Citizens' Committee for Children of New York

💡 Fact: New York has one of the largest economies in the world. ❗ BUT New York children are -more likely- to live in poverty than in 32 other states. 🚼 That's roughly 1 in 5 children living in poverty! This rate approaches 1 in 3 among children of color and affects nearly half of children in some areas like Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse. 🔧 Though child poverty facts are most certainly not fun facts, they are fixable facts. 👍 The good news is that New York leaders CAN end child poverty. ✅ How? By including proven investments in the state budget that increase food and housing security and improve economic stability and tax credits. 📨 CCC has a digital letter campaign addressing the concrete actions Governor Hochul and the state legislature can take in this year's budget to invest in ending child poverty. Please take a moment to send a letter with us: https://bit.ly/nyscp25 #ChildPoverty #PovertyReduction #AntiPoverty #ChildAdvocacy #NY #NYC

🙋💡 Did you know New York State ranks LAST out of all 50 states in timely delivery of Early Intervention services--services critical for the youngest New Yorkers with developmental delays? > Early Intervention is a federally mandated program that provides therapeutic support to infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. > These services can be life changing because of how much a child’s brain develops between birth and age 3. > BUT years of underfunding and inadequate rates have led to provider shortages resulting in serious service delays, particularly for children in low-income communities of color. > In fact, nearly HALF of families whose children are evaluated and deemed eligible for EI services do not receive them within the legally required timelines. > Any delay in services at this critical age of development can have long-term consequences--a months-long wait to a child under three is a significant portion of time, relatively, and children can even age-out of services waiting. > We must encourage leaders to invest in New York’s children early by including increases to EI provider rates, reviewing and working towards a sustainable EI system, and providing loan forgiveness for individuals in higher education who plan to become EI professionals. Take action now: https://bit.ly/einys25 #EarlyIntervention #EI #ChildDevelopment #Education #Advocacy #ChildAdvocacy #NewYork #NYS

Young people are not just the future—they are the present. Their voices must be heard in the conversation about NYC’s next mayor. That’s why we’re supporting the virtual Youth in Focus Mayoral Forum on Thursday, April 17 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Decisions about youth should not be made without youth at the table. The Youth in Focus Mayoral Forum gives young New Yorkers the opportunity to speak directly with candidates. RSVP now: https://lnkd.in/gtvQafAV #NYCYouthForum #NYCYouth #NYCMayor

Real Safety Starts with Supporting NY Youth! Take action with us today: bit.ly/yjif25 Young people in New York have made clear that their vision of community safety requires access to housing, behavioral health care, afterschool programs, year-round employment opportunities and holistic support – not further criminalization. But New York State has failed to fully deliver on its promise to fund community-based services and programs that provide alternatives to incarceration and reentry programs for young people. From 2019-2023, only a third of the money appropriated for youth justice under Raise the Age has been spent. This is why CCC and partners are advocating for the creation of the Youth Justice Innovation Fund, which would allow direct funding to community-based organizations working with youth and young adults ages 12-25 who are or may become justice involved. The funding would support mental health, prevention programs, substance use support, and mentoring, as well as reentry and aftercare. We are already seeing a lot of traction on this issue (including support in the NYS Senate One-House bill) and are hopeful it will cross the finish line! Take action with us today: bit.ly/yjif25 #YouthJustice #YJ #NYS #NY #NewYork #YouthOpportunities

📣 Take Action Now: Tell Governor Hochul and Leaders in Albany to Invest in the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services NY Children Need https://bit.ly/nysbh25 The New York Senate and Assembly budget proposals bring our state closer to addressing the needs of children and families. Help us make sure the Governor and Legislature’s final adopted budget includes $200 million for children’s community and clinical mental health services. Why is this important? 3 in 4 New York State children who need behavioral health care are NOT receiving critical services. Families are forced to wait months or even years for this desperately-needed care. As a result, parents are leaving their jobs so they can navigate the mental health system for their children; children are cycling in and out of ERs and hospitals; and young peoples’ needs are becoming more acute, complex, and difficult to address as they grow into adults. Join us in urging state leaders to support a future where no child is on a waitlist for the behavioral health services they need: https://bit.ly/nysbh25 #MentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth #MetalHealthMatters #BehavioralHealth #NewYork #NY

