how to get window guards. At the same time, we've had a lot of feedback about the child care application already being challenging. I don't think combining the two is necessarily the way to ensure people are able to ch to apply for child care timely and that they have window guards. But your idea of ensuring that when you have a parent somewhere and they're listening to you that that's the time to make sure they know how to do these things or how to access them. I think that's really important and we can, you know, I think, you know, Deputy Commissioner Wilmer has a team focused on that and it's definitely important to us. >> All right. Well, that means the last one was not a good point without you saying it. Well, >> and finally, I just want to >> finally Okay, done. Okay. >> Yeah. I wanted to compliment you. >> Oh, well, thank you. Well, go ahead. I'll let you keep going with that. >> Yeah. I mean I I I the first thing I wanted to say is that that it's a really uh as I'm speaking for myself. If I would not be here with this morning, I would not be concerned in any way about the council, you know, taking care of making sure to protect children in the city because the chair of this committee I is someone that does not let anything go by that she is, you know, is determined to make sure is taken care of except that they have to first of all on the stationary it doesn't look good if there I don't have any committees so they have pity and they you know they put some committee put me on some committees I'm just saying to you that I have no question that so I'm humbled to be able to be on this chair committee and then sec finally I just wanted to say is that we I think we unders we I want to thank you for all the work you do in other words. You come to a hearing and all you hear forget about I'm not thanking you for the questions especially with your criticism of my last point but but but all I wanted to say clearly is that I I think that you you understand that we appreciate even those people that are going to come and testify later viferously upset and angered by something that you're doing wrong And you might, by the way, be doing something wrong. You might, but but there's no question that everyone appreciates the work that you're doing. And uh you know, so but that's the nature of why you're here. and and and even even as a council member, an elected official, it's very rare, very rare that somebody calls or writes and says, "Thank you very much. You did a great job." The only thing that I usually get is, "I gave you this case in November and you still didn't do anything with it." And usually, thank God, very often I say, "Who did you give it to?" you know, uh, and and, uh, I'll just say it wasn't me, that's all, you know. >> Well, thank you. And, uh, be be sure to tune in for Council Member Felder's second set at 12:00. Um, um, but he he's he's a great addition to the the committee. So, thank you for being here. Um, I would like to take a moment to shout out Millennium High School, who is here with us here looking at government in action. I'm happy you got to hear some of the jokes from Council Member Felder. I love that we're clapping the kids. You know, I'm not supposed to clap your hand here, but I'm here for it. I know. I don't I don't like any of the rules. I'll be like, clap it up. All right. So, I have just a couple more questions before we will be wrapping up because we have DYCD coming in at 12. Um, so the question is around the indirect costs. Um, the preliminary plan included a $10.4 $.4 million in city funding which baseline beginning in fiscal 2026 for the indirect cost rate for human service contracts. Why was additional funding required? How was this amount determined and does ACS anticipate additional funding to be added to the outy years? >> Um thank you for the question chair. Um so we added 10.4 4 million and this was actually to replace um some one-time American Rescue Plan Act funding ARPA that had ran out as of 20 uh FY25 and so this funding supports indirect cost rates for human service contracts above the 10% dimminimous rate. >> Okay. The prelim the preliminary plan included a reduction of 1.5 million in city funding in fiscal 2026, a 2.4 4 million baseline reduction beginning in 2027 for cola payments for ACS contracted providers. >> Sure, I'll take that as well. So, this represents a reduction of um 2.4 million baseline, 1.6 in FY26. This was just a technical adjustment. Um we were overfunded with CTL. So, it's a reduction of our CTL COLA and um this funding is being shifted to DYCD to cover part of their COLA CTL shortfall. Okay, my questions are out of whack now. Um, I had a question regarding um the raise the age and around the hardship. Um, do you guys have an understanding or def working definition of what the hardship requires um for the city to be in in order to apply for it? And do you have an understanding on why we haven't applied for it in the past? We don't know what would technically constitute hardship. I know there have been concerns raised in the past about how it would impact the city's like budget rating to say we're in financial hardship. Um I don't know if that's still the case. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um we did ask that so that's where I was at I couldn't remember. Okay. The juvenile justice um PMMR matrix. What total admissions for detention decrease during the PMMR reporting? The average daily population in detention increased. This is due to a larger average length of stay for detention. ACS reports that many detainees youth in their care have complex or serious um cases requiring extended um detention. Um, how is ACS meeting the need of the population for the complex cases and longer stays in detention and what challenges and have the complexities of these many um of these youth cases persisted for the agency? >> Deputy Commissioner Ginsburg can share more. >> So, I'm gonna try to answer what I think you asked. Um because of um the increase in gun violence in the communities, many many of our young people are in our custody related to offenses that are related to gun violence. Um we are in conversation with each youth part judge. Um we are also in conversation with the leadership of OCA. Um and OCA has dedicated increased resources to support the youth part judges. Um we have a law library service that is available for our young people. um provided through Youth Justice Network um that speaks to the young people, identifies their concerns, either raises those concerns to case management or to division leadership and um and may reach out to the young people's attorneys. Um, we are also in direct contact um through our case management unit and through division leadership to the attorneys and to the um institutional providers and the 18B panel leadership to ensure that attorneys are speaking with their young people, they're visiting um sharing discovery um and are staying on track with the cases so that cases don't last any longer than they need to. >> My other question is, could you talk a little bit about the coordination between you and DOP, especially when young people for um because I know they're the ones who can do like supervised release and things like that. How are you guys working with them also to make sure that those things are also being utilized? So 99% of the young people in secure detention are facing charges in the adult system. And so um DOP is less of a less involved in those cases the way the system is structured. Um, we are coordinating with the New York City Sheriff because they administer the electronic monitoring program and many of our young people have been released on electronic monitoring and are also attached to community-based uh ATD or ATI programs that are ordered by the youth part judges. Um, we we we do work with DOP on the family court side, but the young people who are being prosecuted in the family court for the most part are in non-secure detention. >> And so we um have had initial conversations with the new um the new commissioner and we're looking forward to working with the new administration. what challenges um have long these longer length of stays and detention since presented the agency and how does ACS um ultimately reduce the population of detention um and how and I guess for me when we're talking about reducing how are we looking at this from like multi- agency um working together because obviously you can't do it alone and and what agencies will you be working together with to really continue with the plan I mean we all know that I've been yelling about this decarceration plan so I guess maybe talk about some of that stuff in that work around like how do we get these numbers down? >> Well, we've we've had initial conversations with the new administration at New York City public schools to identify whether or not there are increased services that can be put into place in the communities for the young people who are released um into the community. Many of the young people, our long-state young people are um heading to state sentences and we have been working both with OCFS and um Sunni OHP to ensure that our young people can continue the programming that they started with us. Um, OCFS has supported um transporting transferring uh the young people who are sentenced uh quicker than they were when we first came in so we don't have young people languishing between their sentence date and their transfer to OCFS facilities. Um we we really can't control our front door. Um uh but we are working very hard to increase services in the communities and have been working talking extensively with community partners about how to increase services um for young people in the community. We're also looking at our close to home um continuum to see what services are necessary to um put into place for those young people so that they can reintegrate into the communities successfully. >> You know, definitely and and by any means this isn't just on ECS. I think this is that's why I said a multi- agency thing where we need to be talking about how are we all working together to get them down and that's from DYCD to DOE to DOP. we all need to be working together to like really think about how do we not get them to get there, right? And so you guys are only in charge of housing them once they've done some things. And so, you know, by by all means, this is everyone's all hands on deck. Um, I just have a couple more questions. Um, ACS administered a need-based child care vouchers to approximately 109 109,000 children ages 0 to 13 and up from the ages of 19 for those with special needs. This is a vital service and one very important to the council. In January 2025, the Trump administration moved to freeze the child care and development block grant in several states including Minnesota and New York. New York Attorney General Leticia James sub substantially secured a temporary restraining order blocking the implementation of the funding freeze. Given that ACS heavily relies on the federal um child care and development block grant to provide its childcare vouchers, what steps is the agency taking to respond to those um federal threats? And how does ACS ACS be how how would ACS be affected and should the federal government freeze on the child care development block grants for New York to take hold? Well, first I'll just say this gives us an opportunity to publicly thank the attorney general, Tish James, which we have not had the chance to do, but um on this and many other issues, she's been an incredible partner and ally. Um and so thank you, Tish, wherever you are today for doing this for us. Um but you are correct that did happen. Um at this time there's no impact thanks to the attorney general and the court. But are we taking any steps to think about how we plan if if something like that did happen? Um have you guys I mean obviously because it didn't happen, we were escaped, but it can happen again at any moment, >> right? It happened to five Democratic states um that appear to have been targeted by the administration by the federal administration. Um it's a substantial amount of federal funding. Um I I you know I don't I don't know what we It would be a It would be a real problem. >> Can you talk about what that problem would be a little bit >> a lot of money? >> Yeah. I mean I don't think we can say exactly as you know we don't receive federal funding directly. It goes to the state. The state is leading the lawsuit in conjunction with the other states impacted. Um so so we don't have an exact answer to >> about how approximately how much would it how much of your budget would it be that would be devastated by this. >> It depends a bit on the year how much of the funding we receive is federal versus state. But Margaret I don't know if you is that is that the limits of our knowledge? >> Sure. I mean this this year we're projected to um need 1.39 billion in our budget from the feds for our childcare budget. >> So though I want to just to be clear some of that is state funding. So the amount that is federal we are we are a bit blind to given that the state combines them and flows them through to us. >> The city council newly formed subcommittee on child um early childhood education held an oversight hearing on the path of universal child care. At the hearing, the mayor's office of childcare testified on their goals um goals and the vision the the vision related to um universal childcare as one of their coordinated agencies including ACS. Um what does ACS see as part of the part it plays in the path to universal childare? >> Well, I think first and foremost, as you know and mentioned earlier, the child care voucher system that we run is really critical to a lot of low-income families. And so this administration has been committed to that continuity of care that we talked about. In addition, um we are in very close contact with our sister agencies and with the mayor's office of child care to talk about what the universal rollout looks like and how um we can be thinking about one consolidated system that works for families. Um and I think we've got a long way to go to make sure that families are not on their own trying to navigate the different pieces, but that we are really working in conjunction. Yeah, I think that has been my biggest frustration um around this talk around universal child care and we haven't done a real assessment of where we are and then how do we get there to have a unified system and so it's been really frustrating for me um to just kind of not hear that coordination like it seems like it's an afterthought where it's like that's where we should have started um and put us in a better place. So, um I'm happy to hear that that is a plan that is down the line, but it's no way that we should ever be starting from just making an announcement and not doing a full assessment to unify systems and and make it flow a lot better. Um what has ACS been in um has ACS been in coordination with the mayor's office of childcare and how often do you guys meet? Has ACS been in coordination with the department of education? Um yeah, we'll leave it there. >> Yes. Um we're we're in contact and coordination with both. Um we have regular and ongoing scheduled meetings. I meet with the mayor's office of child care bi-weekly, but in de facto I meet with them much more often than that. Um because we are managing issues that are coming up around how all the funding streams work together, how um the system will work together to your point around planning. Um, so I know some providers do this, but does ACS believe some families currently on a wait list may be eligible for DOE um, early childhood education seats and has ACS worked to communicate this at all either to the families or DOE, but I know sometimes some of the providers if they have children that they can move over to seats to free stuff up, they kind of do. And shout out to those providers because we know that's not easy, but I know that they do it because that's what's needed. But is um does ACS do any of that coordination as well? >> Yeah. Um providers are definitely doing it and and that's wonderful. Um yes, we have been reaching out to families on a regular basis to make them aware for younger children up to five that there are DOE seats available. We did a big push as um the 3K prek um enrollment was closing, the ranking was closing. Um we will continue to do that on a regular basis though that families who are on the wait list are aware of where seats are available. um that are on the wait list. Families are aware that there are um vacant afterchool programs as well um where they might find care. Um al additionally I will just reiterate that families that have applied for and received care through um New York City public schools in many cases are on the wait list because again if that child gets older not if the child gets older when the child gets older and ages out for example of an extended day prek seat they may then be seeking a voucher. So so necessarily they are on our wait list so we can make sure that when we reach them they have um the opportunity to have some choice there. Well, thank you. Uh, with that, we I don't have any more questions unless you guys have something else you would like to share with us before you leave. Um, thank you once again and happy Women's History Month and the panel full of ladies. Thank you guys. Um, appreciate you. Um, and we will take a quick recess. Um, and then we'll have DYCD Folks folks if we could take the conversation outside the chambers. Outside the chambers, please take the conversations outside the chambers. Take the conversation outside the chambers. All right, I think I'm ready. >> Republic, you don't need this yet. >> Do they have to do something? I can tell the >> Yeah, I just go. I'm ready to go. >> No, they have to. >> No, they said I'm I'm ready to go. All right great. >> Okay. >> Good afternoon and welcome back to our second half of fiscal 2027 preliminary budget hearing with the department of youth and community development. I am council member Althia Stevens, chair of children and youth. I want to first acknowledge the new ZYCD commissioner, Sandra Esamina. All right, great. That's my new friend, guys. Um, who will be who will be here from um we'll be hearing from today along with um Chief Financial Officer Nividia Bailey and First Deputy Commissioner Alan Chong. DYCD's budget hearing will be followed by the public testimony scheduled for about 2:30. And thank you all for joining us today. This afternoon we will be discussing the department of um the department's preliminary f um f financial plan which includes a budget of 1.6 billion for fiscal 2027. This funding included 68.4 million in personal services to support a headcount of 715 positions. Majority of the budget is compromised of other um other than personnel services at 1.6 6 billion. This fiscal 2027 preliminary budget is 119.4 million greater than the fiscal 2026 adopted budget. The plan includes additional funding for the cost of living funding adjustment human services cola 19.3 million in fiscal 2026, 30 million in fiscal 2027 and 30.6 6 million in an outer years and federal funded grant of 1.5 million in fiscal 2026 for the Brian to support the violent preventions monitor services at Rockers Island. Additionally, including a full restoration of 19.6 million funding for the summer rising program, which we will discuss. This funding will extend the program hours for the middle school students across all school districts. Um words were spoken and voices were heard. The PEG's restorations were the one shot in fiscal 2026 26 preliminary plan and it was painful to go through the process each year. The fiscal 2027 plan has provided baseline funding for summer. However, I do want to talk about the matrix used to determine the baseline funding for the summer rising program and look forward to discussing today. It is essential that summer rising program meets the needs of family and low communities that are dependent on the free summer program. And it's just essential to look more closely at the beacons and cornerstone centers to see how we can include and fund the summer rising services. Everybody knows I'm here to completely revamp summer because I think that they have a lot of challenges. Another area of concern to me is the homeless runaway youth program. Yes, the administration provided baseline funding of 6 million that was included in FY2025 November plans. However, the current bed rate is averaging at 50,000 per bed, which providers are saying is not enough to provide adequate services to the community. They are asking for 70,000 per bed. Additionally, RHY is also operating with a slate of contracts and no rate increases. So, I hope this administration will prioritize this in fiscal 2027 budget so we can meet the needs of the community. The um the council will continue to collaborate on programs for the youth and make funding a priority. The cities should prioritize investments in DYCD programs that provide leadership, social and economic workforce development tools for young people. The youth of today are the are not the future. They are the current. They are the current entrepreneurs and change makers. It is essential that the budget that we adopt this year is transparent, accountable, and reflective to the priorities and interests of council and people we represent. I look forward to an active engagement with the administration over the next few months ahead to ensure that fiscal 2027 adopted budget meets the goal of the council and the people we represent. I would like to recognize the members who are currently here. Um, Council Member Felder and Deputy Speaker, Council Member Williams. Um, and I will turn it over to somebody. Just wait a minute. Okay, that'll be Elizabeth. We will now hear we will now hear testimony from the administration. Before we begin, I will administer the affirmation. Panelists, please raise your right hand. I will read the affirmation once and then call on each of you individually to respond. Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before this committee and to respond honestly to council member questions? >> Thank you. You may begin. >> Wait, we this is where all these people are now because they're going to come up here. >> Please raise your right hand. Yes. Yes. Yes. Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. You may begin. >> Good afternoon, Chair Stevens and members of the Children and Youth Committee. I am Sandra Commissioner Sandre Escamia Davies and I am joined by Chief Financial Officer Nvidita Bailey, First Deputy Commissioner Alan Chang, and other DYCD staff who will be ready to answer your questions. