We work to ensure all children in America – regardless of immigration status – have access to what they need to survive and thrive.
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New York Racial and Ethnic Impact Statement Requirement Organizational Sign-On Letter (October 2023)
We, the undersigned organizations committed to racial justice, health equity, child wellbeing, and economic mobility, write to you today urging you to take a bold step towards realizing racial equity in New York by requiring the incorporation of racial and ethnic impact statements into our State’s legislative and rule-making processes.
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LEVERAGING RACIAL IMPACT STATEMENTS TO ACHIEVE RACIAL EQUITY IN ALL POLICIES: NATIONAL CONTEXT (Updated October 2023)
Enacting new legislation and rules without first evaluating their potential to disproportionately impact communities of color only perpetuates these disparities. In the absence of racial impact assessment, legislation that “appears” race-neutral at face value can, in practice, adversely – and disparately – affect New York’s children and families of color.
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RACIAL AND ETHNIC HEALTH DISPARITIES IN NEW YORK: AN URGENT CRISIS
New York was recently classified as having among the highest structural racism and income inequality indexes in the entire United States. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made irrefutably evident, perhaps nowhere are racial and ethnic inequities more evident in our State than with regards to health inequities.
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MEDIA RELEASE: Elected Officials and Anti-Poverty, Health Care Access, Anti-Hunger, Education, and Faith-Based Groups Denounce House Speaker McCarthy’s Demands to Cut Safety Net Programs including Food Stamps & Medicaid as Part of Deal to Lift Federal Debt Ceiling
Wall Street, New York, April 17, 2023 — Elected Officials and leaders from anti-poverty, health access, anti-hunger, education, human services, and faith-based groups joined New Yorkers in protesting outside the New York Stock Exchange while House Speaker Kevin McCarthy delivered a speech outlining negotiating terms for lifting the federal debt ceiling.
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70-Organization Childhood Lead Poisoning Budget Investment Sign-On Letter | March 2023
We, the 70 undersigned faith-based, child advocacy, social justice, environmental health and justice advocacy, and philanthropic organizations, write to you to collectively implore you to make bold and critical investments towards combatting and ending the racial, environmental and moral crises of childhood lead exposure and poisoning in New York. As a co-founder and co-leader of Lead Free Kids New York, a growing statewide coalition of individuals, groups, and organizations working to end childhood lead exposure and poisoning in New York, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) stands alongside our partners in urging State Budget investments and policy solutions for childhood lead exposure in housing and other settings within marginalized communities.
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2023 CDF-NY Week of Action Digital Toolkit
The CDF-NY Week of Action Toolkit provides leaders like you with valuable resources to help promote the importance of advocating to our New York elected officials to pass a State budget that prioritizes marginalized children, youth, young adults, families and their communities in the areas of economic mobility, health equity, youth justice and child welfare.
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CDF-NY Testimony on the 2023 – 2024 New York State Housing Executive Budget
As a co-founder and leader of the statewide Lead Free Kids New York coalition and an organization whose policy priorities include such issues as economic mobility, child welfare, youth justice, and health equity – issues all rooted in poverty and which impacts child, youth, and family housing stability – the Children’s Defense Fund-New York (CDF-NY) appreciates the Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony for this Joint Legislative Public Hearing to discuss the Executive Budget for Housing.
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Leveraging Racial & Ethnic Impact Statements to Achieve Racial Equity in All Policies & Rules: New York’s Communities of Color Have a Right to Full Justice & Equity
Our State must take a stand and lead the nation in only legislating policies that uplift, not harm, our most marginalized communities. Now is the time to lead the nation in embarking on the path to achieving equity in all policies.
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CDF-NY Testimony on the 2023 – 2024 New York State Health/Medicaid Executive Budget
Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) thanks the chairs of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony on the 2023 – 2024 New York State Health/Medicaid Executive Budget Proposal.
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CDF-NY Testimony on the 2023 – 2024 New York State Mental Hygiene Executive Budget
Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) thanks the chairs of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony on the 2023 – 2024 New York State Mental Hygiene Executive Budget Proposal.
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PRESS RELEASE: In Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, The Children’s Defense Fund – New York Calls for a Just State Budget that Centers Children, Youth and Families
Today, as a part of its celebration of the life and world-changing legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., renowned civil rights activist and one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in world history, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) releases its Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 Legislative and Budget Agenda, titled Prioritizing the Needs of Children, Youth and Families: New York State Budget and Legislative Priorities.
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Prioritizing the Needs of Children, Youth and Families: New York State Budget and Legislative Priorities FY 2023 – 2024
As communities of color continue to navigate the triple crises of COVID-19, inflation, and systemic oppression rooted in racism, our State elected officials must do what is just, which is to put New York on a strong path to a just equitable recovery by centering and prioritizing the needs of the youngest New Yorkers along with marginalized children, youth and families in the FY 2023-2024 Budget and Legislative Session in ways that center their physical and mental wellness and economic health, thereby enabling them to have joy and to thrive.
