Bill de Blasio says he supports New York's families by opposing budget cuts for the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), the city's child protective agency. But what has this agency done to earn our trust?. . .
de Blasio's Response: None yet.
His own newsletter states:
As the Chair of the City Council's General Welfare Committee, Bill has worked tirelessly to protect our City's most vulnerable children. Following the tragic death of Nixzmary Brown in early 2006, Bill led the fight to reform an underfunded and overburdened ACS. Bill has consistently ensured that the City Council prioritizes child welfare funding in the budget.
What has de Blasio done to "reform" this organization--recently reduced to advertising for employees on the subway--besides throwing more money at it? Six-year-old Nixzmary Brown died after repeated failures by ACS investigators, teachers and others to see the seriousness of the abuse she was suffering. We all regret this tragedy, but how did ACS reform after it? Why is Nixzmary being used as a poster child for giving more money to the agency that failed her?
The Vera Institute's investigative report says, at least, that ACS effectively sold out the "most vulnerable children" of New York when it did not get adequate consent from foster children's parents and caretakers to participate in experimental drug trials. It also failed to provide an independent advocate for them, as required by law. Did it fail because it was "underfunded and overburdened," or did other considerations, perhaps the amount of money that the city and/or others would make on drug trials, come into play?
These are a lot of questions, but please work "tirelessly" to answer every one. They're important.
And if you have similar information on other candidates' funding, we'd be happy to publish it.