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the department's fiscal year 2027 preliminary budget. I come to this role as a proud social worker with 25 years of experience in human service, most recently as executive vice president of children's aid. My work has focused on supporting youth from cradle through career and college by building cross- sector partnership with schools, community organizations, government, and philanthropy to ensure young people and their families have the resources they need to thrive. What I've learned throughout my career is that youth development and community development are deeply intertwined. The more we invest in young people and help build their skills, knowledge, and resilience, the more they contribute to their communities in innovative ways and emerge as leaders. And to your point, Chair Stevens, ch change makers. And when we build communities that offer resources, stability, and support, we create the conditions that allow young people to thrive. In that way, investment in youth and investment in communities reinforce one another and strengthen the city as a whole. Since assuming this role, I have had the privilege of meeting with staff across the agency, and I have been truly inspired by the dedication and expertise that defines DYCD. The agency has accomplished a great deal for youth, families, and communities across New York City. And as DYCD has grown significantly in number of contracts and programs we manage, our infrastructure has not always expanded at the same pace. Yet staff continue to deliver with commu commitment and ingenuity as we respond to the evolving needs of the city. I am assessing how our infrastructure, staffing, and processes can best support our teams, our providers, and ultimately the young people and communities we serve. building on the strong foundation to reach even greater impact. So to support this work, my assessment focuses on three interconnected areas. First, our operational backbone, including fiscal management procurement contracting legal, and payment systems to better understand how resources move through the agency and how we can support providers better in delivering reliable services. Second, programmatic capacity, examining the structures, resources, and guidance within divisions to identify strengths and areas where additional support could strengthen program delivery. And the third, performance and evaluation, assessing how DYCD tracks outcomes and measures impact so that public investment achieve their intended results and inform continuous improvement. In parallel, I am conducting listening tours with providers to gather their perspective. These conversations focus on two areas. Operational insights into how procurement, contracting, and payments affect ability to develop to deliver services, and programmatic insights into how programs are working on the ground, including innovations and support youth and families in equitable, safe, and effective ways. By strengthening our internal capacity and drawing on the expertise of our provider partners, we can position DYCD to deliver the highest level and advance Mayor Mdani's vision of a more equitable affordable safer and healthier New York City for all New Yorkers. I also see this work as happening in close partnership with colleagues across city government including OM Mox and New York City public schools as well as the department of probation, the department of health, ACS, so that together we can better align our resources and expand our impact in communities that we serve. The preliminary budget demonstrates Mayor's mom Dani's commitment to our work. And despite the city's budget challenges, our preliminary budget does not include any cut to core programming. At the same time, however, we are working with OM and city hall in accordance with executive order 12 to identify savings in the current and outer fiscal years. The budget stands at a 1.6 billion compared to 1.2 billion in fiscal 2026 preliminary budget. 1.5 billion or about 92% is city tax levy funds. 98.1 in federal funds, 18.4 million in state funding and 5.2 in intracity funds. These resources support a wide range of investments across the agency's portfolio. And while not an exhaustive list, I want to highlight several key initiatives that reflect how these funds strengthen services for young people, families, and communities across the city. The first is Compass requests for proposal. DCYCD recently issued the largest afterchool RFP in New York City history for Compass K8 programs and we received $1,488 proposals that we reviewed and evaluated. The fiscal 2027 budget includes $447 million to support this significant expansion. And having come from the nonprofit sector, I know this is welcome news for our providers. This RFP stabilizes contracts and includes increased rates while updating the program model and expanding services for elementary school students. The expansion includes 20,000 additional seats with 5,000 seats opened this past fall, 10,000 planned for fall 2026, and 5,000 more to be allocated for fall 2027. It also strengthens the model by providing additional support for center-based programs, refining personnel roles, including support for youth with disabilities, and a stronger focus on students emotional health and enhancing program content requirements. The next program is summerrising. The summer rising 2026 application portal opened on March 3rd and will close on March 27th. Families are expected to receive enrollment information on April 21st. DYCD and New York City public schools will continue to strengthen and expand summer enrichment opportunities, including field trips and career exploration. Runaway homeless youth bed expansion. We appreciate the support of Chair Stevens and the committee for funding an additional 100 beds for a unhoused young adults. Thank you so much for that. Uh, four sites have opened so far, providing a total of 50 beds. The remaining sites require additional work to receive certification from the state office of children and family services and are expected to open before the end of the fiscal year. This past s Saturday, we completed the annual New York City youth count to collect data on unhoused youth and young adults. These data will help inform the city's planning policies and serve to better meet the needs of young people. Summer youth employment. Mayor Manni officially launched SY program on January 20th, the earliest application in the program's history. In a social media video, the mayor encouraged young people to apply, and the program is currently on pace to receive more applications than last year, once again setting another record. During the February school break, DYCD also hosted SYP week, 5day, week, five burrows tour to promote the program and connect with young people across the city. providers partner with New York City Housing Authority and Cornerstone Community Center using digital vans to help youth complete their applications. Funded at $24 million, SYP will serve more than 100,000 youth this summer. And this year, we're expanding career ready programs to 260 schools, up from 230 schools in 2025, and continuing high school credit and career cutuny reach so more students can earn high school or college credit. And we're prioritizing NICHA residents, youth living in six priority precincts, and young people facing barriers to employment. To strengthen support for young with young youth with disabilities, we recently hosted a rethinking disability panel with the mayor's office of people with disabilities, New York City public schools, and nonprofit partners. And we're providing training and resources to helping providers design more inclusive and recruitment employers. We also are continuing initiatives piloted in previous years, including SYP Pride in partnership with the mayor's office of equity and racial justice and the New York City Commission on Human Rights, which will offer providers and development for participants. Community Resource for Employment and Development Program, also known as CRED, NYC. Last year, DYCD launched the CRED program initiative to expand workforce opportunities across New York City. CRED serves New York New Yorkers ages 18 to 40 who are justice involved from communities disproportionately impacted by crime and violence. The program provides up to 24 weeks of work readiness and occupational skills in high demand sectors along with paid internships, job placements, and wraparound services. Funded at 38.5 million in fiscal 2027, the program is expanding to serve 1,000 participants. Early results are promising with more than 200 industry recognized credentials earned and participants placed in internships and jobs with employers including Michelin recognized restaurants, the MTA, Khan Edison, the Department of Education, and construction and healthcare organizations across the city. CRED has also helped some justice involved participants stabilize their lives avoid deeper involvement in legal systems through workforce engagement and strong provider support. And last but not least, D fatherhood expansion. DYCD increased investment in fatherhood programs to 9 million, doubling the number of participants served each year from 1500 to 3,000. In addition to expanding program slots, the funding allows providers to both serve non-custodial and custodial fathers across broader range of income levels. As part of this expansion, 14 providers were selected for 17 contracts, and the new program began on January 1st, 2026. Thank you again for this opportunity to discuss the fiscal 2027 preliminary budget. We look forward to answering your questions. >> Thank you. So, um I'm going to pass it to um Deputy Speaker Natasha Williams to ask some questions. I know she has to leave shortly. >> Thank you, Chair, and um shout outs to my dad who's joining us today. >> Hi, Dad. How you doing? >> Good. >> Um okay, so the questions that I have are around federal funding. Uh the prelim plan included $1.5 million in federal funding in fiscal 2026 for the burn grant fund. Has there been any change in the amount of federal burn grant funding that supports the services? What is the total funding for this increase? Um, and then I'll just ask you all the questions. The next question is, has DYCD seen any impact on federal funding typically received to support its programs? And the last question is, is any of the federal funding in your budget at risk of being cut? If so, please explain. And I wanted to also thank you as well for attending the youth justice convening that we did. We really appreciated having um your agency there. Really strengthen the conversation because you all are the experts. So thank you so much. Good morning. >> Hi. Nice to see you. So I'll um kind of go through a number of your questions and then you can do any follow-ups if need be. And so for the burn grant, the burn grant there's no new funding. essentially is a rollover from prior years. Um it's a three-year grant and so they were unable to spend it down and so in FY26 is being rolled over and the services there pro um support services in RERS's island and so that is the burn grant um and it's the last year of that grant and then the second piece regarding federal grant um we are really grateful that the city of New York um invest so much money in youth and communities and so our budget as a result um is over 90% tax levy. We have a small federal um part in our budget. So, um, for our federal budget, we haven't received any reductions or any notifications of any reductions. And so, at this time, we don't anticipate any impact to our services. >> Thank you. No other questions. >> All right, let's get into it. Those are all the questions. It's a lot. Told you I hope you're ready. DY city's fiscal 2027 preliminary budget is 1.63 billion, which is 85.4 4 million or 5% more than the fiscal 2026 budget of 1.55 billion and 19 119.5 billion or 8% more than his fiscal 2026 adopted budget of 1.5 1.51 billion. What is the matrix? What is the metrics, if any, are used to determine the funding levels for each DYCD program and which programs have been substantially increased or decreased in funding levels and why? Good morning, Chair Stevens. And so, when it comes to um procurements, it's a whole host of reasons about how money is allocated, where it's going to different communities. And so, um as you know, a number of our procurements are outdated and so we may not have additional funding. So, how we allocate that is dependent upon the funding levels. I think prior to any procurement, we determine the cost, what do we want to get done, what are the services, what are we trying to do, and how do we support and fund it. Um, we need to know how the programs are operating, what communities, how are they um, allocated throughout the city. And so there's needs assessments that are conducted. Um, we have stakeholder engagement meetings. We try to identify what's the best approach to take and then we kind of identify where do we have existing resources in the agency and how to best um, align them going forward. And so there are a number of things that are being done. If they're existing services, we're often look at performance of that particular program and determine what is the best way to allocate resources if that program if those services are no longer needed there. So, how do we maximize services? The USD's preliminary budget includes a new a new need and other adjustment for cost of living increases, funding, cola um adjustments. Um did the city submit any new needs that were not included in the preliminary plan? If so, what were those requests? and um will and will not being incl and and were they not being included and have any um impact on the operations? >> Well, we are grateful that in the jam plan the mayor baseline the restoration of the summer rising initiative. As you know, it was a year-to-year restoration and so we are grateful for that. That was one of our key acts. >> I don't know if I'm grateful for it, but >> well, we can speak to I think we are grateful for the continued investment in summer services. >> Yes, we're grateful for that. We are grateful for that that the city continues to invest in summer services. And so we're grateful that it's baseline. We believe that will help operations just not for our staff but provider staff and families that they have a better understanding of what's coming every summer. And so that was one of our key asks for the the new need. And so um we got that and we'll continue to have conversations with OMI as we identify um areas. As you know, the commissioner just started and so she is currently doing her assessment in the organization and I think that post her assessment um we'll have other conversations about what are the additional needs in our organization and at that point we'll continue to have conversations with OMB. >> Absolutely. I am very grateful that we don't have to be on the steps yelling about that for every year. But I do think especially with a new commissioner and a new administration, we have an opportunity to really reimagine what the summer could look like and how do we take the feedback from parents and young people to make it more holistic of what they're requesting and not what we've done to kind of get us out of COVID and like how do we reimagine for what's moving forward. And you know, my big push has always been to be more like camp and go back and having DYCD kind of lead these efforts. Um, so my next question, will the cola increase included in the preliminary plan have an impact on the existing budget? >> Are you referencing the cola increase? You said co I'm sorry. Yes, cola. >> Um, the cola increase was essentially a technical adjustment. It is about essentially funding the agency for the cola um initiative that was rolled out a few years ago. And so um the agency implemented those in those providers budgets and so it's just a technology that's just funding an initiative that the city already implemented. >> Um providers have been requesting additional 3% to be added to the cola. Was any additional funding added for fiscal 2026 preliminary plan? >> Um we were just implementing COLA as as described with the city policy. So it's compounded every year. Um, and if there are baseline funds added to a provider's budget, we work with OMBB to make adjustments to that provider's contract to reflect the increasing service levels to ensure that the cola levels reflect it. Was cola factored into the new comprehensive afterchool um um system compass RFPs? Yes, they're already great. The plum rate budget included a restoration of 19.6 billion in fiscal 2027 for the Audi years restoring summer rising pegs. What is the total budget for the summer rising program? summarizing budget is I just pulled it up. I think it's 145. Just ask my staff. One second. Let me just confirm >> 149. >> 149. Thank you. Does the baseline um funding allow additional programming for middle school students beyond extended hours of um the extended hours and Friday services? >> Current funding is restoring baseline funding. So we um restored back the Friday hours and extended hours. >> Yeah. Um I mean that's really good to hear, but I think specifically for me the middle school um area is where I really want us to be thinking, especially because we're seeing such an increase in those numbers rising in the detention center. And you know, we'll be talking about SYP as well. Even in that space, I've always been very strong advocate that that 750 um stipen isn't what the kids want and and and really thinking like how we're kind of leaving those middle school students out of out of this conversation because we're seeing those are the numbers who are picking up the guns in the community. And so we really have to really think about how do we target and have programming that is really getting at the root of what these kids need and want and what they're requesting. So definitely as we are reimagining and thinking about what summer should look like, I think we need to have a real focus and strong lens look um taking a look at middle school students with the current change in fiscal 2026 ply plan. Does the agency have any adequate resources to have adequate resources to meet all the needs of the proat of their promatic programmatic needs? Well, we are ongoing conversations with OMB as the commissioner mentioned. She's currently doing an assessment to determine the infrastructure of the organization for the services that we have. Um we are grateful for the additional um headcount that was provided in the most recent November plan. Um we got headcount associate for the compass and discretionary portfolios. And so um that is the first start of the investment and the infrastructure for our agency and we're continue to hire those staff and so as the commissioner continues her assessment and review um at that point we'll decide what's needed and then we'll re-engage OMB as as needed. I'm very happy to hear that an assessment is being done and don't worry, I will be following up. So, I won't bother you guys anymore about this stuff because I know you're gonna keep saying she ain't doing an assessment. I know she told me, but we will continue to have these conversations as that is coming as she's doing her assessments. Um, we're going to move on to talk a little bit about state funding. Governor Hokll's 2026 initiative announces 1.5 billion for New York City supports for New York City, which include 300 million for youth programming. Has the agency had conversations with OMB on um program funding and how much will be allocated to DYCD? We just asked this question to ACS as well. They said they didn't have any information yet. Are you going to say the same thing? >> I am. Well, we it has not to our agency. I think that if we have it, I think again it's fiscal year's coming up and so there are some oblig operational implications. We welcome any additional funding to support um people in this city, but we'll need to know and think it through and so we're not ready to speak on that. >> Yeah, they said the same thing too. So that that's the l the beautiful thing. Now I have both of you so I I know the answers. Um yeah, I definitely would love for us to to start those conversations about what that looks like because it it has been allocated and we want to make sure that we have an an adequate plan moving forward. Does this agency feel there's a gap in state funding especially as it relates to um learning through expanded arts leap after school initiative? How does the state fund how does state funding how much does state funding um does the agency receive from LEAP programs and how many providers in the high need district provided after school services for the LEAP program? Well, we we are grateful that we have not had any changes in our state funding. Actually, we've had an increase in FY26 that's been used to provide other supports in our agency. Um we do not have LEAP funding in our agency. So there there's been no implication for leak for the YCD. >> Okay, great. Um, so just to talk about a little bit about the report card, um, which I know I'm working extensively with with council to look at the metric matrix metrics that were used and to have a better assessment. And so I know we're going to be working on um, setting up a meeting with DYC to talk to you guys to get your feedback and all the things because honestly, I do want the report card to be able to be used by anybody that picks it up. And I think specifically for me because I have such an intimate knowledge of this because I was a provider for so long. Um I want anybody to be able to read it and I think some of it was kind of misleading. But um all that to say the final report card graded DYCD a D with the highest being a scope of B in the workforce development. Um so I just wanted us to discuss some of that. the the report craft finded that the um indicated that ZCD does not does did not have an updated agency specific plan that currently outlined the long-term goals and deliverables. This type of reporting will allow clarity on the agency's priority both um internally and publicly. As the new commissioner, have you had the opportunity to access um to access the reporting and strategic um strategize what the goals and the rules of DYCD um will look like moving forward? I have done an initial read of the report card and I do think that it is necessary for under my leadership for us to have um long-term goals and deliverables for which we could be accountable and transparent to and I think the one thing I'm really excited about is that you know the vision of Mayor Mandani is clear right and we are well positioned to um implement that vision for a more equitable affordable safer and healthier New York City. My question is and the assessment that I'm doing is about how do we get there? What are our strategies to do that? So, um I need to have greater insights about whether we have the infrastructures and the right programs in order to be able to deliver on that. But also, I would say that that transparency is not only going to retain staff uh and recruit staff, it's also going to foster greater confidence in our providers. And and that's something that I'm seeking to do. Um, do you feel as though a fully transparent long-term goal of DYCD would help in attracting good talent both internally and um, externally with providers? >> Yeah, absolutely. If people know where they're going and how to get there, they're going to be excited because who wouldn't be excited to contribute to this great city, especially making a difference, not only at the point of service, but in the ecosystem that supports children, youth, and families. And again, I think it's going to help with our retention of staff um, and also to foster better relationship with our providers. Yeah. I mean, even some of one of the things that I I really want to see and and and work with council what we're going to be working on to make it so I say this all the time that you guys are the providers and then also are doing the supports on the other end and it gets kind of hard. And so I think that the report card could be a good way to have some more unanimous feedback from providers. And so really wanting to make sure that we're