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Leveraging Racial & Ethnic Impact Statements To Achieve Racial Equity In All Policies: National Context
Enacting new legislation and rules without first evaluating their potential to disproportionately impact New York’s communities of color only perpetuates deep-rooted and systemic racial and […]
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Telehealth Consumer Survey Deadline Extension Request Letter
We write today to urge you to extend the Telehealth Consumer Survey deadline for an additional 30 days, to past July 31st in order to afford community-based organizations, trusted messengers and healthcare providers adequate time to deploy the survey among the communities they serve and for the State to receive ample survey responses that are truly representative of as many New Yorkers as possible. We also request that paper versions of the survey should be provided to local departments of social services and other community-based partners to ensure individuals who face barriers to responding electronically can participate.
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Telehealth Consumer Survey One-Pager (July 2022)
Calling New Yorkers of ALL AGES: Yes, that means YOU! New York wants to hear YOUR experiences using telehealth services to meet your health and behavioral health needs.
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CDF-NY Public Comment on New York State’s Medicaid § 1115 Waiver Proposal
Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) is grateful to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) for the opportunity to comment on its proposed amendment to New York’s Medicaid Redesign Team Waiver Demonstration, titled Strategic Health Equity Reform Payment Arrangements: Making Targeted, Evidence-Based Investments to Address the Health Disparities Exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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CDF-NY Memorandum in Support of S. 8438 / A. 9294: Continuous Medicaid Eligibility from Infancy to Three Years Old
The Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) strongly supports S. 8438
(Rivera) / A. 9294 (Gottfried), which would extend continuous Medicaid coverage of infants from up to one year to up to three years for families whose income does not exceed 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). -
CDF-NY 2022 Final State Budget Response
Mired in last-minute negotiations to roll-back recent criminal justice reforms, including Raise the Age, the final State Budget is a disappointment for children, youth and families. While we cannot overlook important new investments in child care and health care for new mothers, the budget still failed to prioritize our children.
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Our New York Children’s Budget: A Community Vision for Prioritizing Our Children
New York can and must do better for our children, youth and families. This report is a blueprint for addressing the most pressing needs of New York children, and the Governor and the Legislature must adopt these proposals in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to realize our bold vision rooted in making opportunities accessible, ending harm and transforming systems.
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CDF-NY Testimony | Joint Legislative Hearing on the 2022-2023 New York State Mental Hygiene Executive Budget
The Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) thanks the chairs of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony on the 2022 – 2023 New York State Mental Hygiene Executive Budget Proposal.
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CDF-NY Testimony | Joint Legislative Hearing on the 2022-2023 New York State Health/Medicaid Executive Budget
The Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) thanks the chairs of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee for the opportunity to submit testimony on the 2022 – 2023 New York State Health/Medicaid Executive Budget Proposal.
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Testimony for the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the Executive Budget Proposal for Housing
As a co-founder and leader of the statewide Lead Free Kids New York coalition, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) is grateful to the Senate Finance Committee, the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, and the respective Housing Committees for the opportunity to submit testimony for this Joint Legislative Public Hearing to discuss the Executive Budget for Housing.
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PRESS RELEASE: In Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, The Children’s Defense Fund – New York Releases Its 2022 Legislative and Budget Agenda
Today, as a part of its celebration of the life and world-changing legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., renowned civil rights activist and one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in world history, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) releases its Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Legislative and Budget Agenda, titled Prioritizing the Needs of Children, Youth and Families: New York State Budget and Legislative Priorities.
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PRESS RELEASE: To Continue the Legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), The Children’s Defense Fund – New York Demands the Expansion of Voting Rights for 16- and 17-Year-Olds
Today we commemorate the legacy of Dr. King by calling for the passage of NYS Senate Bill S366, which would lower the voting age in New York State to 16 years and require that students receive education in civics and be allowed to register to vote in the classroom, and for the passage of H.J.Res.23, which would lower the voting age in America to 16 years old.
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Prioritizing the Needs of Children, Youth and Families: New York State Budget and Legislative Priorities (FY 2022-2023)
As our communities continue to navigate the COVID crisis across New York State, we must seize this moment to center the needs of the youngest New Yorkers and to build a bold new vision for marginalized children, youth and families to thrive.
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CDF-NY Public Hearing Testimony on Improving Maternal & Newborn Health: Access to and Quality of Perinatal Health
The Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) is grateful to the New York State Assembly Health Committee and the Assembly Task Force on Women’s Issues for the opportunity to submit testimony for this Public Hearing on Improving Maternal and Newborn Health: Access to and Quality of Perinatal Care.
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CDFNY Childhood Lead Poisoning Hearing Testimony
As a cofounder and leader of the statewide Lead Free Kids New York coalition, the Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) is grateful to the Senate Standing Committee on Health and the Senate Standing Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development for the opportunity to submit testimony for this Joint Public Hearing to discuss childhood lead poisoning prevention in New York State.
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Centering Youth Voices at New York City’s Polls: 2021 Voter Issue Guide
As New Yorkers cast their ballots this Fall, supporting policies and platforms that prioritize child, youth and family wellbeing is critical. #VoteBecause the needs of the youngest New Yorkers and their families must be centered on Election Day – and every day.
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2021 Legislative Session Report Card
With the conclusion of the 2021 Legislative Session, we pause to take stock of progress for New York’s children and families, celebrate our victories and assess where further advocacy is needed to level the playing field for the youngest New Yorkers.
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Black Youth Suicide in New York: An Urgent Crisis
New York must act now. The stakes could not be higher.
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An Overview of Child Lead Exposure in New York
New York continues to suffer a troubling crisis of childhood lead exposure, with more known cases of elevated child blood lead levels than any other state and with childhood lead poisoning cases on the rise due to collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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CDF-NY FY22 Mental Hygiene Budget Testimony
Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) thanks the chairs of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee for this opportunity to submit testimony on the 2021 – 2022 New York State Mental Hygiene Executive Budget Proposal.
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Response to the Governor’s Proposed FY 2022 Executive Budget
Last spring and summer, 4,200 New York children lost a parent or guardian to COVID-19 — that’s one out of every 1,000 of our State’s […]
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CDF-NY 2021-2022 Legislative and Budget Priorities
The Children’s Defense Fund-New York seeks to ensure that children are centered in all budget and legislation decisions, with a particular emphasis on racial impact, […]
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What Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Would Mean for New York’s Children, Young Adults and Families
Overturning the ACA during a global pandemic and amidst economic downturn would undoubtedly harm New York’s children, young adults and families, and will disproportionately impact […]
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CDF-NY Press Statement: As Many as 3.2 Million New Yorkers Could Become Uninsured if the Affordable Care Act is Overturned
Overturning the ACA during a global pandemic and amidst economic downturn would undoubtedly harm New York’s most vulnerable children, young adults and families, and will […]
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Bringing New York Children’s Voices to the Polls: 2020 Voter Issue Guide
As New Yorkers cast their ballots this Fall, protecting the programs and policies that impact our children, youth and families is critical. We urge New […]
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Protecting Children in the Budget – Joint Letter to NYS Leadership
We ask NYS leadership to center children and families in their priorities and commit to protect essential programs that promote health, well-being, resilience, family stability, […]
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Letter from Child Advocacy Organizations to New York State Congressional Delegation on Covid-19
The undersigned New York State-based child advocacy organizations urge our US Senators and Members of the House of Representatives to stand firmly with children and families during negotiations on the next federal stimulus package.
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A Profile of Medicaid in New York State
Medicaid provides comprehensive, affordable health care coverage to nearly 50 percent of our State’s children – over two million of the youngest New Yorkers.
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Racial and Geographic Disparities in New York’s Burden of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children
As New York grapples with the devastating and far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) is deeply alarmed by our State’s burden of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).
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Policy Brief: HEROES Act
The Children’s Defense Fund-New York urges members of Congress to support the HEROES Act to help children and families struggling with food insecurity and unemployment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Protect Medicaid Statement on the HEROES Act’s Medicaid Maintenance of Effort Provision
The Protect Medicaid Campaign – representing New York’s leading health care consumer advocacy groups – applauds the introduction of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus […]
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What Children and Youth Need Now: Addressing Health Care Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has destabilized New York’s economy, debilitated our health care system, and disrupted our education and social services sectors. The Children’s Defense Fund-New […]
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CDF-NY Priorities in the New York State FY2021 Final Budget
Children’s Defense Fund – New York (CDF-NY) examined the budget’s impacts on children and families, with attention to on child welfare and family wellbeing, economic […]
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New York State Budget Embraces Some Reforms But Fails to Invest In Child and Family Well-Being
The Children’s Defense Fund-New York applauds the leadership in Albany for important reforms in youth justice and child welfare, but we are deeply disappointed with […]
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New York State Medicaid Budget Harms Children and Families
The budget contains draconian cuts that target programs and providers that serve children, and others that will result in job losses or lost wages for […]
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Protect Medicaid Campaign thank you to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand
As lead organizations for the Protect Medicaid campaign in New York, we are writing to thank you for your passing the Families First Coronavirus Response […]
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Health and Economic Justice Responses to New York’s COVID-19 Crisis
Our health care system is being pushed beyond its limits. Our fragmented payment and delivery systems are ill-suited to respond to the crisis and are […]
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Protect Medicaid Campaign’s Support of Families First Caronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA)
We heartily thank you for the provisions of the Families First Caronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA) that increase Medicaid funding to states (FMAP) at this crucial […]
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CDF-NY’S MEDICAID REDESIGN TEAM II (MRT II) PROPOSAL: Replace New York’s Medicaid Global Cap with a Transparent Global Budgeting Process
The Medicaid global cap should be eliminated and replaced with a transparent and accountable global budgeting process that properly accounts for consumer needs, quality of […]
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CDF-NY Testimony at the Joint Legislative Hearing on the 2021 Health/Medicaid Executive Budget Proposal
We stand with all Medicaid beneficiaries when we call for the protection of care and services through Medicaid.
