NEW YORK, NY – In response to the budget agreement announced today by Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC) Executive Director Jennifer March issued the following statement:

“We applaud Mayor Adams and the City Council for advancing a budget that makes strides to lift incomes; reconnect children to child care, youth services and education; address children’s behavioral health care; and stabilize housing.

While we await more details on the FY’23 budget agreement, we are encouraged by the priorities called out by Mayor Adams and Council Speaker Adams during the handshake announcement, including expanding New York City’s Earned Income Tax Credit; increasing investments in Fair Fares and Fair Futures; boosting funding for the Mental Health Continuum; improving access to child care with vouchers for low-income and undocumented families; and increasing investments in the Summer Youth Employment Program and Work, Learn and Grow, as well as investing in community-rooted violence interrupting initiatives.

We are also pleased the Mayor and Speaker committed critical funding to support families with children in shelter by expanding the CityFHEPS voucher program and hiring more shelter-based community coordinators. And while we are glad the budget agreement includes investments in our human services workforce, we urge the city to further build upon these investments to support our vital human services workers.

There is clear promise in the priorities highlighted by the Mayor and Speaker. We look forward to learning more about the fine details of the budget agreement and stand ready to work with City Hall and City Council to ensure every New York City child is healthy, housed, educated, and safe.”