New York state Assembly member Andrew Hevesi (D), left, and Sen. Jabari Brisport (D), stand with lawmakers and advocates supporting a package of bills that would fund communities most affected by child welfare agencies. Photo by Hans Pennink.
By Madison Hunt and Adilia Watson, The Imprint, February 7, 2023
A group of lawmakers, youth activists and advocates for children and families gathered today on the steps of the New York State Capitol to call for direct investments in communities with high rates of child welfare involvement — funds that would bypass child welfare agencies wielding the power to remove kids from home.
Sen. Jabari Brisport (D), chair of the Children and Families Committee in the state Senate, described the package of bills that includes the community fund as an “economic stimulus” for New York’s most vulnerable residents.
A package of bills proposed by two Democratic lawmakers, Brisport and Assembly member Andrew Hevesi (D), would establish a dedicated funding stream for foster care prevention programs, expand access to child tax credits, improve child care and enhance economic stability for low-income families. The lawmakers said they will introduce the package formally in the next two weeks. The legislative and budget proposals are components of the lawmakers’ Children and Families Reinvestment Act, versions of which they have attempted to push through in prior years.
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