A.G. Schneiderman Announces First-Of-Its-Kind Partnership With Four NYC Non-Profits To Demonstrate Benefits Of All-Electric Trucks

Project "E3” (E-Cubed) Will Equip Wildlife Conservation Society, NY Botanical Garden, Habitat For Humanity NYC, & Big Reuse With Electric Delivery Trucks For Two Years

E3 Funded Through Attorney General’s $9.5 Million Clean Air Settlement With American Electric Power 

In NYC, Trucks Produce Over 70% Of Traffic-Related Soot Pollution – Pollution That Causes 320 Premature Deaths And 870 Emergency Room Visits And Hospitalizations In The City Every Single Year

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, along with four prominent New York City-based non-profits, today announced a first-of-it-kind partnership, coined "E3” (E-Cubed), to highlight the economic, efficiency and environmental benefits that all-electric delivery trucks could have for New Yorkers. The innovative project will give the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York Botanical Garden, Habitat for Humanity New York City, and Big Reuse the opportunity to lease battery-powered electric delivery trucks for two years, while documenting the benefits of the trucks’ use in New York City. The initiative furthers the Attorney General’s commitment to protecting New Yorkers from dangerous pollution and its public health impacts, as the project is funded by a $9.5 million settlement the Attorney General’s Office reached with American Electric Power, the largest U.S. power company, over the company’s violations of the federal Clean Air Act. 

"New Yorkers deserve access to clean, safe and healthy environments,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Electric trucks offer an alternative to the gas and diesel powered delivery trucks that pump noise, greenhouse gases, and other pollution into our neighborhoods – and have a dire impact on our public health and environment. This innovative partnership will showcase how zero-emission vehicles can offer a cleaner, greener, healthier, and more affordable solution for New Yorkers.” 

The participating non-profit organizations, chosen through a competitive application process, will each receive funding from the Attorney General to lease two all-electric Mitsubishi Fuso “eCanter” medium-duty delivery trucks to support core operations and services for two years.  

During this period, the Attorney General and M.J. Bradley & Associates—a firm with an established practice in the implementation of advanced vehicle technologies—will study the performance of the electric trucks deployed in the project, and document their utility and benefits in New York City. The Attorney General’s Office will then prepare a report on the study’s findings with the goal of addressing common concerns of private truck fleet operators about adopting electric trucks by validating the reliability and business case for these vehicles.

John Calvelli, Executive Vice President for Public Affairs of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said, “As a global conservation organization working in 60 countries and all the world’s oceans, as well as managing the world’s largest network of urban zoos, we have seen firsthand the impacts of climate change and other air pollution on wildlife and wild places. Attorney General Schneiderman has shown real leadership in tackling this issue head on, and we are grateful and honored to be part of the solution by participating in this project to use electric trucks at our zoos in New York City.”

Gregory Long, Chief Executive Officer and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden, said, “We are very grateful to Attorney General Schneiderman for this opportunity to add two all-electric trucks to our fleet of vehicles. As an institution, we are committed to being on the cutting edge of energy efficiency and to reducing our carbon emissions to the greatest possible extent. We are extremely proud to have been chosen by the Attorney General to demonstrate these electric trucks, and we intend to use them both at the Botanical Garden and on the streets of New York City so people will see the important role that these innovative vehicles can play in protecting our environment.”

Because they deliver more than 91 percent of all goods in New York City, trucks have a substantial impact on the city’s air quality. According to the American Lung Association, New York City is one of the worst cities in the nation for soot pollution, which contributes to heart disease, respiratory illness, and death. This is underscored by the fact that soot pollution from traffic in the New York City has been found to cause 320 premature deaths and 870 emergency room visits and hospitalizations annually, according to the New York Health Department. Trucks are responsible for over 70 percent of traffic-related soot – more than twice as much to this soot pollution as passenger cars and ten times than buses. Notably, the impacts of soot pollution are most acutely felt by the city’s low-income communities, with the poorest neighborhoods experiencing 1.7 times higher soot exposures and 9.3 times the rate of emergency department visits for asthma due to emissions from trucks and buses.  

Experts argue that delivery trucks operating in urban centers are ideally suited for "electrification." This is because urban delivery trucks typically work out of a central depot, and travel relatively short, well-defined routes. In this way, two major obstacles to all-electric vehicles – limits on vehicle range and the availability of charging stations – are largely irrelevant to operating electric delivery trucks in cities.  In addition, electric trucks are less polluting, more fuel efficient, and cost less to maintain than conventional gas and diesel-fueled trucks.  

Today’s announcement follows a number of other steps Attorney General Schneiderman has taken to protect New Yorkers’ air and health, including filing suit against the Environmental Protection Agency for its illegal delay of smog regulations; within days, the EPA reversed course.

