BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6
YOUTH/HUMAN SERVICES/EDUCATION COMMITTEE
JUNE 24, 2015
PRESENT:
P. BELLENBAUM R. FREEMAN L. HILL
T. JACKSON P. LI D. RAMOS
A. SHEFRIN B. SOLOTAIRE S. TURET
EXCUSED:
M. SCOTT R. UNDERWOOD
ABSENT:
A.ANANTHARAMAN F. BROWN E. CAUSIL-RODRIGUEZ
R. CERVONE K. ENO A. FAIOLA
E. FELDER F. JEAN C. PETERSEN
GUESTS:
O. JONAS – REP. FROR HON. VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY, STATE SENATOR
J. PAITZ V. SEGAL A, MARGUEZ
M. JACKSON L. ALBRECHT E. LETAMENDI
M. BROWN N. RIOJAS J. BOYD
J. KRAUSS J. MCKELVEY Q. PHILLIPS
P. LESHINSKY J. FOULKE J. CASSON
A. MINGUEZ M. JACKSON
***MINUTES***
Informational presentation and discussion with representatives for the Administration for Children’s Services and MercyFirst on the establishment of a new youth reception center (group home) at 261 9th Street (between 4th/5th Avenues) for up to 12 older youth (ages 14-21) who are entering the foster care system.
Youth Reception Center ACS is in the process of developing an older youth reception center contracting with MercyFirst. Children pre-placement services only offered by one Manhattan location for youth up to 21 years old. Want to establish smaller facilities with more age-specific services. The site is in Park Slope.
MercyFirst – agency used to operate a teen mother and baby at a residence on 9th Street. They transitioned this program to another site. They started a conversation with ACS about using this site for a youth reception center. Renovations completed that would house 12 teenagers with their own bedrooms. Support staff – 24/7 supervision. One to four ratio of teenagers to staff. Also have social workers, nursing care, clinicians, therapists, etc. Youth will be enrolled in community schools across NYC.
Teacher can provide instruction and help determine educational needs. Work placement if youth is not in school. Birth and extended families will be contacted to see if youth can be diverted from foster care. In pilot program on Long Island, average duration of stay is 15 days. 14-20 year olds – most youth are 16 or 17. Each youth will be assessed individually for curfews, day passes, etc. ACS still thinking about opening another similar facility elsewhere in NYC. Facility can accommodate co-ed but program will start with 12 girls. Hope the program will be operational in the next week or two. Facility has lounges and a dining room and other shared space. Youth will also have opportunities to NYC ID cards and learn practical skills.
Presentation and discussion with representatives for the Administration for Children’s Services on the “Close to Home” program which authorizes the City of New York to provide a broad range of services to young people who, for public safety reasons, must be confined in non-secure residential placements located close to their communities.
Juvenile Justice Center – Young people who commit crimes below the age of 16 are handled in Family Court. Placement in juvenile prisons upstate (residential rehabilitation). The system led to poor outcomes (far from home and family members, etc.) Twenty or so “Close to Home” facilities opened after legislation passed. Over 1200 young people served in the past few years.
Benefits of the program: Get a NYC education Average length of stay is 6-8 months and after care Facilities are small and resource rich Non-secure since 2012, limited about to launch, secure placements still upstate
Close to Home sites: 3 non-secure facilities in this community. 2 sites will be closing down – 1 will be left. Good Shepherd Services operates Close to Home facility on 9th Street for past 2 years – non-secure placement, 12 beds. Before that it was similar facility for 40 years. They attend Article 79 school ACS has unit to provide oversight of Close to Home providers – State omsbud program also conducts visits. Oversight has been strengthened. Field operation unit also exists Non-secure placements don’t have law enforcement Limited placement will be rolled out with intense supervision and security measures Closure of Boys’ Town sites isn’t impacting system. No plans to open new facilities.
Post mortem debriefing and review of the committee’s 2015 Youth Opportunity Summit held in May.
PROS CONS
Structure Need more outreach Good organization Think about time of year/having event in school Resume workshop size was effective and during school hours had good attendance Offer more jobs
Good attendees who were engaged Q &A timing could be pushed back (bad timing) There is a buy-in from the community Some tablers never got visitors Tablers got to connect with others Don’t do two civic engagement panels. Content wasn’t Got good feedback from tablers age appropriate Get more youth involved Need to reconnect with tablers so they will return next time.
- Have a school adopt this initiative? - Get more ownership/buy-in from schools. Schools can incentivize participation. - Re-couch it as a job/volunteer fair - Can host it @ Miccio Center or Red Hook - Ben Solotaire will _______ with Kristin Eno for photos (can also send them to tablers) - “Passport” to encourage people to go to all tables in order to enter raffle prizes - Want to pin down dates early - Find more manufacturing opportunities in Gowanus - Define roles better and get more organized - Engage more youth in planning process and have a more youth-centric approach - Follow-up survey? - Offer incentive for survey and try to get them engaged in planning the next event - Reach out to local student groups to engage youth
There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned.