CCC Testimony: New York State Senate Roundtable on Human Services

Published November, 2011

CCC testified about the impact the economic downturn has had on families and the increasing demand for services at the New York State Senate Roundtable on Human Services, held on November 29, 2011 in New York City.

CCC’s testimony explained that the Roundtable was timely as the State began preparation for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget process given that recent US Census data documented increased poverty, homelessness, and unemployment in New York. CCC testified that cutting the programs that keep families out of poverty would only deepen the State’s economic challenges. In addition, cutting programs such as child abuse prevention services, home visiting, childcare and after school programs, which play a fundamental role in parental employment stability, school preparedness, and have been proven to prevent more costly interventions such as foster care or juvenile justice placements, would also compound the economic problems faced by families and the State.

CCC urged the Senate to use the upcoming State Budget to stabilize the child care system, restore child welfare reimbursement rates to their statutory levels, close under-utilized juvenile placement facilities and give New York City local control of its juvenile justice system, spare youth services for any cuts, create a housing subsidy for homeless families, amongst other suggestions.