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Council Member Stevens questions DYCD on budget and expresses frustration over program rollout

2:34:46

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3 min

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Council Member Althea Stevens questions DYCD representatives about their executive budget plan and new needs requests. She expresses frustration over the timing and implementation of program expansions, particularly concerning runaway and homeless youth services, and highlights concerns about provider funding and staff pay.

Stevens pushes for clarity on whether DYCD had additional new needs requests not included in the executive plan
DYCD representatives acknowledge ongoing discussions with OMB about areas needing additional support
Stevens criticizes the timing of new program rollouts, especially during the busy summer season
Concerns are raised about the capacity of providers to handle expansions without adequate funding increases

Althea Stevens

2:34:46

Well good afternoon.

Keith Howard

2:34:49

Good afternoon.

Althea Stevens

2:34:52

DYCD executive executive plan includes three new needs totaling 67,800,000.0 in fiscal twenty twenty six, '3 hundred and '16 point '4 million in fiscal twenty twenty seven, and 350,400,000.0 in fiscal twenty twenty eight twenty nine.

2:35:08

Did the agency have any other new needs requested that OMB did not include in the executive plan?

2:35:13

If so, can you detail to the committee what that request was?

Christopher Lewis

2:35:19

Good afternoon chair Stevens and thank you for the question.

2:35:22

We're very proud for the investment that the mayor was able to infuse into DYCD's budget as part of the executive plan.

2:35:31

We don't take lightly the amount of effort and the amount of resources that are needed to to deliver services to young people in need.

2:35:37

This is an extensive ad with the RHY Compass and adult literacy, fatherhood, etcetera, programs that have been receiving funding as part of the preliminary and executive budgets.

2:35:50

We're always working with OMB to to identify additional resources that can be used to to help support our programs and are and are, you know, looking forward to any support and advocacy that the the council would like to provide as well.

Althea Stevens

2:36:03

So you didn't have you don't have any new needs?

2:36:06

That was the question.

Christopher Lewis

2:36:08

We are constantly in conversations with OMB and indicating where our areas of of need and additional support are are beneficial, and we're continuing to to work through that process as part of the adopted budget process.

Althea Stevens

2:36:23

Thank you.

2:36:24

I mean, I will say this before I go on my rant.

2:36:29

If you do have a new need, probably should say it because we've been getting all the new needs met because apparently they have been investing here.

2:36:35

It's about how it's been been going and so if there's a new need you should just say it at this point.

2:36:40

I tell y'all every year you should just say it because we've been getting it, but how the rollout has been going, that's what we're gonna focus on today because for three years I asked for more beds, we got the hundred beds.

2:36:52

Look at that.

2:36:54

We've asked for RFP, look at that, we're getting it, although we're getting it in the middle of the summer, which is typically our busiest season.

2:37:03

I mean not only for the providers, but even on your side, on the DYCD side, right?

2:37:09

We already have contracts that are being backed up and all these things like this is going to be a big undertaking and so I am frustrated for everyone in this moment.

2:37:19

So I just want to baseline that, my frustrations of us going to a summer and having to roll out a concept paper, to do RFP, to get a hundred beds online, like this is a lot.

2:37:34

Not to mention the violence increasing with our young people, it is a lot going on and so as I'm excited that we're getting this expansion, I'm not excited about the rollout and I'm also not excited that you know the council was very specific about how are we investing in our providers who need an increase, who haven't gotten an increase, but are still expected to do an expansion, to do read a concept paper, and then respond to RFP, and they can't even pay their staff adequately.

2:38:03

So that is going to be a lot of my questions for the next couple of minutes because I am just extremely frustrated at how we're kind of ignoring what the extremely providers are asking and needing and not showing up for them.

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Council Member Stevens questions DYCD Commissioner on after-school program funding and implementation