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Q&A
Council Member Stevens questions DYCD on Runaway and Homeless Youth program funding
4:17:57
·
86 sec
Council Member Althea Stevens questions Christopher Lewis from the Department of Youth and Community Development about funding for Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) programs. Stevens expresses frustration over the lack of additional city funding for RHY in the executive plan, despite the council's call for increased expenses.
- Stevens highlights her ongoing advocacy for RHY funding over the past three years
- Lewis mentions the addition of 100 beds to the program and ongoing advocacy for RHY needs
- Stevens emphasizes that providers are seeking right-sizing of persistent rates, indicating current funding is insufficient
Althea Stevens
4:17:57
I'm gonna move on to runaway and homeless youth, RHY.
4:18:01
In the city fiscal twenty twenty six preliminary budget respond, the council called on the administration to add 29,800,000.0 in expenses funding for programs related to LGBTQ IA plus youth adult housing related services, runaway and homeless youth contract extensions, RHY peer navigators and RHY housing navigators, the executive plan does not address these concerns including no additional city funding for RHY.
4:18:31
To what extent has DY city advocated to the administration for additional resources regarding the RHY budget response items?
Christopher Lewis
4:18:42
Thank you for the question, Stephens.
4:18:44
Just first wanna again highlight that the through tremendous advocacy and and efforts by the administration and and the agency, we added these additional hundred beds to
Althea Stevens
4:18:54
I'm aware.
4:18:55
I've been advocating for three years.
4:18:56
Nobody's been louder than me.
Christopher Lewis
4:18:57
And we'd love to give you the credit that's that's
Rita C. Joseph
4:18:59
I don't need
Althea Stevens
4:18:59
the credit.
4:19:00
I just wanna keep listen.
4:19:01
I just keep going.
4:19:02
Told you it's the lightning round.
4:19:03
Let's go.
Christopher Lewis
4:19:04
Gotcha.
4:19:05
We continue to advocate for additional needs of the RHY program and and hope to hope these continue these conversations continue in anticipation for the adopted plan.
Althea Stevens
4:19:14
Listen, I mean this is another one where providers are looking for right sizing of of persistent rate, it's it's not enough.