TESTIMONY
Juan Diaz, Policy Associate at Citizens' Committee for Children (CCC), on Improving Services and Supporting Legislation for DHS Shelters Serving Families with Children
2:22:29
·
170 sec
Juan Diaz testifies before the City Council committee on improving services at NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters for families with children and supporting relevant legislation.
- He represents the Citizens' Committee for Children, a co-founder of the Family Homelessness Coalition advocating for family shelter policies.
- Diaz urges restoring budget cuts to DHS shelter staffing to reduce service delays and long wait times.
- He voices support for bills eliminating requirements for children to be present at PATH intake centers, providing navigators and eligibility specialists at shelters, and requiring new shelters located near families' communities.
- Diaz emphasizes the need for adequate funding to implement these bills without straining existing shelter resources.
Juan Diaz
2:22:29
Thank you, Cherryella, and all members of the community on general welfare for today holding today's over our site here.
2:22:35
My name is Juan Diaz, and I'm policy associate at Citizens Command.
2:22:38
For children also known as CCC, a multi issue children's advocacy organization.
2:22:44
CCC is a cofounder of the Family Homes Coalition, a group of organizations, United 2, and family home business at New York City.
2:22:50
CCC uploads the city council's efforts to improve our service within new DHL shelters.
2:22:56
However, to improve these services, implement new programs and retain staff, We urge the city council to support in calling the restoration of the mayor the mayor's 2.5% pick DHS shelter budget personal lines cuts.
2:23:11
As you know, DHS shelters reduce vacancies and collapse multiple positions into 1 to meet the majors, November.
2:23:17
Budget cut.
2:23:18
We will continue to see service delays longer shelter weights if the city does not act to fully staff these critical positions.
2:23:29
Now I want to turn into the beans considered today.
2:23:32
CCC is happy to know that DHL is would no longer require children present at half.
2:23:37
With joint support intro 0123, which will clarify the reform to eliminate this inhumane practice.
2:23:43
We also strongly support the goals of intro 1 to 4, which will provide price navigator services at DHS inter shelter centers.
2:23:51
For families with children.
2:23:53
And also into 440, which will provide require Department of Homeland Services to designate eligibility specialist at shelters.
2:24:01
However, we urge the city council to ensure adequate funding is appropriate to that adequate funding is appropriate to implement these bills because we're concerned that DHL shelter providers would have to relocate funding and personnel to fulfill these mandates.
2:24:18
Lastly, we support intros 0453, which would require new shelters and intake shelters.
2:24:24
Therefore, reducing the time of families that children have to travel across town.
2:24:29
Thank you for your opportunity to testify, and we'll submit it more detailed information.
Diana I. Ayala
2:24:33
Thank you.
2:24:34
Were you surprised to hear that DHL says that they don't that their policies that you don't have to bring children in?
2:24:42
Because I I mean, when I go to path, there are, you know, so many children around just all over the floor.
2:24:48
You know, driving that mother's crazy.
Juan Diaz
2:24:51
Yeah.
2:24:51
And and I previously joining.
2:24:54
I used work in social services and homeless prevention.
2:24:56
And oftentimes, we still serve families that were residing double top, and they had to go to a path.
2:25:04
Yeah.
2:25:04
And that was one of their concerns that they had to bring their children, take them out of school, wait for long hours, and as just a traumatic experience for children as well.
2:25:14
Yeah.
2:25:14
As long as they have, you know, childcare as Absolutely.
2:25:18
As Catherine mentioned.
Diana I. Ayala
2:25:19
Yeah.
