City Priorities for Supporting NYC Families: An Opinion Piece
The NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS) has announced a series of changes aimed at improving its services and better meeting the needs of families in the city.
In a bid to prevent substance misuse and support the wellbeing of families, the ACS is offering a range of prevention services. These include substance misuse treatment, family counseling, homemaking services, and assistance with accessing concrete supports, public benefits, and more.
The Administration is committed to listening to families and spreading the word about its work through the right channels and credible messengers. It is no longer just focused on preventing something from happening; instead, it is focused on meeting the needs of families because that is what makes children safe and well.
The ACS is also working to elevate family lived experience and perspectives in its work and that of its providers and partners. It aims to build on its status as a hub for expertise and information about family services, collaborating with partners to increase recognition and improve reputation.
The specific partners collaborating with the ACS Family Services Division in the future to enhance recognition and reputation in communities are not explicitly mentioned. However, the Administration is looking forward to fostering new and creative ways of reaching communities with information and services.
The services offered take a holistic approach to helping families, aiming to address challenges at home and provide what families need to relieve daily stress and pursue life goals. The Administration will support providers to be flexible in engaging with families and help keep them organizationally strong.
The ACS Division of Prevention Services has been renamed to the ACS Family Services Division, a change that signifies a focus on meeting the needs of families. The Administration will ensure the quality of family services with new research and analysis and share insights and learnings with partners and peers across the city and around the world.
The NYC Administration is hiring a parent advocate with lived experience in child welfare to be a member of the Family Services Division leadership. This move is part of the Administration's efforts to work towards evolving and improving its work to better meet the needs of children and families in New York City.
Recently, the ACS has released new strategic priorities to guide its progress in helping families. Last year, approximately 14,000 families with 30,000 children participated in these programs. The Administration contracts with over 130 programs throughout New York City for prevention services.
The ACS is looking forward to continuing its nationally renowned research and innovation in its efforts to support families in New York City.
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