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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Carol Siegel, Attorney in Charge of Criminal Defense at Center for Family Representation
3:38:17
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131 sec
Carol Siegel from the Center for Family Representation (CFR) testifies about the organization's work in providing legal representation to parents involved in child welfare cases and requests additional funding for various programs. CFR primarily serves black, brown, and people of color, representing over 2,300 individuals in the last fiscal year.
- CFR is requesting $825,000 for the Right to Advocacy Program, which has been successful in preventing court filings and helping children avoid foster care.
- An additional $425,000 is requested for the Home for Good program, offering holistic support in areas such as housing, public benefits, criminal defense, and immigration.
- CFR is also seeking $150,000 in Dove funding to provide intensive social work services for clients who are survivors of domestic violence.
Carol Siegel
3:38:17
Good afternoon, Chairman Ayala, members of the committee.
3:38:20
My name is Carol Siegel, and I am the attorney in charge of criminal defense at the Center for Family Representation.
3:38:27
On behalf of CFR, we are grateful for this opportunity to testify and for your support of our organization.
3:38:33
CFR is the assigned indigent defense provider for parents being prosecuted by ACS in Manhattan, Queens, and now in Staten Island.
3:38:42
We are also an assigned conflict provider in the Bronx.
3:38:45
We represented more than 2,300 people in the last fiscal year of whom 90% were black, brown, or people of color.
3:38:53
We ask for your support in urging the city to provide additional funding as follows.
3:38:59
We are asking for $825,000 for the Right to Advocacy Program, which assists parents during the ACS investigations and at administrative hearings to amend and seal state central registry reports.
3:39:12
In fiscal year 2024, CFR prevented a court filing 86% of the time, helping 91% of the children involved avoid the foster system.
3:39:24
And ninety seven percent of parents who worked with CFR during SCR hearings had their records amended and sealed.
3:39:32
We're asking for $425,000 for our Home for Good program which offers holistic support for parents and youth providing wraparound holistic legal social service support in areas such as housing, public benefits, criminal defense and immigration.
3:39:49
We are able to have a full picture of how all these different court systems and other systems impact our clients' lives.
3:39:57
We are also requesting $150,000 in Dove funding for clients who are survivors of domestic violence so that we can provide intensive social work services.
3:40:07
The need for CFR services for New York families continues to outpace resources, especially in these critical areas.
3:40:16
Thank you for your commitment to CFR and to ensuring that New Yorkers have access to the services they need to survive and to keep them together safely with their children and families.
3:40:27
Thank you.