🆕🆕🆕 We've just released our 2025 statewide index on child well-being in New York--see how your county fares and learn more about how we can make New York a more equitable place for our youngest community members. Home to nearly 20 million residents, New York is a vibrant and diverse state spanning across urban centers, suburban neighborhoods, and rural communities. It is characterized by a distinctive blend of natural beauty and economic opportunity, from the iconic New York City skyline to the scenic landscapes of the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes. However, not all communities experience these opportunities equally. Rural areas often struggle with limited access to essential resources, while urban centers face challenges like high child poverty rates and unaffordable housing. Our well-being index uses administrative data to uncover these regional disparities and identify pathways to building healthier, more equitable communities across the state. Findings across six different domains of well-being (Economic Security, Housing, Health, Education, Youth, and Community) reveal that: ➡️ In 20 Counties more than 20% of children live in households below the poverty level. In 8 counties this percentage is less than 10%. ➡️ Across 55 counties, more than 20% of renter households spend at least half of income on rent. There are no counties where this rate is less than 10%. ➡️ In 40 counties less than 50% of 3- and 4 year-olds are enrolled in early education. In only 6 counties, this percentage is more than 60%. ➡️ In 34 counties more than 10% of households have no broadband internet. In 24 counties this rate is less than 10%. Explore more insights in the report and visit our website for budget and legislative priorities to see how we can work together to create a better future for all New Yorkers. #DataIndex #Data #NewYork #NYS #Advocacy #ChildAdvocacy #PovertyReduction #ChildPoverty #CommunityWellbeing #Equity

Yesterday, the New York State Senate Majority released its One-House Budget Resolution. CCC applauds the NYS Senate for advancing proposals that take important steps towards fighting child poverty, providing the supports families need to thrive, and helping young people reach their potential. These critical proposals include funding a statewide Housing Access Voucher Program, significantly enhancing the state’s child tax credit program, making urgently needed investments in the children’s behavioral health outpatient system, increasing the SNAP minimum benefit amount and increasing funding for other vital nutrition programs, enhancing post-secondary education for foster youth, supporting a Youth Justice Fund, and increasing Early Intervention reimbursement rates, among others. We look forward to working with the Senate, Assembly, and Governor to further develop these proposals and to ensure these and other essential investments for children and families are included in the adopted budget. Read the full press release on the resolution here: https://lnkd.in/ejAy9W78

Child poverty is a policy choice. Child poverty is solvable. At a time when economic hardship is hitting households across the state, it is our leaders' responsibility to invest in poverty reduction. New York ranks 40th in the nation in terms of child poverty, with over 18% of children living below the poverty threshold. But in parts of New York State, child poverty rates are even higher, including the Bronx (35%) and Syracuse (46%). We must change this reality for families. With the historic goal of cutting child poverty by 50% by 2031, New York can achieve this by including investments that address the challenges of child poverty, housing, and food insecurity in the State’s 2025-2026 Budget. Take action with us to urge state leaders to do just that. Together, we can make New York State the best place to raise a family: https://bit.ly/nyscp25 #ChildPoverty #PovertyReduction #NewYork #NYS

CCC puts youth justice in focus.🔎 Late February, Senior Policy & Advocacy Associate Caitlyn Passaretti LMSW, MPA sat down with Steven Yoder from The Imprint News to discuss Raise the Age and unrealized opportunities to support youth. From the article: To cover those costs, the Legislature and governor have appropriated $250 million each year since the law started. But only about a third of that has been disbursed. And most of what has been paid has gone to cover county juvenile justice system costs rather than to prevention services, according to state data obtained by a New York nonprofit through freedom of information requests.  “What was special about Raise the Age was that it didn’t just increase the age of criminal responsibility but also promised this investment into youth services,” said Caitlyn Passaretti of the New York City-based Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York. “Unfortunately, we haven’t seen that come to fruition.” Read more about what's happening with Raise the Age now: https://lnkd.in/e5nmAPFU?