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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Nila Natarajan, Associate Director of Policy and Family Defense at Brooklyn Defender Services
6:43:28
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Nila Natarajan from Brooklyn Defender Services testifies on the importance of fully funding the Right to Family Advocacy Project, which helps prevent family separations and supports families under ACS investigation. She requests an increase in funding to $3,300,000 to address rising costs and maintain program effectiveness.
- The project has been underfunded since 2019, with flat funding amounting to a fiscal loss due to inflation and rising costs.
- Insufficient funding forces difficult choices between staff compensation and program staffing.
- Fully funding the project would save the city money by avoiding court filings and foster care placements.
Nila Natarajan
6:43:28
Good afternoon.
6:43:29
My name is Nila Nadarajan, I'm the associate director of policy and family defense at Brooklyn Defender Services.
6:43:34
Thank you Chair Stevens and the committee.
6:43:36
As my colleagues have expressed, we are grateful to the council for your ongoing commitment to the Right to Family Advocacy Project.
6:43:42
This work is critical in preventing prosecution in family court, traumatic family separation, and harmful foster system involvement.
6:43:49
As my colleagues have testified, New York City's Right to Family Advocacy Project enables our offices to empower parents and caretakers under investigation by ACS by informing them of and protecting their rights and assisting families with ACS involvement to clear their records so they have every opportunity to obtain secure employment and income.
6:44:08
We are also deeply connected with our communities and work to educate community members about their rights.
6:44:13
While the council has recognized that this work is essential to minimize the harm of ACS investigation and prevent family separation, the program has been chronically underfunded.
6:44:23
This strains our ability to meet growing program costs.
6:44:27
Insufficient funding forces us to choose between fully compensating our incredible staff and fully staffing these vital programs.
6:44:36
Funding for the Right to Family Advocacy Project has remained flat since 2019.
6:44:41
This program has never been fully funded.
6:44:44
And without any adjustment for inflation or cost of living, flat funding amounts to a fiscal loss.
6:44:51
We are here to request that the council fully fund the Right to Family Advocacy Project.
6:44:55
At $3,300,000 this request is a modest increase over prior funding, which has again remained stagnant for six years.
6:45:04
For years, our offices have been forced to absorb rising costs for salaries, healthcare, utilities, and office space without additional funding.
6:45:11
We are asking you to meet our funding request recognizing that in addition to the incredible human impact of our services, we save the city money by avoiding court filings and foster assistant placement.
6:45:23
New York City's family defense organizations are essential to ensuring compassion, dignity, and justice for parents navigating ACS investigations and family court prosecution regardless of their ability to pay.
6:45:35
Thank you for your time and we welcome any questions.