City Hall in Your Borough: City Resource Fair - Wednesday, September 27, 2017 - TO BE HELD IN HARLEM

  On Wednesday, September 27, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer will host a City Resource Fair during City Hall in Your Borough week. Top representatives from City Hall, the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs, the Department of Transportation, Department of Finance, NYPD, Economic Development Corporation, Department of Education, Department of Health, Small Business Services, Department of Parks and Recreation, among others, will be available to answer Manhattan residents’ questions. 

Manhattanites can sign up to attend via at nyc.gov/Manhattan or call (212) 748-0281.

WHAT:           City Hall in Your Borough: City Resource Fair

WHEN:           Wednesday, September 27, 2017

                                10:30 A.M. – 2:30 P.M.

WHERE:         Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center

3940 Broadway

New York, NY 10032

VISION ZERO: MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL OF CITY HALL PROTECTED BIKE LANE

New traffic configuration on Park Row removes conflicts, improving safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists; new two-way bicycle lane creates a more seamless connection to the Brooklyn Bridge from Lower Manhattan

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced a new traffic configuration on Park Row next to City Hall, including a two-way protected bike lane, a new crosswalk and a network of lanes of more than two miles around lower Manhattan and the Financial District, increasing safety for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists trying to reach the Brooklyn Bridge from the Financial District. DOT crews expect to complete final elements of the project in the next week.

“We are committed to making cycling in New York City safe, and that includes making changes right on the doorstep of City Hall. For thousands of cyclist who cross the Brooklyn Bridge each day, this means a much safer ride,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Two weeks ago, we announced our plans to next year bring pedestrian and bicycle access to Park Row north of City Hall going to Chinatown.  Today, on a different stretch of Park Row, we have already created the new City Hall two-way bike path that will also make a big difference.  In Lower Manhattan, where every inch of real estate is in incredible demand, credit goes to DOT engineers and planners who found the way to make these streets safer for everyone -- all while relocating vehicle parking and traffic with minimal disruption.”

The new City Hall bike lane is less than 400 feet long but is in an area of high pedestrian and cycling demand, where the previous one-way southbound bike lane often led to unsafe interactions.  For example, according to DOT counts, on a single weekday in 2015, more than 500 of 1647 total cyclists cycled the wrong way (north) on Park Row -- riding against traffic on the street’s west side, often on the sidewalk. 

Between 2009 and 2014, these few blocks of Park Row saw four cyclist injuries, including one severe injury.  The project’s major pedestrian improvements include a new crosswalk across Park Row at Spruce Street, where in a peak hour, DOT counted 55 pedestrians making the previously unprotected crossing on the north side of Spruce Street.  As part of the project, other pedestrian crossings across Park Row were also shortened with widened curbs and the expansion of center medians.  As part of the redesign, authorized parking that had been previously located on the west side of Park Row was relocated to the expanded center median area.

“Under Mayor de Blasio and Vision Zero, we have added hundreds of miles of bicycle lanes and improved countless intersections and crosswalks around New York City, but this relatively small Park Row project proves that sometimes it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “In one of Lower Manhattan’s busiest areas, a few hundred feet of bike lanes and a single new crosswalk will make a real and consequential difference to the safety and convenience of thousands of daily users.”

As part of its continued commitment to expanding New York City’s bike network, which now has over 1,130 miles, DOT also announced that it expect to this fall complete a new two-mile network of bicycle lanes around lower Manhattan that connect the Brooklyn Bridge to Battery Park.  The network, including the new City Hall bike lane, adds bike lanes and shared lanes onto streets in the Financial District. This project is among several designed to improve bike access and connectivity to bridges, including at both sides of the Brooklyn Bridge this past year, with plans for the Williamsburg Bridge in the next year.

REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT SEEKS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) OVERSIGHT AND REJECTION OF PROPOSED AT&T AND TIME WARNER MERGERREP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT SEEKS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) OVERSIGHT AND REJECTION OF PROPOSED AT&T AND TIME WARNER MERGER

  Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement in response to the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner. In his letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Rep. Espaillat urges the Department of Justice to reject the merger if independent voices like Televisión Dominicana are not protected, as not taking them into consideration would have adverse and direct impacts on minority consumers and minority on- air talent.   

“I am deeply concerned about the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner and have called upon the Department of Justice to provide strict oversight during its analysis and to reject this deal,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “AT&T U-verse and DIRECTV have recently demonstrated their indifference to keeping independent voices and minority talent on air with its decision to remove Televisión Dominicana from its lineup, and it has become more clear than ever before that DOJ must closely scrutinize such transactions in order to protect diversity and competition within the media marketplace.

“As the first Dominican-American elected to serve in the U.S. Congress, I take this issue very seriously. Televisión Dominicana is AT&T and DIRECTV’s only channel that services the Dominican community, the 4th largest Hispanic community in the U.S.  Televisión Dominicana provides a necessary pipeline of culturally significant news and information directly from the Dominican Republic, as well as offering programming produced by Dominican-Americans in the U.S.  The network plays a critical role in strengthening communities, both for immigrant families establishing new lives in the United States and Dominican-Americans seeking connections to their homeland. Yet, the decision to remove the program was made at the most critical time as families prepared for the impact of Hurricane Irma, leaving many in the dark during an emergency.

