REMARKS
Council Member Stevens' opening remarks on ACS Preventative Services hearing
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3 min
Council Member Althea V. Stevens opens the hearing on ACS Preventative Services Programming, introducing the topics to be discussed and legislation to be considered. She emphasizes the importance of preventative services in keeping families together and reducing foster care placements, while also addressing concerns about the effectiveness and intensity of these programs.
- Introduces two pieces of legislation: Intro 652 on mental health services for children returned home after removal, and Intro 9-A on providing information about legal counsel during ACS investigations
- Discusses the CARES model as an alternative to traditional child abuse and neglect investigations
- Highlights the need for balance between providing family support and ensuring child safety
Althea V. Stevens
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Good morning.
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How's everybody doing?
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It's a great day.
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It's very cold.
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But good morning and welcome to today's hearing on examine examination of ACS Preventative Services Programming.
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I'm council member, Rautheus Stevens, Chair of Children and Youth Services.
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In addition to today's oversight topic, we will be hearing the following legislation.
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An intro 652 sponsored by council member Sanchez, in relation to establishing a pilot program providing free mental health services to children who have been returned to, returned to their homes following a removal.
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Intro 9 a, sponsored by Councilman Bayalla, in in relation to providing information about obtaining counsel at the first point of contact during an ACS investigation.
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Preventative services play a critical role in keeping families' interactions and reducing foster care placements.
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Those services are often a lifeline for families facing challenges.
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Providing support to prevent children from being unnecessarily moved from their homes.
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By by addressing underlying issues early, preventative services can help strengthen family dynamics.
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Ultimately, those service aim to reduce the the, racial inequities that have been present for far too long within the child welfare system.
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However, major concerns is families can actually get those major concern I have is, can family actually get those services that they need without having intense surveillance from ECS?
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Another important strategy used by ACS is to decrease the amount of children entering foster care and foster care is the CARES model.
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In 2013, ACS included introduced the CARES model as an alternative to alternative to traditional child abuse and neglect investigation.
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The CARES model aims to provide a collaborative and less intensive response to families by focusing on stabilizing households.
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It is imperative that we use CARES to it is important that we use CARES to its full potential to help families where a negative impact is preventable.
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However however, advocates say CARES sometimes can be more intensive than the actual regular traditional investigation.
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This work may strike however, our work is to be a delicate balance.
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We must ensure that families have access and support they need.
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Our primary responsibility is to protect children who may be in imminent danger.
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This balance demands a thoughtful and measurable approach to every child welfare investigation.
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Both preventative services and the C.
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A.
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R.
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E.
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S.
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Model hold significant promises in helping families succeed, but recent tragedies involving children under ACS supervision reminded us that we must stay vigilant.
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We must ensure that intensities that the intense incentives that are applied are effective and in the appropriate circumstances.
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This state the stakes are too high to allow any gaps in oversight or execution.
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Today, we must focus on ensuring that ACS is doing everything possible to reduce the number of children entering foster care, while maintaining the safety and well-being of all those at risk.
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I look forward to hearing from ACS and other stakeholders on how we can strengthen preventative services, improve the outcomes for families, and continue working towards equity and safety for all children.
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I would like to thank my committee staff, Christina and Elizabeth, for their hard work preparing for this hearing and, obviously, the team back, in district 16.
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And with that, I would like to turn it over to committee staff so they can swear in the administration.
