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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kate Connolly, Senior Policy Analyst at United Neighborhood Houses on Child Care and After School Programs
5:21:14
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134 sec
Kate Connolly from United Neighborhood Houses testified about the child care voucher funding shortfall and the crisis in the after-school system. She emphasized the need for a long-term funding solution for child care and increased rates for after-school programs to ensure stability and sustainability.
- Urged the council to press for clarity and action on the child care voucher funding shortfall
- Highlighted the crisis in the after-school system, including issues with staff recruitment, retention, and program resources
- Emphasized the need to increase rates for current and existing after-school programs before expanding to new slots
- Mentioned ongoing payment delays for summer programming, contradicting DYCD's statement
Kate Connolly
5:21:14
Hello and thank you for the opportunity to testify.
5:21:16
My name is Kate Connolly and I'm a senior policy analyst for United Neighborhood Houses, an umbrella organization that represents settlement houses across New York State, including Grand Street Settlement and Center for Family Life, who you heard from today.
5:21:28
We will submit a more detailed written testimony, but I'd like to mention just a few pieces that are really important to us regarding the child care voucher issue.
5:21:37
As you know and as you discussed today, meeting this funding shortfall is crucial to ensure that families do not lose access to the child care they rely on.
5:21:43
The council should press for clarity and action and urge the city to prioritize families by guaranteeing that every child who needs care will not be left behind, while also working with the state to develop a long term funding solution to this issue.
5:21:55
Additionally, and as Erin highlighted, the after school system is in crisis.
5:21:59
Compass elementary and Sonic middle school providers cannot be sustained on the current rates.
5:22:05
If you just think about what things cost ten years ago and what they cost now, there's a huge difference.
5:22:11
It's not rocket science.
5:22:15
But programs have really suffered.
5:22:17
Staff recruitment and retention have struggled from stagnated wages.
5:22:20
OTPS costs have shrunk program resources.
5:22:23
And now threats to federal funding streams like AmeriCorps and twenty first Century Community Learning Centers are further destabilizing the system.
5:22:31
We understand and appreciate the recognition of how important after school programs are that we heard in the mayor's announcement.
5:22:38
We do think that eventually it would be great for every child to have access to after school programming.
5:22:43
And right now the system does not support that.
5:22:45
It does not even support the programs that we currently have.
5:22:48
We really think that the first step and the real win would be to increase rates for current and existing after school programs, including these 5,000 new slots to make sure that programs can sustain and be stabilized in future years.
5:23:02
Right, we cannot add onto a program that is already struggling, that's already crumbling.
5:23:06
We need to stabilize it and make sure that it is going to be okay for the next decade.
5:23:10
Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention payment delays.
5:23:13
You've all heard this a million times.
5:23:14
It's a consistent issue across many contracts, but summarizing is particularly difficult.
5:23:20
Unlike what DYCD said today, providers have not been able to draw down on funds for last summer's programming, and they're about to start hiring for new programming.
5:23:28
Thank you.