developing that space because it is really hard for a provider to call and say hey I need help with this and then you you also my funer and I know it's like no we want to help and we know you want to help but we it sometimes is hard. I can say that for myself. I remember being like I don't want to call my program managers tell them I'm struggling with this or you know I'm struggling and we had this incident. So how do we have some of that dialogue taken away? And so that's really some of my thought and vision around like how do we use this report card in a in a more meaningful way for providers to give feedback not only to you but also how do we improve the work that we're doing. >> I love that insight uh Chair Stevens and as you were talking I kept thinking about how important it is to differentiate those supports because not every single provider is needing the same from us and so my goal is to figure out whether it be a small provider or a larger provider or a medium-sized provider. It's the whole ecosystem that creates the type of impact that we want. And so us being able to adapt and be responsive to the range of providers we have is something that I'm looking forward to lean into. >> Yeah. And I know especially even with the um RFP that came out, we had a whole host of new people coming in. And so I think we're going to be seeing a whole set of new problems or issues that arise that we didn't think of because they're going to just have challenges that are just new. Um, and so again, like I think the report card is going to be a great place for us to develop to kind of have those conversations with one another. Um, and something that I'm working with um, the council to to to highlight and do and we'll be working with you guys, too. So, don't worry. I'll be reaching out. I mean, I always do. I speak to you guys all the time. All right. All right. The report card highlighted the DYC operation as a contracting agency and the MRI could um um the M MRI could matrix that include the time um timelines and registration payments and RFP cycles of the contract for each program to reflect the agency's core. Does the agency track this type of data and is this something that could be implemented? What is the timeline for implementation and what type of metrics would be beneficial for tracking the contract process and monitoring the timeline execution of contracts? >> Thanks uh Chair Stevens for that question and um yes absolutely DCD is principally a contracting agency uh and we are held uh accountable by a lot of different stakeholders the council but more importantly our providers uh city hall as well. uh there is there are central metrics that are being captured um for all health and human services agencies by uh the mayor's office of contract services and so we are part of that and we do obviously track this internally as well. We're pleased to be uh a part of the uh city's timely registration initiative over the last few years and also very proud that uh last year despite having over 500 uh contract actions in that um initiative we were able to get uh 95% of them over to the controllers's office before by July 1st. The data um report finding in um indicates the agency struggle with keeping up with the demands for access and key programs programs and services such as after school work force path um workforce pathways and homeless youth support due to system contents. Have you been um have there been recent system updates that could manage higher demands? How would DYC implement the changes to factor the system constraints? And how does DYCD manage communication and transparency to the providers and our DYCD digital platform manage managed internally or externally and are they adequate staff to accommodate that demand? >> Thank you for that. Um, thank you for that question, Chair Stevens. I wanted to separate this idea of the access to the platform or the technical aspect to it and the high demand. And I think this question is asking about the um access on the tech on the technical side. And so we have DYCD connect as a central management system for all programs. And it's designed to be scalable and responsive. And so I'm going to be looking into whether we have made the right adaptations and so that it could be more user friendly and whether providers are finding that it is a portal to what they need to get. The issue of demand is something that we're consistently bringing up um because there is a finite number of resources, but we want to make sure that the system is able to loop in folks where we we do have programs. And in terms about our communication and transparency to providers, um we are regularly engage with our providers through program management, through technical assistance, through direct outreach. uh we support them through resources like our budget help desk and ongoing coordination and contracting and invoicing questions. But Chair Stevens, you brought up a really good questions uh a good point that I want to really um bring back to my team. And this is the idea of how how can they see us both as a contracting agency and a capacity builder. And so we've got to find ways to reconcile that so that in fact we can have earnest conversations with the providers and then make adaptations based on that honest feedback. >> Yeah. No, definitely. Again, like I I think that it's one of the things where it's it's always just been challenging cuz like of course everyone at D City means well, but like it's really hard to have those tough conversations even on your end, right? When you have to have the tough conversation with the provider because it's not easy either. And so I think it we do need to think about what what those systems look like. Um the report that finds UIC funded programs particularly after school workforce development and RHY services do not have significant capacity to meet city needs. Long wait list and limited um seat availability prevents many eligible youth and families from accessing services especially in high need neighborhoods. The report finding include undermining the limited wages comprehens um um comprehensives and human services. Is it safe to say that NYC's Compass RFP is addressing those concerns? Are those plans being set forth to address the other outdated contracts that do not account for the increased costs associated with the daily services provided by community- based organizations for programs such as RHY, Beacons, and Cornerstones? >> Yeah, thank you for that question. I I can't tell you. I I I keep trying to take off my provider hat, but I am >> I know it's hard because >> how does you think of Phil when I'm sitting up here like >> I am elated about the compass procurement process and I'm really proud of the way that DYCD handled everything from the concept paper to the review and um and really being able to include feedback in the RFP that increased rates that stabilized the contracts that um looked at the model and really made some adjustments based on the feedback. And our hope is to do that with great intention and the same um collaboration with our providers with other contracts like the uh Beacons, like the cornerstones, like RHY. And part of what I'm trying to do with my team is we're trying to prioritize um how we do it and when we do it, but we're also doing that in partnership with OM to make sure that there's resources for long-term sustainability. But the compass is the compass RFP is a step in the right direction. >> Listen, everybody knows I was yelling from the rooftops about getting this RFP out. And I was happy that we got it. I didn't I wasn't happy when it happened because the poor team, someone had to yell about it because I'm surprised to see them still sitting here smiling cuz I wouldn't have been smiling. Um but they did a really good job um with the time frame which was super crunched um to make it all happen. And so, you know, kudos and shout out to you guys cuz I think I was more pissed than they were about it coming so late because I just knew the amount of work and time and effort that it was going to put in and how they were going to have to give up nights and weekends and holidays and give up time with their families to get it done. And of course, they were going to do it, but honestly, it was really no need to do it when we could have released that RFP a lot earlier. That would have given them much more sufficient time. And listen, y'all don't be giving out a lot of praises here, so take it. You know what I'm saying? wanted to make sure it was on the record. >> We'll take it and thank you for your partnership on that. And you know, as a prov as a former proprietor, both of us, we know that um we want contracts that reflect the real cost of delivering services and supporting the workforce that carries our work every day. >> Yeah, I have a whole host of questions about the the RFP, so I'll get to those shortly. The report found that DYCD programs partic Oh, no, I said that one. Sorry. Um contract payments were frequently late, sometimes a year or more after services delivered um unpredicted unpredictable and lack of regular schedule cash flow and created cash flow issues for CBOS. What is the process of issuing payments to CBOS and how long does it typically take to fully execute and what is the percentage of CBOS that are new within the this fiscal year? >> Hi, welcome back. >> Yes, I'm back. I think it was a lot of questions, so I'm going to try to get through them. If I miss any, feel free to follow up. Um, so when it comes to how providers receive funding, um, at the beginning of every fiscal year, if a contract is registered, um, DYC initiates an advance to the provider. In the last fiscal year, we initiated advance of 50% in general for the entire portfolio outside of discretionary. Um and for our summer providers, we in initiated an enhanced um advance to address the fact that they were going to receive additional funding associated with summer rising that's not included in their baseline contract. So that was what we did at the beginning of the year. >> I have a question. Even with the summer rising, how many agencies were able to get that additional advance because I remember my phone was blowing up all summer about folks who weren't able to access the advance. Um >> I'm not sure because that that's seems we initiate those advances prior to the start of the fiscal year and so they they hit those budgets at the end of fiscal year and then we updated all of the provider budgets that received summer rising at least 90% of them um by October. Now, there may have been some providers where an an amendment was needed because we exhausted the allowance that was existing in their contract. Um, that may have caused an additional delay to access the funds. But due to the allowance clause that exists in the contracts, if there's additional funding associates, release those funding no later than October 1st of this um last calendar year. >> Okay. I'm sure providers are going to come telling me that they had a different story um >> that's fine. but at uh at the end of the um during the public testimony. So um we definitely should like cross reference that because I know that for a fact that I got called myself and I'm I'm positive they're going to come in during the public testimony and say that they didn't. So we should definitely cross reference that so we can like not have that happen again this year. >> Of course. And then I want to just elaborate also that in order for a provider to get reimbursed, they would also have to submit a line item budget on their PCR. So we saw that in this last calendar year given that we gave out advances. Um typically as you all know that you would typically not get an advance unless you allocated your budget first and then got an get an advance to ensure that when you reimburse we know where to allocate it to aid with cash flow. We initiated that before and so providers received that funding but in turn we a significant portion of our portfolio did not submit PLCRs that allocated their funding to their budgets. As a result, if you submit an invoice on those budgets, we can't reimburse it because there's not enough funding that's allocated on an online item. And so I think the the education and learning around passport has to be continuous so the providers fully understand what is needed to make sure that they can be reimbursed. We had over 400 um budgets for FY25 not submitted. We have over a thousand budgets for FY26 not submitted. However, we gave out advances and so it's important that the sector to ensure that they maintain cash flow, submit their PCRs timely to make sure that funding is allocated to the appropriate line items so that when they submit invoices timely as well that we can reimburse them, but we are doing our part. >> Well, all I'm going to say is y'all need to send me the list so when they call me I could check the list to see if they uh did it so I'm not calling a y'all because that was information I didn't even know. Um the next question is the payment process automatic if there was if there's little to no change in the CBO who provided program services. Why is there a delay in the contract payment? Sure. Every year um we allocate funding to a contract. And so if a contract is registered, a provider submits their allocations every year. You could have turnover in staff, changes in rent, changes in allocations of your budget. So every year a provided um whether a contract is registered or not must submit a line item budget allocating how the resource will be done. Post out will submit the uh will post the invoice submission will reimburse you. I think the challenge we had this year is that given the transition into passport we are having some challenges with budgets being allocated as the appropriate line item that in itself will prevent the ability to have an invoice submitted and getting reimbursed. And so I think again the ongoing continuing education about the transition to a new system and how to ensure that funding gets reimbursed. >> How many organizations did not receive payment? Do you have a number? >> I don't know off hand but what I can tell you is that if a contract was registered we initiate in advance and so what we try to do is to make sure that at least to start services there are funds on hand so you could start um again if the contract is registered. We can only do it if a contract is registered. And so we try to initiate in advance to give the provider some time to then submit their PLCR that is allocating the funds to the appropriate line items get that approved and once that's done you can start getting reimbured for your invoices. >> Are you concerned about uh Compass starting because it it starts when does it start? In August, right? And all these new programs and because I feel a little concerned. I think there's all hands on deck. Compass initiative is the largest our agency has had and so everyone is paying attention. We're looking ahead. Um we know that there will be some overlap with the existing portfolio. We are looking at that. We're looking at contract start times. We're looking at what's needed and what resources are needed to ensure that we're able to do this. And then we know that the city has additional resources available to make sure that if there are any immediate or emergency cash flow needs, we know what to do to step in to see what we can do to at least give that bridge. >> I also want to add that we are going to be working in close partnership with our providers because they are experts in this. Many of them have been doing this. So, we're going to lean into what's needed now. And myself and my team have been watching this regularly on a weekly basis. We're meeting to look at all of the tasks that need to be completed in order to be able to make timely registrations and we're working closely with Mox and OM as well. >> I'm sure, but I'm still concerned. CBO's reported that they have minimum room to negotiate scope of work before signing contracts and few options to negotiate or adjust terms once the contract is activated. Can the agency please um respond to the reports of that finding? I'm going to defer to our echo to expand more on um your question. >> Did we swear you in already? >> No. Please raise your right hand. Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth before this committee and respond honestly to council member questions? >> Yes, I do. >> Good afternoon. Repeat the question, please. Um my question was um there the CBO's reported there have been minimum roof to negotiate scopes of work before signing contracts and few options to renegotiate or adjust terms once the contract is active. Can the agency respond to um the the report findings? >> Okay. So there are two types of contracts that DYCD works with. We work with the designated city council contracts. those contracts have the uh uh the scope pretty much determined already determined by the council. Uh we work closely with our partners to ensure that they are in line and submitting their contract documents. Uh and we also work to make sure that we give them uh some time and we also work to give them some time to negotiate and and discuss any changes that may happen between the council and DYCD. I just want to clarify that. uh as far as our RFP contracts that are awarded through the RFP process, those scopes are pretty much determined already in the uh workers the scope of work that's in the RFP. So, excuse me. So, that information so after the contracts are awarded, we do have CBO orientations. We do meet with the providers. We do discuss the scope of the RP as it was outlined and then have some time to negotiate and discuss with them the overall plan for the individual agencies. So, I hope that answered your question >> somewhat. Okay, >> I have more questions, but um Council Member Lee says she has a question she needs to ask. >> Oh, yeah. No, I just first of all, I just wanted to echo Chair Stevens. I love the line of questioning around contracts because this is something that she and I talk about all the time as being former providers and so thank you so much for uh answering and just being here today with us. Um just wanted to switch gears and forgive me if this was asked already if I missed this part but just on the preliminary budget changes um in DYCD's uh 1.6 6 billion fiscal 27 budget in the preliminary pan plan um is 119.5 million or 8% more than its fiscal FY26 adopted budget of 1.5 and the largest change impacting the budget in this plan is the compass RFP uh which we were just talking about uh rate funding increase of 300.7 million um and we kind of sort of discussed this already but on track is it on track scheduled to be completed >> are you referencing the compass RFP. >> Yes, >> we are working feverously to make sure that we meet the deadlines associated, >> right? So hopefully what is it? August is when the start. Okay. Um and it's definitely taken uh time to get to this place. Uh there's a lot of changes advocates have requested um including the rate, services, training, qualifications programming providers etc. Can you tell us briefly about how the new RFP meets the current needs of the community? And again, forgive me if this was already discussed. And if it was, let me know. >> We're going to have our associate commissioner, Daniel, come up and speak more to the compass model. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> So, uh there were a number of changes to the model um that was reflected in the RFP. What we looked at was uh through the stakeholder engagement through the concept paper, the responses. Um aside from the funding rate change, we added uh social emotional learning curriculum as part of the component. uh as well as a career connected activities for grades K through eight. Uh we wanted to ensure that that was an experience that all young people we've been piloting that through the middle school component uh throughout summer rising and uh we wanted to make sure that we kept the holistic model that we've kept uh for the number of years uh through this program. >> Okay, great. Um and then just moving really quickly to the chief savings officer. Um what type of target was the cso given by OM? Was it the same percentage? >> That is correct. Yes. >> So the 1.5 and then the 2.5 for FY27, right? >> That's correct. >> Okay. Um and where has the agency found the savings? I know the report is coming this week. Um and how it will impact the city's uh the agency's programs and performances. >> So we are continuing to review our agency's budget to identify savings. Our goal is to try to minimize or have no impact on services as the mayor has directed. And so we're looking under every cushion and and seat to see where we can find any savings um that we can find and we're hopeful that we will um and and meet the target by this week. >> Okay, perfect. Um and definitely want to emphasize we definitely want to make sure that the services are not cut. So if there's challenges there obviously to let us know that as well. And uh when is the agency it's submitting the proposal to OM Friday, correct? >> That's correct. