Last week, Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC) released a new Community Risk Ranking that shows a stark disparity in child well-being across New York City. Taking into account data on economic security, health, housing, education, and youth and family issues, the report ranks the city’s 59 community districts from lowest to highest concentration of risk to child well-being, and shows radically different realities among children living sometimes just blocks apart.

Taking findings from the Community Risk Ranking into consideration, Citizens’ Committee for Children released the following statement in response to today’s Preliminary Budget announcement:

“The Preliminary Budget reflects a strong commitment from Mayor de Blasio and his administration to make investments that result in improved opportunities and outcomes for New York City’s children and families.  Importantly, the Preliminary Budget proposes ongoing support for prekindergarten for all 4 year olds, middle school after-school programs and community schools, and investments in rental assistance and homelessness prevention, child welfare reforms, and expanded community health services. Building on these priorities, we look forward to an Executive Budget that goes farther and makes the investments needed to: improve access to high quality early childhood education and after-school services, bring school breakfast to all classrooms and universal lunch programs to all schools, support primary preventive services that strengthen families and prevent abuse and neglect, and expand access to children’s health and mental health services in schools and communities. There is also a critical need for action in the Executive Budget to ensure that individuals providing essential services to New Yorkers in need are compensated at a level that permits them to live, work and raise a family in NYC,” said Jennifer March, Executive Director of Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC).