March 13, 2018
Astor Services for Children & Families was among the dozens of providers that shared concerns related to New York’s vulnerable children and families, social service providers, and program funding needs during recent Lobby Day events in Albany.
Throughout January’s Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies’ Advocacy Day, government officials met with various agencies, including a Bronx Delegation consisting of nine government representatives that convened with agency representatives.
“The focus of our meetings was to bring to light the need of not only supports for the children and families we serve, but also the for supports for our various social service staffs that often go without adequate pay and supports all the while providing crucial and life changing services to the city and state’s most vulnerable populations dealing with a plethora of traumas,” said participant Jeannine Mendez of Director: Development, Public and Government Relations for The Children’s Foundation of Astor.
A second Lobby Day in February that was sponsored by the New York State Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health and Families concentrated on the need for immediate action from the legislature to bypass a proposed two-year waiting period to fund currently needed mental health and other Medicaid-mandated services.
“We focused on bringing to light how vital continuous care is in the treatment of trauma and behavioral and mental health deficiencies,” Mendez said.