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Thank you, chair. >> Thank you. Um, I'm going to let Council Member Joseph go because I'm about to talk about Summerrising and I she has a whole host of questions for summarizing because um I just can't anymore. But I guess but I guess my my question just to kind of frame it is to just thinking about um how are we going to look um move forward um use the feedback from young people and families to kind of start reshaping um what some rising could be. Um, I know we have a new commissioner and she's doing her own evaluations, but we'll love to just hear your thoughts on like how are you going to be moving forward to like reshape it because I know like some of my bigger issues and and since you're new, I don't think you heard all of them before. So, I'll just go over a few um of just thinking about how are we, you know, really taking the feedback from young people, especially middle school students who said that they did not want to sit in a classroom all day and they wanted to be there on Fridays, which is why when we cut Fridays, that was crazy for me. Thinking about um when you only have the flexibility to go on trips on Friday, that really makes it crazy for the city because we have issues with buses. So all the kids of that's in camp, 90,000 children, 100,000 kids can't be on the subway on a Friday. And so like how do we really start to look at um this program and reshape it so that it can be not only just fun but inclusive of learning and and showing all of the different components of not just sitting in a classroom from 8 to 12 to say that that's the only way young people could learn. Um, and so I would love to just hear your thoughts about like what and how will we use this summer to kind of evaluate and move into a place that really honors the work of the youth educators who were who's doing this work and bringing their expertise and and not just kind of having this theory that only teachers can teach young people. >> I'm press button. >> Yeah. Sorry. I'm gonna start off and then I'm gonna uh pass it over to um folks who run the who are running the program and have a more specific answer. But I can tell you that there has been a range of feedback that we have gotten from people loving summarizing um and for people who have not liked summarizing. But at the core, I think there is a continued commitment for us to make sure that young people are learning and developing throughout the school year and that that could be done and achieved through a range of mediums. Right. And I think I loved what you were saying earlier, uh, Chair Stevens, that it met the moment for COVID and we have to adapt. And so some of the preliminary feedback we've gotten is exactly that, that what does learning look like outside of the classroom. Um, and so you're going to hear from uh Daniel who's going to speak a little bit about how we've included clear career exploration, how we've increased trips. >> I heard about those already in order to be able to do that. But my my charge right now is to uh stand up some models right in the next few months that we can implement and test out because the truth is also that the data is showing that young people who have 20 days or more in summer rising are ga are gaining academically and in social emotional. So we want to hold on to that. So, we don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water, but we do want to make adaptations based on what we're hearing about how learning should happen for young people specifically in the summer. So, my hope is to set up again some pilots and to test some things out so that next year we can have a uh kind of a variety of options uh for us to choose from. >> Absolutely. >> That are highly that are resourced and sustainable. I said that for Nvidita. Good afternoon, chair. Uh we have been part of this conversation for a number of years and I I think what's valuable here is that we've uh listened to your feedback and yeartoyear we've strived to make continuous quality improvements through this process. Year one of summarizing is not year five of summarizing. It is adamantly clear. The demand is still there. Families still want services and we want holistic services and I'm including we we as the parent as well and we look forward to ongoing conversations on how we can make this model better because the reality is a centralized support system that thinks about the whole child is vital to the summer and we want to ensure that with all the learnings and all the things that we've uh gained experience on from the CBOS onto the families and to the work that we do in collaboration with public schools continues that. >> Absolutely. I mean, again, I've said this so many times. I think that there's a lot of things that we can pull from Southern Horizon that like went well. Like one of the things like being able to serve students with disabilities, that's something that we've been able to really do and now that we can do it, like how do we multiply that? We want to see that. We want to see, you know, I remember working in not before summer where every school had to be closed. Clearly, that wasn't the case where now we know that the schools can be open. So, I think that there's a lot of things here that we've learned and we've obviously changed, but I think that we still have a lot of growing to do, but I'm going to shut up and pass it over to Council Member Joseph because I gave her a whole bunch of questions and so um there you go. And she has her own feedback because we've been tag teaming this for the last four years. >> Yeah, we have been tag teaming and we have seen um lots of improvements, right? from when I started as an educator in the classroom. The first year they kicked off um summer rising I was I had just won my primary. I was leaving teaching and going to become a council member and I opened the first one with um then Mayor Delasio and then Chancellor Porter. But I've we've seen a lot of changes and we've asked for a lot and you guys have stepped up. So I we want to publicly say thank you especially for me with the foster youth >> with the foster youth being included. that was so personal for me and that and and our students in temporary housing that was also very personal to me as being an educator on the other side. However, there has been issues when we talked about attendance. So my questions will be it along the line of assessment. How do we move forward? How do we tweak and make it better? Adding the social emotional learning was something we were pushing for very long time to make it not just the standalone social emotional learning but part of the curriculum, right? that it's embedded in the curriculum that it's not a standalone you do social keep it's throughout the whole day to provide that support so I'm always wearing that educator hat forever educator hat on to make sure those things are also implemented so in the 2020 2027 we know we restored and that was one thing once we saw those cuts council chair Stevens and I we were in the in the streets yelling because we knew that population that was targeted is some of our most vulnerable students who will we don't want them where they they don't want to be. That was that was it. So that restoration was good. So what metric were used in determining I'm going to go back. The PMMR indicated a fourth month actual of 113,376 youth grade K to8 attended the program compared to 115,048 for the same time prior year. That's about 167 1,672 youth or 1.5% less than the prior year. What's happening in that area? Where are these kids? What are we doing to find them? Or if there's are they other program, do you track them when they're not in the system? You know how you track your students when they leave? Are you tracking them? >> So, yeah. So, thank you for the question. Uh, so one thing that uh makes summer uniquely different from after school is that it's not a mandated program. And I think a key feature and something that we need to discuss in the future about what utilization really means and most importantly what that means for families because we put access first and ensuring that we can get to the most amount of families to have the opportunity to take advantage of this great program. Um what we have noticed is this right um restorations like this are generally informed by participation levels, program utilization and feedback from families and schools and providers about the importance of the extended programming. Summarizing continues to be a critical support for working families and this restoration really reflects that continued demand for these services. We really want to make sure that at an earlier point in time that this uh service was restored because it does impact ongoing recruitment efforts and stability for young people. So ensuring early on that this money was available is a huge win for all of us in this sector >> and retention too. So I talked about retention. How do you get the families through the door and we keep them there? what what makes the families such a huge number of families drop off in the program and how do we get them back and how often do you look at the students that are on the wait list that you can rapidly fill in that spot when students leave the program. So what what's made this um revamped version of summarizing is this centralized process where you have an active weight list and you're looking at this weight list by the young people that are applying where they're coming from if they're a participant that been a part of the year-long services. So there's a real targeted approach. Uh another thing is that it's really getting families to participate in those parent orientations. It's making those connections on the ground, right? What's valuable is that there's that program director that meets that family that they're learning about the services, what's offered, and then that engagement throughout, you know, the application release, the selection, and that communication all the way to the starter program. If there are some real concerns about their ability to attend, then you have that weight list, right? That targeted approach, and now you can now build um retention with a new family that's just as interested and has been waiting all this time. And with this model, what's been amazing is that there's families that've never gotten a chance to get in the door that now do through this pro through this portal in my schools. I hear that a lot from especially from my district that families who have applied have never gotten in or if they're on a wait list, they never hear from anyone. So, we want to make sure that this model is also doing outreach in real time as as you're looking at the attendance and looking at the whole program and say, "Hey, we have this amount of seats open here, there." um how do we turn around rapidly for those on the wait list? How many of the young people were elementary students and how many of them were um middle school students that attended Summer Horizon? >> We can follow up with that. >> Okay, thank you. That would be helpful. Then you can also look at your data and make your assessments. Um summer continue to be a well-known program and numbers did exceed your targeted 100,000 month a fourmonth actual. What program changes have you made to attract middle school students? We know that's a population we're zeroed in on a lot to make sure they have they're doing something for the summer and something fun. >> Well, first and foremost is ensuring that those hours are available, right? That a young person feels safe, that they can stay beyond 400 p.m. Monday to Thursday and that Fridays offer an a full day of opportunities. A a key component is that expansion of that career connective exploring futures component because young people at that age they're already thinking about the next wave right workforce becoming an SYP participant and this component that now we've streamlined across compass from K to 8 starts that conversation right and it actually contextualizes it they have an opportunity to have in-person experiences go to visit the fiser the fiser labs right go to visit all of these different businesses industries even in their neighborhoods and having that sparking that conversation that curiosity at the age of you know 12 and up I think is ideal because it's the pathway that we want to ensure young people go towards and they have some agency on the planning so it gives them a little push and an idea that is not just about being in the classroom but learning beyond that >> and once you're done with these programming are you talking to young people to see feedback surveys I think you should also talk to them because my my my my kid went to he wouldn't miss a day and I kept on telling Chia Stevens we got to go see this program he didn't want to miss a day he went every single day and and the days are like make my doctor's appointments on another day mama I don't want to miss another day and there was an academic component to it and he was a middle school student so we should be capturing that data from young people to find out what is it that that's capturing your attention if it's the financial literacy if it's the career connectiveness if it's leaving the building or that support that you probably provide through the social emotional learning I think their voices are not used enough in making decisions for them but not with them. Um, what program was launched in 2020? What's the average attendance for elementary and middle school attendees? So, attendance in summarizing like I mentioned is voluntary and it does vary by age group and elementary students typically attend more consistently averaging several days per week across a seven-week program. And middle school attendance is more variable reflecting older students uh schedules and preference. and we can provide the updated address uh um averages. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Follow the hearing. >> And I know Chair Stevens T touched upon this um our students with disability providing transportation to students with disabilities that want to stay longer. Um how is that going? >> So that is something that we're working constantly with New York City public schools. It does require a lot of coordination centrally and at the site level. So it is vital that folks understand like there are some advances that we've made uh but we continue to strive to improve that process. >> Yeah. Our students with disabilities don't just want to come for the academics, they also want to have fun too. >> Agreed. >> Um they they definitely want to leave the building and be like their peers, right? So um I think that's something um we it should be looked at with New York City public schools. How do we implement it? How do we make it sustainable um for our young people that want to come during the summertime to be in those buildings? I know they email me all day and I email you all day when they can't get into those buildings. So, Chair Stevens, was that enough or should I add some more? No, I'm good. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, so I'm going to jump into beacons and cornerstones and have some questions around that. Um, these are one of these programs that I think that are totally being underutilized and not getting enough attention and really great programs. Um, the Beacon Community Centers are showing an increase in participation. The PMMR indicates that the first four months of fiscal 2026, Beacon program served 37,851 youth and 7,394 adults, a 10% increase in the number of youth served and a 6% increase in the number of adults served when compared to some periods the same period in 2025. This is partially due to the additional hours and program for summer safety plan. the beacon um the beacon participants has increased but there has not been a change in contract rates that rem remain stagnant for o more than 10 years. Is the agency considering a new RFP that would address the needs of the beacons and cornerstone community centers? Chair Stevens CYC is continuing to currently look at the costs for the beacon and cornerstone model. We recognize that they are outdated procurements and we are currently looking at the program model um thinking about how we want to move going forward and what are the costs to do it. So we are currently in that process >> and what does that process consist of? >> It consists of stakeholder engagement whether it be inclusive of you or others think about what is the model going to be what are we doing what have we done what is evaluation saying I mean how do we approach it going forward what funds do we have and what funds do we need and so it's a pretty comprehensive process and I we're currently in in the midst of it. >> Do you have a timeline of when a concept paper will be out? um note because as always you know that given that we are um multiple years outside of a procurement um we anticipate there'll be additional funding needed and so we have to u once we finalize the amount while being in conversations with OM about what's needed >> just know this will be my continuing ongoing fight to make sure that before I leave that the cornerstones and beacons get an RFP because they need it and deserve it. Um, what is the budget for a Beacon Community Center? >> Beacon budget for FI26 is 69 million and FYI 27 it's 67 and you asked for cornerstone the total budget >> I didn't but you can give it to me >> for cornerstone. >> Yeah, you can go for it. >> Okay. Total cornerstone budget for 26 is 69 million and 27 at 68. Um, how many sensor how many censors are in each burrow and what um, burrow has the highest program attendance? >> Going to defer to our commission, assistant commissioner, Wanda Ashro, who will speak more into the program performance and day-to-day operations. >> Sure. Good afternoon. Um, we current our largest uh the bureau with the the most uh beacon programs is Brooklyn. Um, we have 32 in in in Brooklyn. And then we have 25 in Queens. Uh, Bronx is 16, Manhattan is 15, and Stanton Island is four. >> Staten Island. >> Just given the number of sites equals the number of participants that are enrolled. >> That's interesting. And especially in the Bronx where we have so much high need, us being at 16, that's a that's an interesting number. So that that must mean when we get the new RFP, we'll have more sites in the Bronx. That's what I'm hearing. I don't know if anybody else heard that. Um what are the current hours of operation for Beacon Community Centers? We currently our programs operate a minimum of 42 hours um over the over six days. So Monday through Friday plus one weekend day. Um and then and it's usually in the afternoons, evenings, school holidays and um during the week it's they start at the end of the school day. So whenever the school day ends, that's when we start. The PMMR indicates that cornerstone programs for NICHA residents enrolled 11,856 summer um youth participants in the first four months and a 16% increase over the same period in fiscal 2025. There's an increase in overall participation in community anti-poverty program in the first four months of fiscal 2026 and 11% when compared to the same period in fiscal 2025. Has the agency um visited the cornerstone to address those um has the agency visited um cornerstones to address those needs? If so, what are some of the outcomes from those visits? >> So our we have a team that goes out and does inspections. They conduct multiple visits throughout the year, but beyond the visits, they also do a lot of coaching. Um, so you'll find them, my team will go out there, do PD, um, looking at the data. We look at data to inform practice and any changes that the program needs to make. Um, we also if depending on on what the area is, we also um bring in our TA partners um, capacity building if needed. And then we also expose them to um various um partnership opportunities and off services that are being offered through our strategic partnership team. Um so oftent times they take advantage of a lot of those um opportunities to provide safe space for community members and youth to spend time. Cornerstones are required to open and staff programming for more hours than they were originally produced. How have providers been compensated for the additional staffing needs? uh providers are contracted for the additional service hours and there is um their budgets are aloc are amended accordingly for the extra hours so that they can amend it. >> Yes. Cornerstone providers are often caught between DYCD and NICRA when requesting facility repairs leading to long delays. Does DYCD have a plan to make this process easier and more efficient? If so, um why has this not been prioritized? DYCD is taking a proactive and coordinated approach to improving physical conditions at our centers. Uh we launched a centralized tracking ticketing system a few maybe two years ago um where providers submit their tickets. Um we we have a team on our end that conducts visits. Um as soon as we get a ticket, we assess the situation. Um and we've contracted out with external vendors to go out to the site um and assess the situation and and have a timeline to resolve. >> And this was two years ago. >> About two years ago. Yeah. >> No, I know it's new because it wasn't there when I was there. So that's good to hear. Beyond the physical impact on programming and space, delays, repairs also impacted program budgets by cornerstone providers share that they have received violations and been fined by New York City Department of Health and um the fire department for issues they have already related reported to DYCD or other NICHA or NICHA. Those violations are based on health safety regulations to keep participants and staff safe. However, inspections by DO and FDMY do not include communication from with DYCD or NICHA, including a review open for tickets from providers requesting facility repairs. These results in cornerstone providers assuming responsibility for all violations associated fine even if they've been actively trying to solve the issues with the city agencies. Why are the cornerstone providers required to pay fines associated with facility repairs? uh CBOS's work closely with our team to notify us if there's a a violation whether it's FDNY or DOH. We have a very close um working relationship with the Department of Health. Um so that if let's say we need to triage on the back end, we try to support provide support on that perspective. Part of the reason why the violation hits the provider is because they're sack licensed. So as a stack license holder, they're the ones in violation of of whatever they whatever the findings are. Um but we do work closely and DYCD is working on strengthening the commun the documentation and improve the um the um improve the repair the repair tracking system and and working closely with the with NICHA as needed depending on the on the severity of the situation. Yeah, I think it's just unfortunate especially like obviously everyone wants folks to be safe but it is true um you know obviously it is a sack license and it's the provider but especially when you don't have control over spacing um it gets really hard and you feel pretty powerless um when you are putting in requests and things aren't moving and then you are then stuck paying the fine. bill. Um >> um Cornerstone providers that have shared that they have gone through um rental assistant demolition programs, RAD and permanent affordability affordability commitments together um packed conversations that the repairs to improve the facility. There is push back from developers for any repair post construction despite language outlined in community agreement. What role does DYCD play in negotiating between providers and developers during the RAD um pack process? And what role does DYCD play after the RAD pack um conversations are complete? And how does DYCD pro support providers in ensuring developers are not um are compliant with facility repairs? >> Yes, that's a good question. Our role is more of an advisory role. Um and so when these issues come up, we we have a a new um team, the at NICHA packed rad team. >> Um and so we work closely with them when we have to triage and address any issues around communication, partnerships on the ground. So we try to um navigate those. I'm not um Chair Stevens, I'm not a um familiar with any developers pushing back, but definitely welcome like any specifics and we can help triage, but I'm I'm not as familiar with any developers pushing back currently that I know of. >> Okay, we'll get that to you because if it's here, that means somebody said it, right? So, that means it's happening. We don't just make these up. >> Um but we'll definitely get back to you. And I mean I I guess for me is I' I've always been curious about even what is what role are you guys playing when it's all being negotiated beforehand, right? And so even on the back end, what what role do you play when they're negotiating um with the developers when they're transitioning to RAD or PAC? Are you guys a part of the conversation or is NICHA the one taking the lead? Are you guys coming in after? >> Nicha usually takes the lead for sure that that's the starting point. Um oftent times the the developments that are being con uh converted to rad packed um they prioritize the apartments um that's their priority and then they have like a a a snippet for centers and then they start engaging the CBO on the ground. Um we have a standing uh by monthly I think or yeah I think it's monthly a standing monthly meeting where we check in on anything that's being converted. We have a list of sites that have been converted. We have upcoming conversions. >> Could you share that list with us, please? With this committee. Thank you. >> Not today. If you don't have it, you could just send it. >> I have to write