REMARKS
Council Member Althea Stevens provides opening remarks on resources for unaccompanied immigrant youth
0:13:50
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165 sec
Council Member Althea Stevens delivers opening remarks for a hearing on resources for immigrant youth who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied children. She highlights the challenges faced by these youth, including lack of shelter, proper support, and specialized services. Stevens emphasizes the need for coordination between city agencies to address the unique needs of this vulnerable population.
- Mentions a significant increase in youth being turned away from shelters due to lack of space
- Discusses the connection between the runaway and homeless youth system and the foster care system
- Calls for comprehensive services including mental health support, legal support, education, and job training for unaccompanied migrant youth
Althea Stevens
0:13:50
Thank you.
0:13:51
And I wanna say thank you for everyone who stayed.
0:13:53
I know there was some miscommunication about time, and we are siding late.
0:13:57
But thank you all for being here today.
0:14:00
So good afternoon, and welcome to today's hearing on resources for immigrant youth who arrived to the United States as unaccompanied children.
0:14:06
I am up the Stephen's share of children and youth services.
0:14:10
I am joined by council member Alexa Vilas, Chair of Immigration Committee, today we'll be discussing the growing crisis facing the surge of unaccompanied minors youth.
0:14:22
Navigating in a country without proper resources or support network leaves a many use of complex set of challenges they to face.
0:14:29
They often arrive traumatized, having fled violence, poverty, and instability, and now they find themselves struggling to meet their most basic need, including shelter.
0:14:42
Ensuring that youth have access to safe, age appropriate housing is the fundamental to their well-being.
0:14:48
While NYPD extended the number of shelter beds for older youth in 2019, the reality is clear it is not enough.
0:14:57
In the first half of this year alone, over 1100 youth ages 16 to 24 were turned away due to the lack of space, a 4 fold increase from the same period year last year.
0:15:12
While the ad Adam's administration has taken steps to right in the right direction by providing migraine use 18 to 23 with 60 days of shelter, there's no requirement for those age groups to be placed in youth facilities.
0:15:25
As a result, many of those vulnerable youth are being placed in adult shelters, where there are lack of access to specialized supports and resources that are desperately needed.
0:15:38
We also cannot ignore the undeniable connection between the runaway and homeless use system and the foster care system.
0:15:44
Oftentimes, young people end up in DYC shelters coming from foster care, and we have seen a worrying number increase of teens entering care under destitute minors petitions.
0:15:57
This rise is an 8% increase in fiscal year 2024, has been partly driven by the surge of unaccompanied migrant youth arriving in the city without family connections.
0:16:07
ACS and ZY City must coordinate their efforts to ensure those youth are not just provided shelter, but connected to comprehensive services that address their unique needs.
0:16:16
Whether this is mental health support, legal support, education, or job training.
0:16:21
I would like to thank the committee staff, Christina and Elizabeth, for their hard work and preparing for this hearing, and my entire team back at District 16.
0:16:30
Now I would like to turn it back to council member, Avelis.