Response to the One House Bills: The Final Budget Must Include Children,

Response to the One House Bills: The Final Budget Must Include Children, Youth, and Families Involved in the Child Welfare System A statewide group of advocates, providers, and New Yorkers impacted by the child welfare system applaud New York leaders for uplifting child-poverty fighting measures in their One House bills. [...] Areas of Support The inclusion of the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), Healthy School Meals for All, Working Families Tax Credit, and monthly income for new mothers (MILC in the Senate, INSPIRE in the Assembly) in both the Assembly and Senate One House bills demonstrates the compounding needs of children and families in New York. [...] We urge that these child poverty fighting measures are included in the final budget, as they also serve to reduce the number of families that become involved in the child welfare system. [...] This funding stream enables counties to provide more services and resources to support families in staying together as they navigate the child welfare system and youth who age out of the system in living independently. [...] The current subsidy offers $725 a month to youth and families involved in the child welfare system and is only available to youth in foster care until 21, depriving youth who age out of care at 21 any housing support as they transition to living independently.