myself a note. >> Don't worry, Andrew already wrote it down. Um New York City New York City um NICHA summer program is a 7-day a week from 6:00 to 10 with limited staff um although required. What is the number of open positions for the cornerstones? Is there a delay in the hiring process? If so, why? And what is the retention rate? >> Uh cornerstones are funded to operate full summer program. um beginning at 8:00 am through evening. Um they pro they adhere to the SEC um ratios staffing human uh services programs has been a challenge particularly during COVID but it we've seen some improvement um staff retention rates may vary by CBO provider but we're not um aware of any systematic um delays. >> Can you guys hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. You can't hear me through the mic. >> You guys hear me through the mic? >> It's so crazy because I can hear through this. So that's why I can't hear. Okay, hold on. >> I can hear on my I can hear here. So we can hear on Zoom. Hello. Does that sound better? >> No, it's okay. I can do both. It's double time. Um I don't think I heard I don't think I heard your answer because so we're asking about the retention rate um of the cornerstone. Do you have a for staff? >> So um staff retention rates vary by CBO um but we're not aware of any um systematic delays at this time. Currently, Cornerstone um rates the group leaders at $20 per hour and 177.50 per hour for other staff. What um are the plans to increase those rates or or is there any plans to increase those rates? So as we are looking across the agency's portfolio, we are reviewing a number of programs and contracts including Beacon Cornerstone um and others to understand where updates and procurements need to be prioritized. Um the goal is obviously to move forward in a thoughtful way that reflects provider input, coordination um along the lines of what um the commissioner shared earlier. And in the model for the cornerstone, there's still the one-time full-time person and everyone else part-time. Is that still the structure of the program? >> You have a full-time uh director >> director. You have um custodial um personnel, >> but the only full-time person is still the director, correct? >> Yes, >> that was the question. Thank you. >> And why is that? because you know I don't I know everybody knows my my history by now but it takes a lot to run a cornerstone a lot and so we don't think that they need additional full-time staff to kind of support the capacity and also to prevent the burnout especially during the summer when they're se they're supposed to be open seven days a week and late nights and yeah they definitely stagger the staff um to try to make sure that it's always there was there was a supervisor on site however that is one of the things that we're looking at as we think about, you know, program models um and an RFP in the >> Oh, yeah. When the new RFP come out, yeah, let's talk about it. Talk it into existence. >> Um because I think that that's something we definitely need to look at, especially around like just quality of care and like burnout when we're thinking about staff and if you I've ran a cornerstone. I was there all the time. Like I did not have a life because even if I had staff there, I'm like the building's open. I got to come. Um, and so I think that we got to really think about quality of life and burnout for staff and making sure that we're able to retain quality staff. All right, we're going to move on to Compass. The anticipated contract terms for Compass is to be for the sixth year and one month from August 1st 26, 2026 to August 31st, 2032 with no option for renewal. Is ZYCD working with the Mox to implement a process um in preparation for pending awards and contract negotiations? I'll respond if we go further. I'll call our AC gole back up here. But we are working diligently with Mox on every oversight to see what we can do to make sure we land this on time so providers get registered and get their funds. >> Is there a contingency plan if we don't land this on time? I think that if we don't stand on the time, we will utilize every resource the city has, whether it be existing contracts or loans. And so, we want to make this happen. I think that, you know, we've all been fighting for this. The sector has been fighting and so we're finally here and we want to make sure that we make it happen so that people get their funds and we serve more families. >> No, and I know you guys are working really hard and this has been like all hands- on deck situation. Um but it is a tall task and a lot to do and a lot to roll out and so you know please continue to let us know how we can support with this roll out. Um there were council awarded funding after school providers that were not in previous compass RFPs. Are they included in this new compass RFP? >> This is open procurement. So every provider was open to apply if they were interested. >> Well I hope you guys picked them up because we ain't picking them up this time. Like could y'all pick them up please? Thanks. They've been on our budget for a while now. Um, what is the response rate for the provider submitted um, submissions to the new compass RFP? For that, I will defer to our echo to speak more to the existing RFP, but I want to speak that it's still open, so we cannot, you know, speak too much to it, but I'm going to defer to her for additional technical questions. Daniel just come to the other side. Why he keep going back? There seats over here. >> They keep working these one seats. >> All right. Good afternoon. >> Welcome back. >> Thank you. Can you repeat the question again please? Um what is what is the response rate for the provider submission for the new compass RFP? And the next question is what is the number of new providers versus existing provider submission to date? >> Well, the the RFP is currently in the active status. We have received over,400 uh proposals. Um, and as far as new providers rate as submissions at at this point, it was 45% uh submissions for school-based and 50% submissions for uh uh centerbased RFP of new providers. >> During the September 18th after school compass oversight, the agency recognized how communities have changed since the la last RFP. What with that knowledge is the UICD taking a look at all the outstanding RFP to address the changes not only in the missed communities or geographical gaps but also the necessary financial changes to accommodate the providers. >> I'll jump in. So I think for every um procurement really we have a racial equity process. We look at existing um resources agencywide and from there we decide how we allocate them. How many of the five five um thousand seats for school year 2026 have been filled to date? What are the school districts occupying the highest number of seats and which are the least seats? Is there a weight list? >> Are you referencing Compass? >> Yes, Compass. >> So, I think we're going to >> Yeah, he's back. That's why I said just move over there. I don't know why you keep moving. I don't know what's on It's three empty seats. >> I'm just saying I don't know. We're almost done with Compass, so you don't have to come. But Daryl, you could just start making your way soon. And I Susan Rhy is coming up. I I know who's coming. >> I'm sorry, Chair. Can you repeat the question again? >> Um, where? All right. Now I'm stressed out. I don't know what question was. I started moving. >> Huh? >> Oh. How many of the 5,000 seats for the school year 2026 have been filled to date? and what are the school districts occupying the highest number of seats and which are the least seats and is there a weight list? >> So, uh we are excited to say that all of the schools are fully enrolled with 5,000 seats. There are 40 schools uh across the five burrows. We can provide a breakout by school district and by burrow with those numbers as well and we know on the ground we'll have to follow up on the weight list numbers as but fully enrolled programs across the board. How many positions will be added to support the additional compass elementary seats and what are those positions? >> I will take that I will take that question. Um so we were given an additional headcount of about 54 new um positions to support the compass expansion. Um, how many of the 5,000 seats have been provided for special needs students and have any additional accommodations been given to providers? >> So, uh, we'll we'll we'll have to follow up with you on the breakout on the number of special needs youth, but we do coordinate with public schools on any student that is enrolled in our program that will need uh any additional assistance. >> Okay. There wasn't designated seats specifically for students with disabilities in this RFP. Like there wasn't because I know that there's a different price per point for students with disabilities. >> Uh price per participant. It's uh it's a set number. >> So we don't have it distinguished between um students with disabilities and um general ed students. No. >> Okay. >> That's interesting. Duly noted. We need to note that um the fiscal 2027 preliminary plan shows a decrease of 42 full-time positions for the compass program for the fiscal 2026 um preliminary plan which is why is there such a significant difference in headcount from prior preliminary plans and what with an overall headcount reduction of six has the headcount been re realigned to better support the needs of the agency? Okay. >> So, as the commissioner had shared, we are currently reassessing where we allocate all of our staff, especially the new um the count that was given. Uh but much of the support uh went to Compass because of the expansion, which is where why most of those heads went there. >> Okay. Um I'm going to pass it over to Council Member Gutierrez. Um, you have question. Okay, great. >> Thank you, chair. Thank you all so much. Um, I just had a a couple of questions um regarding Sorry, let me just pull it up. My apologies. Um, my my district, we're um we have services called uh the Wick Against Violence. Um, and that's a collaboration in part with DYCD and MACJ in some instances. and they um it's Lurus and they do wonderful work with um covering Bushwick houses which was the previous ad two administrations ago um one of the the map sites and Binkin as well and they actually do a ton of work all over so I just wanted to um check about the support to I guess there's two programs under um the wick against violence again it's um Bushwick houses, Boink houses, Highland Houses. I think they even cover a number of other developments in Brooklyn as well as in Queens. And I know that there's been appetite from the community on wanting to reinforce not just the crisis management system that it operates under, but also the public safety coalition. Would you be able to speak to the funding um for the public safety coalition? Is there any interest in wanting to adequately fund it or just more proportionate funding to that of the crisis management system? Again, these are all like this is a program that really takes into account more holistic practices, um more community qualifiers, local pastors. It's a whole, you know, from the ground up initiative. And so in my district, it works. The numbers are telling, which is great, right? Uh crime is down, violent crimes are down. Um, young people are getting mental health services, young people are getting all sorts of uh career readiness training, which is awesome. So, that's really my my main question because I know it's it the public safety coalition is not necessarily funded citywide. Um, but curious to see in those areas where it's working, would love for you all to highlight it and if there's any appetite to fully fund it, to really bring it up to the same level so they can continue to do this work and and do more of it. >> Council member Gutierrez. >> Yes. Thank you for that question. And it gives us an opportunity to >> I thought you didn't know my name. I was like, it's right here. >> Sure. Like I don't I don't want to make a mistake. >> Oh, you need glasses, too, friend. >> I >> What's going on? Don't be shy. >> I'm getting older. >> Look at Look at all the cool girls up here with glasses. >> You're right. I'm getting old now. I'll probably be cooler with glasses. Um our public safety coalition. So, we have two actually in that public safety coalition bracket that was in the RFP. Um one is the 67 precinct clergy council. um the God Squad, Council Member Joseph um and the other of course is Southside United, the Wick and Bushwick and they they do an amazing job. Um >> amazing >> two vastly different approaches. The clergy council is activating clergy within that precinct and within the neighborhood um and they activate um in response to incidents and what's needed and they're proactive. Um the wick in Bushwick is actually a scaledown version of a cure violence site if you will. That's part of the approach that they do um in the cure violence work in CMS work of course we have the cure violence model that flows through that work as well at times we fund full catchments in some cases we fund half catchments in the case of the wick is more of a hybrid of a half catchment um they're doing an amazing job as you know out there >> um I think when it comes to the increase in funding we need to look at um the state of of of play of things the RFPs future RFPs and future funded. >> Okay. So, we don't know. Okay. But I'm glad I'm encouraged um to hear your your take on it. It is really a a valuable um program and I mean the community has really felt like they've seen results like day to night. Um Bushwick Houses had a record number of violent crimes in 2016 2015 through 2017. The MAP program came the city selected Luda Southside United. Um and that work has really been wonderful. Um, and as the member representing that district, to see young people involved in problem solving, to see young people involved in community activism, I think because of this crucial funding has been um just beautiful, and I would love to to help, would love to have you come uh commissioner. I know you're doing uh to listening tours and site visits, but it's really a wonderful thing led by really hardworking people um that are so committed, so so committed. And so, of course, I'm always going to go to bat for them so they can get more money to do this work. So, we'd love to keep the conversation going. Thank you, chair. >> Council member Joseph, welcome back. >> Thank you. I was just on a commercial break. I'm back now. Welcome. Thank you for the work that God Squad does in my district. Um, it's so important. um especially at the point where I I lost a young person who was one of my students and it was God Squad that came and stood with me in the moment um when I got the call from the mom. Um and what's sad about it is the fact that it was mistaken identity. He was 16. He was my fourth grade student. I raised him to go to graduation, not to a funeral. So when they came and stood with me as a mom, one as a forever educator, it meant a lot. So the work that they do in the 67 precinct is meaningful work and that's why we support them so much. And Pastor Straka was complaining about a tree I planted in front of the office. So I told them we're going to pray together about that. So um I want to talk about um headcount in the 2027 preliminary budget. Um, DYCD supports 715 full-time position and increase of 74 positions from fiscal 2026 adopted budget. The department fiscal 2026 January actual headcount is 616. With the increased headcount of 74 since the adopted budget, what is the projected timeline for filling the positions? >> Thank you for that question and um we are pleased that we got uh that headcount in a November plan and we started recruiting and hiring them. In fact, we've filled about a dozen of those. The rest of them, a lot of them, most of them are posted on the uh website uh the city's website, and we're actively recruiting. Many of those, as I mentioned earlier, are to support the compass expansion. So, our goal is to get them filled this spring so that they are ready up and running for August. >> Beautiful. Thank you for that. Um does the increased headcount of 774 represent permanent full-time positions? Um, >> yes, these are all full-time. >> Full-time. What is the AY's current VA vacancy rate? >> So, it's a bit of a it's it's overstated a little bit only because of this addition of the headcount. So, it's currently at 15% with the new headcount. >> Um, what are the open positions for each of the programs that you have? So they uh they they're very uh they span the variety of the need for the agency. A lot of them in our fiscal shop to support some of the uh the payments, the budget reviews uh for contracting and obviously a lot of direct program management. >> When do you do you have a timeline to staff up to make sure those positions those key positions are filled? Uh so we've started uh filling a lot of the support functions because the contracting and and uh the budget reviews are going to start up very soon and then program positions following right after. >> Thank you. Um what agency asks to reduce the current vacancy in the preliminary preliminary plan. >> Uh yes, we know that there is a um central uh request from all agencies to reduce headcount. Um, so what are the specific parameters of the headcount reduction, if any? >> We're still working with OM to figure out what the uh specific impact and details will be for our agency. >> And will that impact the the services that you provide? >> We are advocating for it to be mitigated so that we don't uh falter on delivering what we are supposed to be doing. >> Um, what challenges are the agencies um facing? um in hiring new candidates. I know that's something we hear from agencies a lot. Are you doing outreach? Where are you doing the outreach? Is a grassroot through other agencies where uh so the biggest challenge as you are probably aware was uh the two for one which was recently lifted. Uh so we are seeing you know we've always seen a lot of candidates apply for our positions. It was just uh kind of like the two for one that held us back from making those offers. >> And how long does it take if someone applies for a position within your agency? How long does it take from applying to hiring? >> Uh, it varies depending on the um I guess the complexity of the position and and the number of people who are applying for those positions, but I would say usually about a month >> about a month, 30 days. That's good. Um, in the fiscal um 2027 preliminary plan, the administration had lifted the 2:1 that you mentioned earlier. What course of action is the agency taking to fill positions now that the rules are no longer applies? >> I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? >> Sure. I said um the 2:1 you you talked about that model being lifted. Fill one of the every two vacant position. What course of action is the agency taking to fill positions now that the rule no longer apply? Your two to one. >> So we're working closely with OB on that. And uh I think that what helps is if we've identified candidates, that's what speeds up uh the process. And I had a quick I had a quick followup for summer rising. Oh, I know. I just wanted to know real quick in um in working with students with disabilities, is there any inter agency connections or any inter agency work that you guys do? Cuz one of the biggest things I know Chair Stevens and I talk about is the fact that agencies don't talk to each other, >> which I think they should start talking to each other. >> So, that is a great question. I'm actually excited to talk about the work we've been doing with New York City public schools over the past couple of years with their uh office of disability. I'm going to just say the acronym dial um because they've changed the names a couple of times. What's been amazing is that like I said before year to year there's been massive improvements in not just the engagement with CBOS but really thoughtful on trainings. So, there has been opportunities for asynchronous and in-person trainings that have been offered in collaboration with DYC and your city public schools. Um, we've also implemented accommodation plans for a young person that gives an opportunity for HCBO and the teacher to have real time understanding of the actual young person's needs. You know, it is important to share that with an IEP. That's information that can't be shared to a CBO and that becomes a significant challenge. And through this accommodation plan, it really speaks to how we can address the young person's needs and ensure that there are services if needed for a young person into the afternoon hours. >> I know at one point you guys had a waiver on the the IEP. Is that being shared at least with the parah that can then relate the service to the child? >> Yeah. So for those that are able legally to have access to the IEP, that is something that is provisioned to those selected folks. But that accommodation plan is truly what is a document that can be of support for the CBO because really the CBO working in the afternoon is a key component because as we mentioned before, we want to make sure that all young people take full advantage of the program. >> Okay, wonderful. Thank you so much. >> Okay, I'm back. Um, at an oversight hearing with the subcommittee on early childhood education, the deputy chancellor spoke about a pilot program called school day plus extending 3K to after school hours from 5 to 6. Have there been any conversations with DOE on what this could look like if there was after school for our younger 3K students and has the agency begin accessing the cost for the potential providers? I >> mean, I think that's a great opportunity. It's something that I'm going to be speaking with the chancellor about because this idea of a continuous care of services through um early childhood through post-secary is something that we're eager to do under my leadership. Advocates are concerned that two schools in the higher needs school district 30 and PS71 and PS7 um six and Queens have an economic need indicator of 93% and due to the leaps re reconstructing um did not receive additional seats for universal after school programs. Has this agency been aware of those school districts concerns? Can the agency explain the process of determining who received the additional seats? >> So, thank you for the question and as you know since we're in the middle of the active procurement and award process, so there are limits what we can say about specific schools uh at this stage, but what we can share is that this this procurement was designed to target investments within specific geographic areas to strengthen continuity of programming and expand services in communities with great needs. What were the what measures has the agency taken to address the mental health and social emotional learning SCCL programs in the RFP? What are the qualification for programs and what type of trainings will be provided? I know we spent a lot of time talking about this during the RFP process. >> Yep. So uh you know supporting young people's mental health and social emotional development is a critical part of the model itself and we incorporated feedback from CBOS and stakeholders that strengthen these uh programmatic elements. So this is inclusive of clarifying the mental health requirements making social emotional learning a required content area within the program design itself. Um, and the RFP