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CDF-NY 2020-2021 State Budget and Legislative Priorities
The Children’s Defense Fund-New York provides our 2020-2021 State Budget and Legislative Priorities.
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More than 100,000 Children in New York Still Uninsured
In 2018 there were 107,381 children in New York without health coverage. While the uninsured rate in New York dropped from 2.7 percent to 2.5 […]
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Protecting Your Child From Lead Poisoning
Children can be exposed to lead through paint and dust from inside the home, and children under six years old are most at risk.
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Leveraging CHIP or Medicaid to Eliminate Lead Exposure
States have the option under CHIP to develop state-designed HSIs to improve the health of low-income children. States can also leverage Medicaid funding to pay […]
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Protecting Your Children From Lead Poisoning
Lead poisoning is a completely preventable, but irreversible condition that impacts children for a lifetime. Children can be exposed to lead through paint and dust from inside the home, and children under six years old are most at risk.
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CDF-NY Priorities in the New York State FY 2020 Final Budget
On April 1, 2019, the New York Legislature adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 final state budget. The final budget includes $175.5 billion in spending. […]
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An Overview of the NYC Mayor’s Roadmap to Eliminating Childhood Lead Exposure
In January 2019, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a Roadmap to Eliminating Childhood Lead Exposure. The roadmap was the culmination of a 90-day review […]
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CDF-NY Testimony: New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Education School Health, Mental Health, and Physical Education
As the Assembly considers best practices to meet student’s health and mental health needs, it is vital that you ensure there is continued funding to help school districts improve school climate and safety. This week marks the 9th annual week of action against school pushout, a national effort carried out by the Dignity in Schools Campaign, a coalition of organizations dedicated to ending the school-to-prison pipeline.
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2018 Election Guide: New York’s Children
Having the basic necessities of life such as nutritious meals and financial security is a universal human right and something all people concerned with the well-being of children should work to secure.
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2018 House Farm Bill Calls for Stricter Work Requirements to Maintain SNAP Eligibility: What does this mean for New York State’s Children and Families?
The 2014 Farm Bill is set to expire on September 30, 2018. The House’s proposed 2018 Farm Bill was rejected by Congress on May 18, […]
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NYC Needs More School Social Workers for Homeless Students
Amy Pantoja, Beat the Odds Scholar, talks about the importance of getting more social workers focused on education for homeless students in New York City
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Achieving Lifelong Payoffs for Displaced Children
Some of the most at-risk children in NYC are children who have been displaced from their homes or families due to homelessness or resettlement as unaccompanied immigrant children. While homeless and unaccompanied immigrant children have been displaced from their homes or families for different reasons, both groups of children often have remarkably similar experiences and needs.
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House’s Budget Resolution Does Not Prioritize America’s Vulnerable Populations
In New York, these budget cuts would deprive disadvantaged children and adults of basic necessities and push them deeper into poverty.
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School Health Issue Brief: Financing Brief
By maximizing available funds, New York City can more strategically deploy its limited resource to extend a baseline of school health services to all students […]
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School Health Issue Brief: Behavioral Health in New York State
Providing behavioral health care to children in schools is a wise investment for the future. Children who receive behavioral interventions increase their academic performance, and […]
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School Health Issue Brief: School-Based Health Centers of NYS – The Value, Need and Implications
The overarching goal of any school health service is to best position children to have the greatest opportunities for learning and life-long wellness. SBHCs are […]
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School Health Issue Brief: Addressing Unmet Healthcare Needs of New York City Youth
As New York City moves toward a future of community schools, children’s advocates must discern the appropriate role of health education and health care services […]
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Health + Education = Opportunity: An Equation that Works
As the capacity for health care delivery in schools increases, significant opportunities exist to better connect schools to the larger health care infrastructure that works […]
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School-based Health Centers in New York State: Ensuring Sustainability and Establishing Opportunities for Growth
New York State is a leader and innovator in providing children with access to health services. Committing to the sustainability of school-based health centers as […]