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PUBLIC TESTIMONY

Testimony by Tabitha Kamonis, Mother and Individual with Disabilities

1:52:59

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Tabitha Kamonis, a 36-year-old mother of four with various health conditions and a history of addiction, shared her challenging experiences with the Administration for Children's Services (ACS). She described feeling targeted due to her mental health and past addiction issues, despite having support services in place.

Kamonis has been involved with ACS for 8 years, with two children currently in care and one adopted.
She reported experiencing disparaging remarks about her past substance abuse and having the NYPD involved in child removals.
Kamonis expressed frustration with the ongoing cycle of involvement with ACS and the emotional toll it takes on her children.

Tabitha Kamonis

1:52:59

Good afternoon to the councilwoman, councilman, and overseas of the committee on children and youth for the city council.

1:53:06

My name is Tabitha Kamonis.

1:53:07

I am a thirty six year old mother of 4 children.

1:53:11

And also an American with mental health and intellectual disabilities and physical health conditions, such as diabetes type 2, grandma seizures, absence seizures, they are also known as phantom seizures, and a right bundle branch block, which is a hole in the heart for those that may not know.

1:53:31

I'm a mother of 4, one stillborn, son, and 3 daughters, one who was adopted at a who was adopted.

1:53:38

She She is now eight and 2 children who are in care ages five and four.

1:53:46

My five year old daughter was born with intellectual and some disabling, you know, her her her Thank you.

1:53:56

Physical disabilities.

1:54:00

I've had to do her endure with ACS for 8 years even though my oldest is adopted.

1:54:06

I still get lash back because of my prior addiction.

1:54:11

I am a recovering addict as well.

1:54:16

The the ACS target me with my mental health and addiction.

1:54:22

Of course, addiction.

1:54:23

You know, is not always good in cases like that.

1:54:29

I have been had dis disparaging remarks about past substance abuse and having NYPD directed to arrest me during certain removals.

1:54:46

I've had homemaking in my home and preventive services since 2021 October, and they were still removed as well with all of that in place.

1:54:58

I feel like I feel like I'm running in circles, and I have nowhere else to go.

1:55:05

I would like if at all somebody to be able to please help us with this because every every time of removal, my daughters are asking if it's their fault, and we cannot discuss the case with them because of the rules of the case.

1:55:22

I'm sorry.

1:55:23

If I rambled, I do get nervous, and thank you for taking your time to hear me.

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Testimony by Luna Floyd, Legal Fellow at Lambda Legal Defense And Education Fund, on LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care

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Testimony by Pedro Gonzalez, Member of the Public, on ACS and LGBTQIA+ Issues