also aligns the qualification and professional development expectations with the New York State SAC requirements and it includes training that supports youth with development and social emotional learning. >> Has the a um how is the agency measuring the success of the programs? How will they be measuring that? So success is measured by whether additional seats are directed to the highest need schools and uh whether you know the number of high need schools without free after school option decreases and whether enrollment and attendance pattern demonstrate that families are accessing the new seats. So we also review provider readiness uh program quality indicators and feedback from school leaders and families. How um how many CBO providers um provided services and training for their attendees and what is the budget for middle school career readiness program? >> Could you repeat that first part? >> Oh, the first question. I'm sorry. I'm starting to merge questions because we ran out of time. Yeah, I know. Sorry about that. How many CBOS providers um um have training um been training for their um trainings for their attendees? How many service providers have been giving trainings for their attendees that they're attending? So since we are in the procurement stage just a little bit challenging to identify like the new and existing providers that would be um providing um these trainings but it is the expectation uh that all providers will be doing uh supports from these areas. Mhm. The new the new compass RFP, the rates of foric middle school programming were set at 390 um 30 um 3,900 um only a $700 difference from the um 3,200 um rate set 10 years ago. Does have a model budget that can show the matrix using to making this decision on how providers will make sure that those rates work with the mandated program requirements. I think we can expand on that. I think that when it comes to the model budget, it's dependent upon the CBO, but we can have conversations about how that is done, about how the costs are determined. >> Yeah. I mean, I have some legislation that I've been trying to push around like I feel like when we put out these RFPs, we should be doing a model budget so programs could see what our thinking is behind it because sometimes these numbers just don't match >> and it's like, how are we supposed to do this? And so I think some providers would appreciate if we could like get an idea of what you're thinking around like salaries and things like that of like how they're supposed to make it work. Um so >> take that into consideration for future procurements. >> Yeah. And not just this and I've been doing this I've been talking about this for all of them and you know I've been a lot of push back on it but I'm going to start pushing that legislation again. Um has there been any additional discussion about bringing back Compass Explorers program? Well, we have limited resources right now, Chair Stevens. And so, >> not for the babies. I >> think we are we're having expansions in fatherhood and literacy and compass. And so, the city is continuing to invest. I'm not sure if we will have the funding to restore the Compass Explore program. >> Well, I will say this, if we invest in our kids on the front end, we don't have to invest in them on the black end. And Explorers is one of those programs that we invest making investment so we don't have to put young people in detention. And again, because those numbers are rising and it's very costly when kids are in detention. I think that it actually if we're thinking about savings, we should be providing all the programs so that they're not ending up in detention. Um so I will continue to be on my onewoman crusade to make sure we have programming for all for for these young people. Um I'm going to move into advance and earn. Um is that Val? Is she coming over here? Don't worry, Susan. You're coming up soon. Rhy is coming up. Don't worry. I don't know why I keep using these seats. There's three seats over here. They don't like you, Nivea. I don't know what's going on with you over there. You must be the mean one or something. What is the um advance um what is the total budget in fiscal 2027 for the advanced um earn um learn program? >> Sure. So, I'll I'll take that for you, Valerie. Um advance and earn program. Just give me one second. I can give you the budget. Advancement in budget um in FY26 is 22 million and 27 22 million. 22 million. I know. >> What are the number of providers in the advance and earn program? >> Thank you for that question. >> Hello to see you. >> Do we swear you in? >> Did we swear you in? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. >> Yeah. Yes. and thank you for getting to workforce development. Um, so the advanced earn program has five community- based organizations who collectively run seven distinct programs. There's three programs in the Bronx and then one program in each other burrow. >> Has the agency seen an increase or decrease in the number of young adults attending the advance and earn program? And what do those numbers look like? >> Yes, we have. Um, I know in the past we've discussed about how challenging it is to recruit the OSO population. We have seen that number increase. Um this year we're fully enrolled in the advanced and program. We have over 1,300 young people uh who are we our first cohort was in September. That cohort completed it was fully enrolled and then we just started our second cohort also fully enrolled. Um and we are excited. We were able to receive additional resources from ACS. So we've expanded the doors program to be able to serve referrals who come from ACS. And so we've been able to increase that number even more. Okay. Um, which burrows and districts have the highest attendant rates for the advance and earn? >> All right. So, I have it right here because my team was texting it to me in lifetime. The Bronx is 34% of our participants, Brooklyn 23%, Queens 20%, Manhattan 14%, and Staten Island 9%. >> Okay. All right. We're going to go on to work, learn, grow. What is the current enrollment in work learn program? >> Great. So work learn grow currently has 6,500 young people enrolled with 55 SYP providers. Uh and then an additional,90 young people enrolled through our learn and earn providers. Um so we are well over our target goal of 7,000 young people a year. >> What is the current budget for the program? And it's and is it significant? What is the current budget for the program and it's and what is the difference in >> baseline budget for work and grow is 30 million. >> Okay. What is the recruitment process for workler and grow programs and how many youth applied for the program in fiscal 2026? >> Sure. So uh work and grow is a direct recruitment program meaning that our providers both in the SYP and learner portfolio are identifying young people who are participated in summer's employment program. Uh so we do this in a couple of ways. We do it through our career ready SYP model where the providers work directly with schools that they're partnered with to identify young people. We do it through our special initiatives career ready program which uh as you know is our emerging leaders and our NICHA contracts where our providers are working with their partners in those spaces to identify young people. And then every young person who enrolls in learn and earn which is our WEOA funded uh in school youth program has an opportunity to participate. I'm >> Hold on one second. in 2025. the annual report of 100,000 SYP youth were served for summer 2026 that included partnership with the city agencies and CBOS. How many city agencies participated in the program and how many CBOs participated in the program? >> So the sorry the question was how many city agencies and how many >> CBOS >> CBOS so we fund 65 community based organizations uh in the SYP program. Our goal is to have placements in every single city agency. I can get you the report of how many young people were placed at each agency. >> Yes, that'll be really helpful because that was some of the I actually did a bill to support to make sure that um that age city agencies were actually participating in SYP because we found when I came in that a lot of agencies were not participating to my surprise. Um, so the next question, does the agency have plans to go um to target for SYP and what does the number look like? >> I don't know why I'm having so much hard time hearing. >> Listen, no, I don't I don't have on both mics. Is that better? >> I'll do my best. Um, I said, "Does the agency have plans to grow the target SY program? And what does the number look like if they do?" >> So, you're talking, does the agency have a plan to expand SY at? Yes. Okay. So, we're about to approach our fifth summer reaching 100,000 young people. That is our goal for this summer. We're really proud of it. Um, it's, as you know, the largest youth uh employment program in the country. And I think it's something New York City should be really proud of. Um, we do have a really high number of applications. You know, last year's application number closed at 209,000. And so we know that there are young people who apply to the program and don't get in. And in a world of limited resources, we think really hard about how we maximize the resources we do have to reach as many of the young people as possible. So, not only targeting in the ways of like in NICHA in our emerging leaders program, but also thinking about how young people who aren't fully engaged in the program, um, if they don't show up, are we able to use those resources to bring another young person off of the weight list so that we can really make sure we're reaching as many as possible. >> Don't use that. >> No, I figured it out. Thank you. >> Um, and with all that being said, um, my concern is right now when we're looking at youth unemployment rates, we're at 13.2%. And um black youth specifically are at 23.8%. And those numbers are really astonishing. And also we have to understand like why black youth are not being employed throughout the city. And so thinking about how are we using those numbers to really target these populations and to ensure that they have employment. I mean my suggestion is one we need fullyear programming around employment. That's my goal. But how are we even using the programs that we have like earn and learn and s and work learn grow to kind of address these numbers that are showing that young people are having a hard time finding employment and even how are we looking at this 23% of black youth not having employment? >> Yeah. Uh that's a great question and it's something we think about all the time. you know that through all of our workforce programs, we have been moving to be as intentional about recruitment uh as possible. Um I do want to share that uh in SYP 37% of our participants are black and 30% are Hispanic. So I think we do do a really good job of doing outreach and those are numbers we've seen grow year-over-year as we're increasing our investments in the special priority populations. um and we would have similar numbers in any one of our workforce programs and I think there's more we can keep doing there. So I agree with you. >> Yeah, I think we have to definitely be targeted and making sure that we're constantly looking at those numbers to monitor and think about it. Has the agency started conversations with CBOS and city agencies and other potential partners and starting a yearround um employment program for youth? If so, what what would that program look like if you've had those conversations? Listen, I'm always about dreaming big and if we're not planning for it, then it ain't going to happen. Um I think we share the same dream. Uh and I think we have it. I think work, learn, grow is a really impactful and successful model. Um and I think uh what we want to look at is how we can leverage the the things that we've learned from work, learn like um the way that we have been able to leverage resources from public schools and CUNI to expand the offerings within that program in an efficient way. Uh which has allowed us to continue to scale and add quality at the same time. Um, and I think that's the place to look because I think that pipeline of SYP to work and grow has been really effective and is something we can continue to build off of. Why is there a disconnect in the number of applications um and the number of use in with jobs? So there's such a disconnect in how high the numbers are for the applications we're having in the in the jobs that they have. Can you talk a little bit about that and like what are we doing to kind of look at look at that? >> Yeah. Um it's a great question. I think I think a couple of things. I think um for me personally it means that the program has been really successful because we've seen the number of applications grow exponentially year-over-year. Um and of course there's an element of need that is behind that. Um but there's also an element of word of mouth and I see this as young people telling their friends that if you need a job or a place to go over the summer that SYP is that place. So, I'm really proud of that number because I think we've done a really good job making SY a popular program for young people and it's where they come. At the same time, I think we all sit with that really big application number and and wonder how are we ever going to reach the need. Um, I don't think the need is the full application number. Every year we have to make multiple offers in order to fill our each slot, right? Um, but I do know that there are young people who aren't going to get into the program. And so we are constantly something I've already started talking to our commissioner about how we're going to think about meeting that need. >> DD testified that they um that they have two SYP evaluations at the middle of the program and one at the end. What information does um the survey provide? Like what did it provide for you guys? >> Yes. So we uh implement two surveys throughout the SYP program. one towards the beginning of the program and one at the end of the program. The one at the beginning of the program uh assesses a young person's experience uh enrolling in the program, their orientation experience, um their experience with hats and ladders, which is our like pre-employment curriculum. That's where our financial literacy curriculum is. Um and then at the end of the program, we're assessing were you satisfied with the program? Did you have a good summer? Did you meet a mentor? Did you meet an adult that you learned something from? It's a really substantial, lots of questions. We do it in partnership with our evaluation team here. And I will say my team takes those surveys really seriously because they're direct feedback from young people. >> Is the survey provided to all attend um all folks who attend SYP? Um or is it like limited to like a select number? Um and has the agency and how does the agency take um that feedback in and use that to continue to roll out and shape the programs? Yeah. Uh, so the survey is offered. Any young person who participates in the program is able to take the survey. We do a big email blast. We remind them. We ask our providers to reach out to their young people. So we really try to get as many responses to the survey as possible. Um, and we do take their feedback really seriously. I can give you one direct example. Um, we had heard year-over-year that one of the concerns with the younger youth model is that it was very virtual. Um, and we started to see in the data and in in responses from young people that they wanted more in-person out of their house activity. And so this year we have moved to require that 50% of those programs will be in person as a direct response to what we were seeing in that survey data >> and and especially with the middle school. Did they also talk about the $700 stipen that they don't like? Did was that some of their feedback as well? Um, look, I think we believe in that model as a a concept, right? We do think that it's really um it is as a as a program policy. It makes a lot of sense that a young person's first experience isn't good. Like a 14-year-old shouldn't have the same experience as a 24y old. And so we believe in the model. We, you know, believe it or not, have really high satisfaction rates with that model. I think 95% of the uh participants who responded who were younger youth participants said that we were satisfied or very satisfied >> with the $700 >> with the program overall. >> Oh, no. I was talking about the $700. >> Well, >> that's that's that's the the thing that I'm trying to hear you >> put the thumb on. >> The $700 is a part of their overall experience, right? And so if you just take a step back and think about how a young person is telling S DYCD whether they enjoyed the program or not, we're getting really positive feedback and we have way more than enough applications to fill those slots. So it's not like we have a lack of young people filling those slots. That said, we are always looking at the models really closely and talking to our partners at OM about where we see areas for improvement. >> Yeah, let's start with the $700. Let's see an area of improvement there. Um because I think we can laugh about it, but we know that a young person who's 14, 15, how vulnerable they are. And when we um offer them $700 and then other folks can offer them $1,000, they're going to take that. And I think that that is important. And that brings me to the next question. Last year, we had a huge scandal around debit cards. And those young people were vulnerable and they sold it because guess what? If I offered you $1,000 for your card and you only gave me seven, I'm like, here you go. So, that is a place where we can see in real time that it is not enough. And so, they can say they're satisfied with the program, but clearly it's not enough. And so, what are we doing to make sure that to ensure that that doesn't happen this year? Um, and what like what are next steps to just also secure the safety of young people? Yeah, look, obviously we were extremely concerned and and if I can even say devastated about what happened last summer and we moved immediately our priority was first and foremost to protect the participants and then also to in uh protect the integrity of the program which we hold really dear. Um and so after we got through the initial kind of crisis of last summer, we've started looking really closely at all of our policies and procedures. That summer we made many referrals to DOI and NYPD and we have been following all of their guidance. Um, but we also worked with our payroll vendor to assess all of the controls in place to better understand what they're doing to work with the banks to make sure that they've put all of the controls that are necessary in place. And you know, for my team, our responsibility at DYCD is also to ensure that we're monitoring our providers and putting policies in place that uh they are able to follow and that we're issuing corrective active action plans where we see any vulnerabilities caused by our providers. And so we've been working with our team at DYCD to implement every uh safe measure that we can to protect the program this year. >> Thank you. Um, I do know that last summer, um, you guys acted very swiftly and was trying to mitigate the entirety. Um, so, but you know, I always want us to be thinking about how do we prevent things moving forward, um, because we just don't want that to happen again. Um and that is it for you. So, thank you so much. Um, we're going to be talking about RHY, so I'm assuming Susan will be coming up and Oh, it's not you anymore. Oh, look at that. Look at this. >> They're throwing me out there. Okay. Um, for fiscal 2027, plume plan did not include additional funding for RHY programming. Has DYCD had conversations with OM to fund um, and rightsize those programs? Chair Stevens, we're always in conversations with OMB about sizing programs. Um, as you know, we're in a fiscal crisis and we're trying to figure out how we can identify savings. So, we we'll continue to have conversations, but we're not there yet. The administration provided baseline funding for 6 million in FY26 primary budget for 100 beds for homeless um young adults ages 21 to 24 at the rate of 49 to 50,000 per bed. The additional pet beds were a win. So, thank you. However, providers are advocating for the rate of 70k per bed to ensure that providers um to provide for providers to offer the needed level of services for RHY requirements. Has the agency had a conversation with providers for additional funding to support the acts for seven um 70k per bed? >> We're still working with OMB. I think that when it comes to um procurement, we have to wait for the new RFP. Um that's why we use the rates um that we did for those existing 100 beds because they're against the existing contracts that those providers had. As we transition into the new um procurement for RHY and we to determine the cost um we will try to see how we can increase that rate. >> Yeah. Um, I think that is really important and you listen, no one was loud about those beds than me and and so, you know, I don't want to take away from the wind because I because I remember the last OB was like, Alia, every time I give you something, you come back with a new axe. But I do, but, you know, I think we have to make sure that we're working with providers so that they can provide quality service as well. Um what is the current RHY budget and when was the last budget increased with the expansion of this um 6 million per fiscal year? >> Well the all contracts receive additional funding for way ICR and COLA. So we we the city has been making small incremental changes to providers baseline funding um for a number of years. And regarding the RHI portfolio, we have not done any substantial increases to it because we haven't done any new procurements, but currently the baseline budget for the RH portfolio is about 63 million. >> Um can the agency update us on the status of 100 um beds distributions? were where were they um distributed geographically and how many if any have all been occupied? >> I'm going to defer to associate commissioner Wanda Ashro. >> Good afternoon. Have to look at the time. Um okay, so yes, we allocated um 100 beds across seven sites. Um we actually issued a survey um to gather um provider interest. Um and uh we had about one, two, three, four, five, six, five providers that responded. Um but again, we were able to allocate um 100 beds to seven sites. 50 of them have already are are operational. um 50 of the beds already operational at four locations and then uh the other 50 are in varying stages of um coming online um including OCFS certifications um having the space um checked um to make sure that it's safe um and then just working with the various landlords to make sure that um it's something that's you know reasonable for the provider. And then you asked me about where >> um most of the new beds were allocated to Manhattan, Stanton Island, and Brooklyn. um based on the provider feedback, but overall there are a total of 264 beds in the Bronx um and 293 um beds in Manhattan. Those are the two. >> But that's not for older youth, right? You're just talking about the beds in general. >> Could you break it down by older youth and younger youth? >> Yep. I can >> I I can I can share that. I think um I can share it by crisis if I maybe can I share it afterwards? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um so I know advocates are advocating for 22.1 million from the state funding for RHY um if the state does not provide additional funding. Would the agency evaluate of ways of providing additional supports for RHY? um especially for like housing um navigators, case management um and if we don't get this from the state like what what are we going to do? So the city has been providing additional resources for the RHIR portfolio annually with the housing navigators or the financial um support for those providers. And so we'll continue to assess at the end of every fiscal year and try to um put that funding for the program area. Um each year as we identify additional resources in the agency and our program team identifies the needs in that area. Um we we give one time increases to that portfolio to address some of the costs there. Um, and we did that during the asylum crisis and as a program team continues to inform us of issues that they're encountering. Um, we try to identify funds in the agency whether it may be due to increase funding from the state that comes in and we're able to utilize it for the portfolio. But when we identify funds and the program team identifies their issues, we try to find ways to um increase the funding for those contracts to address it. What type of reporting does this agency receive from drop in centers and human services um organizations shelters and and how often reporting? What type of reporting >> and how often? >> We can get back to you on that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yep. >> Say again. >> Dy Connect has been how we collect that information. >> How often? Um, oh they they enter the attendance regularly and then we have um is that the only form of reporting >> currently? Yes. >> Is the attendance? >> Yes. >> What type of reports does um what is the percentage of young people that have moved to permanent housing from DY city out of the youth shelters? >> Um I don't the high school. >> You'll think back. Okay, we have to get back to you on that one. >> What does the collaboration look like um um with other agencies for young adults who are transitioning into permanent housing? >> So, we the peer navigators are really good at kind of like helping a young person navigate housing. Um and so that's been that's been working. Um and then we we've been working closely with um NICHA as well as looking at vouchers and section 8 to try and get people young people placed. >> The peer navigators that's not in the budget. >> The peer navig Well the peer navigators >> are not it's not baselined. >> I know. >> I know. >> That's why I just said it. >> I know. I know. But currently the peer navigator >> I'm just happy that you said that it's working and it's necessary and it's not in the budget. So let's continue to highlight that it is necessary and we want it. So, you know, um I'm going to move on to Saturday Night Lights. >> Great. It's me, by the way. >> That's you. >> Yeah. >> Oh, look at Daryl. Is that you? >> What is Daryl do now? >> I can I have been more than happy like >> All right. Well, I mean, you know, I've tortured them enough for four years, so I guess this is another program that I do not like and I'm very vocal about it. Um, and I don't like it because not because of theory, but because it doesn't make sense at this point. Um, does DYCD annual report lists the expansion of the 40 new sites of Saturday Night Lights since 2022? How many sites have been added within the last fiscal year and where are they located? We activated currently we have 142 sites um of which five of the new uh new sites for the fiscal year. Um they're in various stages. I can tell you right now where they're located. Um, thank you Daryl for this. Um, we have in the Bronx, yeah, Common Point, 42nd precinct. We have Brooklyn, um, the 67th precinct. Um, East Flatbush Village is the provider. We have the 46th precinct. Um, Roberto Clemente State, um, Park Bronx. Um, Kevin Shaw Junior Foundation. >> Well, you don't need to list all of them. I'm asking like how many and where are they located? So they're like the breakdown. >> So they are >> because we'll be here a long time and you can send over the complete list. >> All right. All right. All right. Um we have two in the Bronx, one in Brooklyn, and one in Staten Island. >> So there's only been five additional programs that were added this year. >> Yes. >> Okay. Has the agency performed their due diligence to see why the Satite um like how are you evaluating this program and what does that look like? >> Yes. So in the summer of 2024 um we implemented an exploratory evaluation. We contracted with a vendor uh policy studies associate and they gathered feedback from stakeholders including um to talk about program design talking about the benefits um to youth and communities relationships between young people and NYPD. And then we also did focus groups with um SNL leaders. They did site visits and youth interviews. >> So what did you get back from this feedback? >> So some of the feedback was the young people feel safe. Um it's a community resource. >> That's what the kids said. >> Well that it was a survey and yeah that was some some of the feedback and we can share the whole report. >> Yes please. And I would also love to know the kids that gave this feedback. >> All right. Um, does the agency does the agency know how often? Oh, wait. No, no, no, no. Has the agency look into um other influencers to be a part of the program and and impose to have a positive environment? And does the agency know how much overtime was utilized for this program? Um I and I I believe they're asking regarding NYPD, how much overtime was used to support this program. I'm not I don't think I don't know the answer to the NYPD over time, but as far as influencers, um we've in the past we've worked with the Mets, um the Brooklyn Nets, Yankees, Major League Baseball, um New York Liberty and Citywide and SNL in activations throughout the year, including in the summer, and they provide um skills and drills, clinics, um and tickets to the games. Has there been any updates to providing program activities available for those students with disabilities? So, what I will say is that our programs are dedicated to working with youth who have various types of disabilities. Um, the goal is to make reasonable accommodations that ensure every participant can fully engage um in activities. We do know, Chair Stevens, the the PS274, the New American Academy at Roberto Clemente, is a um a wheelchair bound um basketball program. So, that that's like the one that we've seen. >> I know it's my district. >> Okay. >> All right. I'm going to talk about adult literacy. Um and then after that, we're going to go into ONS and Creed. >> That's Daryl, by the way. >> I I know. I figured he must be doing something. So, adult literacy, what is the total uh what is the total adult literacy funding added to the preliminary budget in 2027? >> Welcome, Bobbit. Very nice to see you. >> Good to see you. >> So, I'll I'll take the budget question. Okay, Stevens. So, the budget for adult literacy in FY27 is 14.5 million. Um, there is a reduction in funding. So on FY26 it is 28 million and the large the reduction of funding is primarily associated with the um council funding that we get during the ADOT budget. >> Is the funding for DYCD RFP um adult literacy contracts added to the budget through fiscal 2029? >> Yes. Um prior to the release of the RFP we had to have the funding baselined in and then post that typically during the adopt plan we would um add additional slots depending upon how the um funding is awarded. What is the total um current fiscal 2026 funding for all adult literacy programs, DYCD and discretionary funding? >> Total funding on FI26 is 28 million. >> Um the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy presents a proposal to DYCD leadership in last November calling on the Mandi Administration fiscal 2027 to invest 20 million in New York City's adult education funding stream, Education for Integrity and Equality. would that that would provide new seats and unfiltered across the adult I mean of English language basic education and digital literacy the high school equivalency and civics education classes for immigrants and New Yorkers um new yorkers um regardless of their immigration status. This investment will be in addition to the 12 million including fiscal 2027 preliminary budget to continue to fund DYCD RFP contracted literacy programs. Has ZYCD advocated for this inclusion of the new funding stream in the new with the new administration or with OM? >> Thank you, chair, um, for the question and for recognizing CD. Uh, DSC welcomes additional funding to support adult literacy programs and of course, thanks the council for your long-standing uh, interest and support of it. And we're still reviewing the Nikal proposal. Uh we thank NCal and the LACE for taking the time to create the proposal. >> But did you advocate for it? Because I know you said thank you, but what are we? >> Well, as was pointed out earlier, the commissioner has been here for three weeks. So among the things that she's assessing, we'll be looking at the Nike proposal. >> Okay, great. Those are our friends. So let's make sure we look very closely at that. What does what measures has DYCD taken to ensure all um protections of individual levels data of student access um accessing adult literacy um are being taken? >> We take participant um data and privacy concerns very seriously and we follow all city regulations and policies for safeguarding that data. >> Okay. All right. We're going to move on to ons. Thank you. Again, I don't know why everybody just keeps it in this. I just don't understand. It's three empty seats. I just It just makes me crazy. That seat must be high. All right. Fiscal 2027 primary budget headcount is 49 positions for this program. ONS a vacancy of 21 compared to the fiscal 2026 January actual of 28. Why is there a vacancy of 21 in this headcount for ONS? >> Sorry, let me just correct it. It's uh I believe the 21 is not a vacancy. It's a variance from the uh 49. >> Okay. >> The 21 um is I believe the direct program staff. 22 are direct program staff and then the rest are uh housed in different parts of the agency supporting the contracting the budgets and all the other stuff. >> Um is the ons program fully operational with with a significant headcount? >> Chef Stevens so on the programmatic side yes the headcount is meeting the need as you know we are covering program oversight maintaining regular contact with providers providing the supports and technical assistance. Um we're out in the streets and on the ground alongside providers helping to coordinate when needed. And a huge thank you to you, Chair Stevens, um and to your entire team who activated a few weeks ago um during the team takeovers that we activated in the Bronx and in Brooklyn. So I appreciate you and your team. >> Yeah, they definitely were trying to come to my district, but I guess the rain stopped them. So yeah, >> luckily. >> Um what um what open positions do you have in ONS currently? So we have two positions in the programmatic side of ONS. It's the assistant director for CMS and then we have one initiative manager position which is the equivalent of a program manager if you will. >> Um how many agencies are collaborating with for the cure um cure violence program? As part of the crisis management system, we have 18 organizations that also implement that cure violence approach. >> A recent report on the Department of Community Safety mirrors the ONS program. Is is this um um rebranding of ONS? If so, will there be changes to implementation? And would the program remain under DYCD? We're still assessing that in partnership with uh city hall. >> Well, I want to go on for record for saying I think that we have moved this program around so much. They deserve a home and I think that especially with new agencies coming online, it often comes with a lot of bumps and they need to be there until things are worked out fully because they have had a lot of transition and I think that that has been some of the issue with them. So, I'm going to continue to advocate that as that is being flushed out and thought about that they are safe with the DYCD family until it's time to pass off. But I really want us to make sure that we think about what that transitions look like because they have had a lot of transition. And I honestly do not feel like it's fair to those organizations and those people who are doing the work to have to keep re-imagining their work because they're under new leadership. It's not fair to them. So, I just need to go on record for saying that. So, I'm going to move on to the CRED program. CRED. Creed. CRED. >> All right. CRED. Um, what percentage of the CRED program supports previously incarcerated individuals? Oh, you're back. Listen, there's been a lot of changes. I don't know who's doing what these days. You guys are trying to trick me. What is going I need a org chart after this. No, but this one is mine because this one sits really solidly in the DIYCD workforce development team because um >> yeah, we've applied that kind of DYCD framework to this program. But I do need you to repeat the question because I didn't hear it. >> I know we next time we have to get you a little thing because I can't hear either. That's why I have this. What percentage of credit programs support previously incarcerated individuals? >> Yes. So, um, we have had a few cohorts go through the cred program. Right now, the latest data is that about 30% report having been arrested before. Okay. Does the city partner with city agencies such as DOC, DOP, MACJ, or district attorneys? If so, what is the capacity? Um, do you work with them in those other agencies? >> Absolutely. Uh, this program was always intended to to operate in close collaboration with all of those that you named. Um so we work with doc with mockj with our CMS ONS team and their CMS network um with the department of veteran services and this is uh everything from my team directly partnering with our colleagues at those city agencies to share information about the program and receive direct referrals but it's also about training our providers in the credit program um who many of them have their own long-standing relationships with DOC with the OP with all these agencies that you named and are doing direct partnership to And so we have been supporting all of those efforts um both taking direct recruitment ourselves and helping our providers make those connections on the ground. >> What metrics are being used to measure success for the credit program? >> Yes, love this question. Um so of course we track enrollment, attendance, engagement, um how many of the participants are doing an internship and how many hours they're doing. Um but in CRED, we also looking really closely at how many of our participants are obtaining a credential uh through the program. And then um we are building out our capacity to be able to track how many are placed in full-time employment, unsubsidized full-time employment, which is the ultimate goal of the program after they exit the program. >> Well, this is one of those programs that I know was like talked about a lot and had a lot of hype around it from um our former commissioner who was really excited about this. And so I I will make sure that we continue to monitor this and see how we can continue to collaborate. And with that, how was it? Did I behave? >> You were great. >> All right. I told her she was very nervous and I thought it was going to be very nice >> for her first hearing. >> And I think I did that right. I didn't go to >> Look, even Susan is clapping. She never clapped. So >> So I I know I was nice. All right. So with that, I have no more questions for you guys unless you want to share something. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Amazing. Thank you guys for being here with us today. >> Thank you. >> I will now be moving into public testimony. I I need to All right. I will now open the floor for public testimony. Before we begin, I remind members of the public that this is a formal government proceeding and that the quorum shall be observed at all times. As such, members of the public should remain silent at all times. The witness table is reserved for people who wish to testify. No video recordings of photography is allowed from the witness table. Further, members of the public may not present audio or video recordings as testimony, but may submit transcripts of such recordings to the Sergeant-at-Arms for conclusion of the hearing. If you wish to speak today at today's hearing, please fill out the appearance card with the Sergeant-at-Arms and wait for your name to be called. Once your name is recognized, you have two minutes to speak on today's hearing topic, which is the preliminary budget for 2020 27 fiscal year. If you have written testimony or additional testimony you may wish to submit for um for the recording for the record, please provide a copy of the testimony to the sergeant-at-arms. If you also email written testimony to testimony at council.nyc.gov within 72 hours of this hearing. Audio and video recordings will not be accepted. Um when you hear your name, please come to the witness panel for the first panel. You could I'm not reading those names. I just want to remind everybody we have a lot of people here to testify and so we I will be very strict with time but however you know my rule young people if they're in the room I will be allowing them to speak first they will not be timed. So do not feel a type of way if a young person goes over because what is this the committee on children and youth and we will be supporting the young people but everybody else you get two minutes and I'm will be serious and holding time really seriously today. So, thank you because we have an event and so want to get through and hear everyone. So, Elizabeth will call the first panel. Thank you. >> Hi. For the first panel, we're gonna call Kate Connelly, um Hazam Wahib. Oh, we have two slips. Sasha Kaputskova Chanel Staggers. Let's see. We could do more. Thank you. >> No, no, it's just us. It's just us. >> Is that it? >> You can call more people. >> Yeah. Um, I'm also gonna call Sebastian Vonte and Gregory Brener. >> Oh, Gregory's coming. >> You guys can begin. No rush. You have time. Whoever can begin. Uh good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to testify um and for your continual commitment to supporting runaway and homeless youth across New York City. Uh, my name is Sebastian Vonte and I serve as the associate vice president of the streetwork project at Safe Horizon where we work every day with young people navigating homelessness trafficking family rejection, and deep systemic barriers. Safe horizon envisions a world where safety is a universal human right, and we all share a collective responsibility to protect and uphold it. The young people we serve are resilient and full of potential, but the systems meant to support them must be adequately resourced to meet the moment. I will be submitting my full written testimony, but want to emphasize a few points today. First, we urge the council to restore and expand initiative funding that organizations like Safe Horizon rely on. We are seeking enhancements to the initiative to combat sexual assault which supports our child advocacy centers and support for persons involved in the sex trade initiative which supports street work. We are also requesting continued funding through the LGBTQIA plus youth support and services initiative as well as speakers initiative funding that supports our work with undocumented and migrant youth seeking our support. We are dis we were disheartened to see cuts to RHY budget in the mayor's preliminary budget but we are now hearing that those cuts won't be happening. That is good news. But I will take this time to say the final budget must include the following. First we urge the admin to increase RHY bed rates so they accur so they accurately reflect the true cost of operating these programs in New York City. Second, we urge the city to release the RHY RFP. Providers and young people alike need stability. Delays in procurement create unertainty for programs. Uh third, we asked the admin to baseline 1.6 million for peer navigators and 1.6 million for housing navigators. >> 10 seconds. >> These roles have proven essential to young people finding stability. Fourth, we must increase the number of beds available for both young adults age 21 to 25. Told you got a lot to get through. Sorry. >> Mr. Sebastian, you know, we'll talk later. >> Good morning, Chair Stevens and the committee of on children and youth. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Chanel Staggers. I'm a 25-year-old senior at City College and also a Harlem native. I became connected to Anthos Home program as a participant two and a half years ago and have been a member of the Anthos Home Speakers Bureau for the past six months. Today I'd like to speak on how we can support young adults aging out of foster care to live and thrive independently. As I was aging out of foster care, I began college in January 2020 at 20 years old right before co to study political science. I moved into the dorm so I could access stable housing and move and to move out of my group home. I was only 22 years old when I moved onto my campus dorm and well when I moved out of my campus dorm and moved into an off-campus apartment that my scholarship my scholarship was offering. Unfortunately, I experienced a dysfunctional and hostile housing um housing environment and the severity of the situation meant I could not reside there no more. My initial goal was to finish college before I got my own apartment, but my academics was interrupted due to my age. And since I exhausted all of my other options, I didn't have any other choice but to transition and live independently. I reached out to my resources at ACS who helped me obtain my housing voucher. Even before I got my voucher, I looked for months on my own, emailing brokers, calling landlords, searching street easy and was not able to find anything. As soon as I mentioned my voucher, I was ghosted and I was connected with Anthos Home through ACS. Um, luckily, Anthos Home came in a very transitional moment and gave me actionable steps for me for what to do and it felt more reliable than trying to do it myself. Once Anthos Home was the home finder, the barriers were were were removed. I filled out the paperwork and got my apartment quickly and was got approved for my second apartment and moved in quickly. With Enthos Home, I found my apartment and moved in two months compared to the months I was searching before. I broke out of the repetitive process. It was all quicker with more support. The housing navigation services were essential. So, unfortunately, my story is not unique. In the city of New York, hundreds of young adults age out of foster care every year without long-term stability. Funding for specialized support like housing navigators through Anthos Home enhances stability for young adults in transition. Since September 2023, Anthos Home has over 150 youth who aged out of foster care, including myself, into stable homes. Um, there's also opportunities for lowcost process changes that will ease the burden on young adults navigating independently for the first time. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. >> Thank you. You were reading really fast. You just be reading. Appreciate that. >> You said two minutes. >> Good afternoon, Chair Stevens and the Committee on Children and Youth. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is Sash Kubsovva and I'm an aftercare specialist at Anthos Home. We help New Yorkers with housing vouchers move out of shelter and into permanent housing as quickly as possible. We are a member of the family homelessness coalition, homeless service united and the homes and the homes can't wait coalition. Today I'd like to speak about how we can address the student and youth homelessness crisis. Last year, more than 150,000 students experienced homelessness and 60 67% um of students in shelter were chronically absent. While housing vouchers are a proven solution to homelessness, they are dramatically underutilized. The state controller estimated that only 21% of households with shopping letters get their vouchers approved. Challenges compound for young adults without support systems and parents managing their children's needs while living in shelter. At Anthos Home, we not only see the devastating impact of housing instability, but also how targeted housing assistance can make an enormous enormous difference. Our program shows how filling in the gaps in voucher processes eliminates the roadblocks youth and families face. Since September 2023, we've moved more than moved more than a thousand uh New Yorkers into homes, including over 430 children and 155 youth aging out of foster care and maintained 100% stability. We request funding for a school-based housing pilot and that would bring our model to a group of high need public schools and move all voucher eligible students and their families out of shelter and into homes by pairing by pairing um NYCPS's communication pathways with Anthos Homes housing navigation expertise. The pilot will address a root cause of chronic absenteeism and student well-being housing instability while reducing associated costs like busing. There are also opportunities for lowcost process changes that would ease the burden on youth and families, including streamlining the city's voucher package and guaranteeing initial shelter placements near a child's school. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. >> Good afternoon, Chair Stevens. My name is Kate Connelly and I'm a senior policy analyst for United Neighborhood Houses, which represents settlement houses across the state. Um, I want to highlight a few issues today. First, we ask that the city both baseline promise NYC and increase funding to $50 million. The success of the program has driven significant demand and weight lists for programs across the city have grown. Um, and although we're excited by new investments in childare across the state, we want to also emphasize the importance of this particular model and the care and attention it gives to the exact families that are most likely to fall through the cracks of traditional programs. An additional investment would allow the program to serve more families and expand to additional providers. Second, we ask that the city council continue its investment in adult literacy programming. Um, discretionary funding currently sustains more than 60 programs and for some of these programs, it's the sole funding source for sustaining them. We really urge that city council renew this funding to make sure these programs can continue after June. Uh, third, I want to bring up something that I know you brought up today earlier, which is the cornerstone model. Um, as mentioned during your questioning, Cornerstone programs face significant challenges due to failing NICHA infrastructure, including the levying of fines from DOH and FDNY. Uh, we're not anti-inspections. We appreciate that they're based on regulations that keep participants and staff safe, but there is insufficient communication between the inspecting agencies and DYCD and NICHA. Um, we really encourage and we we think the city must commit to covering the costs of DOH and FDNY violation vines for Cornerstone Community Centers, especially when this issue has already been communicated to DYCD or NICHA so it doesn't come out of program budgets. And finally, um, after school, with the awards for the recent compass RFP coming soon, we urge DYCD and Mox to properly prepare for this massive undertaking. Um, we urge the city to review the number of fiscal staff at DYCD and secure funding for additional staff to prevent a contracting bottleneck. We heard about some of this today and it sounds great, but we want to make sure there's plenty of oversight. Um, and then I also just want to say I was very excited as I think you were uh to hear that the new commissioner says she'll be looking at alternative models for summer rising. We have a report on this and are happy to share more with the rest of the committee. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good afternoon, Chair Stevens and members of the committee on children and youth. My name is Wahib and I'm the assistant executive director at the ArabAmerican Family Support Center, also known as AFSC. Each year, AFSC serves roughly 20,000 New Yorkers and our staff speaks more than 20 languages. Over 70% of our clients were born outside the United States, many from historically underserved communities. Our work focuses on helping families stabilize during challenging times and build the support they need to thrive. Today, I want to highlight three initiatives uh that are critical to supporting immigrant children, youth, and families across New York City. First, AFSC is proud to be a recipient of city's first readers uh funding. Through this initiative, we operate our caregiver child bonding circle, a linguistically accessible parenting program for caregivers and children uh ages 0 to three offered in Arabic and Bangla. The caregivers were served are primarily lowincome Arab and South Asian women, many of whom face uh barriers such as limited formal education, unemployment, and social social uh isolation. Uh, also critical to our community is our young adult and youth program serving immigrant and refugee youth ages 10 to 24. Uh, at a time when many uh, young people in our communities face immigration related trauma, rise in hat incidents, and the impact of global conflicts, uh, this program provides a safe space for academic support, mentorship, civic engagement, and mental health resources. In 2025 alone, the program served 220 young people. Finally, the uh through our adult literacy forward, AFSC provides free adult literacy classes for immigrant and refugee learners across the five burrows and the current climate of heightened anti-immigrant enforcement. These programs also serve as a trusted space where immigrants can access services, resources, and support without fear. To continue meeting the growing demand, we respectfully request 10 million for the city's first readers initiative, 70,000 uh in >> 10 seconds >> in discretionary funding for AFSC caregiving child uh caregiver child bonding circle 100,000 for the adult >> time. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Chair Stevens um for convening this hearing and for the opportunity to testify. My name is Gregory Brener and I'm here on behalf of the Daycare Council of New York. We are the membership organization of early care and education providers in New York City and we're working towards a future where all children have access to highquality early childhood education and providers in their workforces have the tools and resources they need to deliver it. Want to just touch on a few points uh about early childhood education in the prelim budget. First around the childare assistance program over 10,000 families remain on weight lists for childcare vouchers throughout the through the administration for children's services. Uh this leaves many families who are uh working families but struggling to afford child care unable to access vouchers. Uh thanks to this council's uh push last year, there was an increased investment. Um and we're thrilled that there's also an increased investment from Governor Hokll in her uh executive budget. However, from what we've been told at previous hearings, this will only be enough to maintain care for those families who are currently receiving vouchers. It will not clear the weight list. Therefore, we urge the city to both provide additional funding to support moving families off of the voucher waiting list and into care and to immediately connect those some families who are on the wait list with opportunities to access extended day extended year programs in DOE contracted community- based organizations. I also wanted to um echo what Kate was talking about with Promise NYC. Uh this remains a crucial program um and something that provides a service that really is not available even with some of the expansions to many families who would not be able to access uh child care assistance under current conditions. Uh we urge the increased investment to $50 million to renew and enhance Promise NYC to both serve more families and increase the number of providers who are offering access. Finally, um, in my 10 seconds, I'll just go to say that in in the rest of our testimony, uh, we have some recommendations on how to better support the early childhood workforce in every setting, whether it is in homebased or community based settings forces underpaid and underappreciated. And we, the city must take action to ensure that this staff uh, whether it's teachers, staff, directors, or homebased providers get the deserve. Thank you. >> I don't have any questions for this panel. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Next panel we're going to call Elizabeth Delgado, uh, Josiah Martinez, Susan Graves, and Elana Amaro, Sarah Cooperberg, and Mitare Am Amarazzar. you can get started. >> Hello. Oh, hi. My name is Michelle Manzad. Um, I'm the youthbook program manager at Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, short for NIMIC. Um, and I'm here to speak on behalf of the Youthbook Program, which is a high school equivalency and um, employment readiness training for young adults ages 17 through 24 um, in New York City um, who support well, we support um, young adults who are out of school and out of work. We would like to thank um city council members uh for their previous support and respectfully request the renewal of our fiscal year 25 350,000 youth build allocation for fiscal year 27. Um I'm honestly going to let my students lead the way in terms of sharing their experience, their impact, and why this is important. So >> great. So go ahead. >> Good afternoon everyone. My name is Josiah Martinez. I truly appreciate the opportunity to be here and share a part of my journey with you. I joined YouthBuild during a time when I knew I needed something different for my life. I wanted more structure, more purpose, and a clearer direction for my future. I was ready to grow, but I also knew I couldn't do it alone. I needed an environment that would challenge me, support me, and hold me accountable. When I made the decision to join YouthBuild, I was looking to gain practical skills and work toward real goals. What I didn't realize at the time was how much it would shape me as a person. The program pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone. It taught me discipline, showing up on time, staying consistent, and putting in effort even on days when motivation wasn't there. Some things I've done during this cohort was obtaining my GED. I competed in the soapbox speech competition, which I am still competing in, received two certifications such as a customer service and Microsoft certification. Also, I volunteered for a food pantry at NIMK and even dressed up as Santa for families served there around Christmas time. One of the most powerful parts of this experience has been the sense of community. Being surrounded by people who are striving to improve their lives creates a different kind of energy. You start to push yourself harder because you see others doing the same. You learn the value of teamwork, communication, and supporting one another. Youth build has influenced my mindset in a major way. I've gained confidence in my abilities, strengthen my work ethic, and learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth instead of setbacks. I now approach my goals with more focus and determination. I believe in my potential in a way that I may not have before. I'm incredibly grateful for this experience, for the mentors and peer who supported me, and for the lessons that will stay with me long after the program. Youth Build hasn't just prepared me for a job, it's helped me prepare for life. Thank you for giving me a chance to share my story. >> Good afternoon. My name is Jada Glover. Thank you committee. I am a current student at Nimic Youth Build. Before Nimic, I had no structure. Now that now that I have worked with Nimik, I have seen drastic changes in me personally. Youth build is a great program for the youth and I encourage you all to keep funding the program so that I can continue to grow and others too. Good afternoon committee. My name is Beth Delgado. I am a current student at Youth Build. My goals are getting my diploma and going to college. And Youth Build has helped me with a lot of my daily struggles. One is being one is having social anxiety and the main goal that you know Miss A has tried with me was getting me out of my comfort zone and it's it has helped me throughout my whole struggle with that. Um another is giving me motivation to finish school and they just keep pushing me to be a better version of myself on the daily. So you keep Hi, good afternoon. My name is Eliana Marorrow and I am a current student at Youth Build and I just want to share my experience and it's been an amazing program so far. I've been able to understand um certain life goals that I've been wanting to achieve and they've been helping me out with that. So, I really hope that you guys are able to keep funding the program because it's really good for the youth. Hello. Um, I'll close out briefly. I'm My name is Sarah. I'm a masterers of social work intern with YouthBuild Nimic. Um, I've had the opportunity to work with a number of these exceptional youth joining us today. Um, through their paths, and um, some have experience in foster care, are facing housing instability, overcoming mental health issues, um, and all meeting complex financial um, and caregiving demands. But with small sizes, case management, consistent check-ins, access to counseling and social emotional learning. Youth Build is holistic where it offers a space where young people can bring their full selves to the table, the support to process and navigate challenges, the community to push them out of their comfort zones, and provide reassurance and the autonomy for candidates to decide what they want to work on and work towards. Um, so I won't take up too much of your time, but I just we ask for your continued support in recognition of the type of um support that um this type of work can bring in young people's lives. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Well, I'm a huge supporter of Youth Build and thank you guys for joining us today and I hope that wasn't too much for you guys. Appreciate you. I have no questions for this panel. For the next panel, we're going to call Isabella Perez, Lyanna Ellison, Kiana Brave Boy, Bennett Cobb, Melenna Ben Margie, and Jona Billy, and Jasmine Reed Cordderero. Okay. So, those folks aren't here. We're going to call some more folks then. >> Yes. Can you give me >> They're not here. >> They're not here. >> So, let's add more. >> Okay. Um, Kava Safehoi, Sophia Shei, Era Yanowitz, Teresa Balik. You have to press the button. So sorry. >> No, you're totally fine. >> Good afternoon, members of the committee. Um, my name is Kiana Braveoy and I am a proud member of the Lower East Side. Um, thank you for allowing me to speak about my my opportunities while I was there. When I first started out at Girls Club, I was very timid, introverted, nervous, and I didn't go out much. I kept to myself most of the time, and I was in my senior year of 8th grade, so I've come a long way since then. Um during the summer of girls club is when I began to open up more. More of the staff members began noticing me which is something that never really happened. I got more opportunities and chances to speak out. They were interested in what I actually had to say and that made me really happy because when growing up not many people listen to little girls like me because at the end of the day they saw us as little girls. Girls Club really changed that for me with funding cuts and due to with funding cuts they have to limit their programs and they are not able to support as much as the support us as females as much as they want to support us which hurts because um if there's no support for girls club I fear that there won't be as many girls and growing women like me to speak up and have fun and enjoy themselves. the less and less I'm able to go to Girls Club, I think the more and more I feel myself going back into that show. I want everybody to have a chance, more girls to have a chance to have that safe space to allow themselves to open up and be free and just unleash themselves in the best and most positive way possible. Um I we um we are requesting a 50,000 funding enhancement per stars partner organization to strengthen staffing systems and as well as um operational infrastructure needed in girls club which would also increase from 100,000 to 150,000 for the stars in additions to 125,000 for new girls city. There's several stories that are not just me but every girl around the world and I really hope that you consider this. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for being on this panel. >> Thank you. >> Is it great? >> Good afternoon, Chair Stevens. My name is Ira Yanquet and I'm the executive director of the Literacy Assistance Center. I'm also a proud member of the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy. Currently, there is approximately $ 103.5 million in federal, state, and city funding for adult literacy education in New York City. Over $24 million of this funding comes from the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title 2. The Trump administration had called for the complete elimination of this funding in the FY26 federal budget and may do so again in FY27. In the meantime, the Trump administration is seeking to exclude students from federally funded adult literacy classes based solely on their immigration status. Approximately 1.7 million of the 2.2 million adults in need of adult literacy services in New York City are immigrants. as are over 75% of current adult literacy students. Such restrictions could have a devastating effect on our immigrant communities. In response, and as you noted earlier, Nikal is calling on the mayor to invest $20 million in a new city adult education funding stream, education for integration and equity that would provide new seats and unfettered access to English language, basic education, digital literacy, high school equivalency, and civics education classes for immigrant New Yorkers regardless of their status. This investment would be in addition to the $12 million included in the FY27 preliminary budget to continue to fund DYCD RFP contracted adult literacy programs. NIKAL is also calling on the city council to increase council discretionary funding for adult literacy education from $14.5 million to $18 million and to consolidate the two current count council discretionary initiatives for adult literacy under adult literacy forward. City Council discretionary adult literacy funding has become vital to the 63 CBOS, CUTUNY colleges, and library programs that receive it. Increasing the funding by $3.5 million would enable these programs and potentially others to serve thousand more adults in need. Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify. >> Thank you for being on two minutes. >> Uh good afternoon, Chief Chair Stevens and members of the committee. Uh my name is Cave Sarajjoy. I'm the executive director of the Liz Smith Center for Adult and Family Learning and Literacy Partners and a proud member of the New York Coalition for Adult Literacy. Um, as the council continues to focus on liter literacy reform, I want to emphasize that New York City's literacy crisis is a two generational one, the focus on children is critically important and necessary. But if we want to truly address literacy gaps across the city, we also have to invest in the parents and caregivers raising those children. Um, right now more than 2.2 2 million adults in New York City have limited English proficiency or don't have a high school diploma and only two two to 3% of those uh those families are being served right now. Um that's why uh we are joining IAL and calling for the administration to invest 20 million in a new city adult education funding stream education for integration and equity that Ira spoke about and you had mentioned previously. Um and I just want to share a quick uh story that one of our u students in our class has asked to share. Um, when adults build their literacy, English language, and advocacy skills, the benefits don't stop with them. Those skills strengthen their families, improve child outcomes, and help build healthier, more connected communities. I want to highlight two gener two generational impact with the story of one of our students, Yenia, who asked us to share experience in spaces where decisions are made that affect families like hers. Yenni was detained in a routine immigration status appointment and separated from her husband and child who has autism spectrum disorder for 5 days. She told us in the detention center everything was in English and everyone spoke English. I became the translator for the friends I made from other countries who were also detained, helping them communicate their basic needs because they didn't know how to speak for things in English, even something as simple as water. With a little English I learned in these classes, I was able to help them get the necessities they needed. That experience gave me the confidence to speak without fear, not only to advocate for myself, but also for others who had no way to communicate. That confidence and those skills were built in part in the free parent focused ESL classes. and she felt English was one of the determining factors that allowed for her release. Uh Yenni's story is a reminder that when we invest in adult literacy, we're also investing in children and family stability of our communities. Thanks for your attention. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Oh, uh good afternoon, Chair Stevens and members of the committee. My name is Sophia Shei and I am a program coordinator here um sorry at Karan Community Services in Metropolitan New York Inc. KCS. As a nonprofit, our organization has been providing a multitude of services to underserved communities across New York City for over 53 years. In addition, KCS is also a proud member of the of Nikal. Um at KCS, we have seen firsthand the importance and positive impact of adult literacy classes in our community. Recently, I spoke with a student who had been attending our ESL classes for over a year. Her initial goals was to improve her vocabulary and grow more confident in speaking with her community members. She is now pursuing a career in translation with