“I have repeatedly contacted AT&T about this matter and have received a series of unsatisfactory answers regarding Televisión Dominicana’s removal.  I believe this decision directly contradicts AT&T’s commitment to protecting diverse voices and minority communities as promised during its acquisition of DIRECTV, and I urge the Department of Justice to strongly consider rejecting the recent proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner in an effort to protect independent voices like Televisión Dominicana and other stations popular within minority communities.”

Bronx Primary Day Review

  In looking at the final results from primary day several thoughts can come from the voting. Yes the Bronx Democratic County organization had a Clean Sweep of the contested races that were contained entirely in the Bronx. In the one Manhattan/Bronx council race everyone was the winner since current City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is term-limited out of office, and gone.

  Mayor Bill de Blasio while he won only received three out of every four votes against a field of nobody's. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was most impressive by getting the results expected by blasting both his opponents combined by almost the percentage that the mayor received. However Diaz Jr. may have been the only good thing for the County organization with the exception of no primaries in the 11th, 15th, and 16th council districts.

  Incumbents won their races where primaries occurred. Incumbent 17th Councilman Rafael Salamanca did the best with  73 percent of the vote in his one on one race with Helen Hines who received 27 percent of the vote. In the 12th Council district incumbent Councilman Andy King won with 69 percent of the vote over two opponents. However the third incumbent 14th district Councilman Fernando Cabrera was only able to pick up 55 percent of the vote with his second place finisher Randy Abreau picking up 35 percent of the vote, with 10 percent going to 86th A.D. based Felix Perdomo.

  The county organization seemed to have problems in the two open council districts. While Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. received 86 percent of the vote, in the 18th council district his father Ruben Diaz Sr. won a five person race with only 42 percent of the vote. Second was Amanda Faris 21 percent, third Elvin Garcia 15 percent, fourth Michael Beltzer 14 percent, and fifth William Moore at 9 percent. 

  The hottest race this primary was in the 13th council district, which I said back in January right after Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj announced he was running would be. In this race it was much closer than expected (even by me), as Assemblyman Gjonaj won with 39 percent of the vote (which I had projected he would get), coming in second was Marjorie Velazquez with 34 percent, third John Doyle with 19 percent, fourth Victor Ortiz with 5 percent, and fifth Egidio Sementilli with 3 percent.

  In the 13th council race several things happened including the return to the primary ballot of one candidate (of two) who were knocked off, which sparked charges of fraud on the challenger of that candidate after some testimony by said challenger. It also made the record books with the amount of money spent by one candidate, of which the total figure has not yet been recorded by the Campaign Finance Board. 

  On to the general election, and in every council district except the 13 the Democratic candidate will cruise to a victory. Since the number two and three finishers from the Democratic primary have minor party lines it is not known yet what their presence on the November ballot will do to the Democratic candidate. This is also the one Bronx council district which has the largest concentration of Republican/Conservative voters also. It should make for an interesting November election, at least in the 13th council district.

Independent Democratic Conference - Sex offenders endanger city’s homeless children, new report reveals

Independent Democratic Conference finds highest number of Level 2 & 3 sex offenders living in city family shelters in years, calls for immediate action

Senator Jeff Klein, Senator Marisol Alcantara, and Senator Jose Peralta Today released, “Unsafe Shelters,” an investigative report detailing the rise in Level 2 and 3 sex offenders living among the city’s nearly 23,000 homeless children in family shelters.

Currently 21 high level sex offenders share the same facilities as vulnerable homeless children, a practice the city’s Department of Homeless Services publicly vowed to end. But the practice not only continues, the investigation found, it is on the rise.

“We must protect our most vulnerable children from high level sex offenders who easily could be housed elsewhere. These sexual predators know how to take advantage of children and they should not be allowed to reside in family homeless shelters, where people are looking to regain stability. This is a disaster waiting to happen and the city needs to immediately move these predators away from these children. I am also calling on the Assembly to finally pass legislation that will ban Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from sheltering with families,” said Senator Klein.

“Families entering the New York City shelter system are already entering a difficult situation for their families and a difficult period in their lives. Having to worry about sex offenders preying on their children is an unacceptable burden on our city's homeless families, and an unacceptable danger to our children, who are our future. We cannot allow this state of affairs to continue, and I applaud Senator Klein and the Independent Democratic Conference for bringing attention to this issue,” said Senator Alcantara.

“The safety of our families and children is sacred, and this is why we must ensure we prioritize their well-being. We cannot afford any loophole, any misinterpretation when it comes to protecting some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers. I urge the state Legislature to pass a measure that will prohibit the placement of Level 2 or Level 3 sex offenders in family homeless shelters. I want to thank Senator Klein for his continuous efforts to tackle these avoidable and dangerous situations,” said Senator Peralta.

The number of sexual predators living in family shelters spiked since 2007 when Senator Klein first began looking into the issue.

There are 21 Level 2 and 3 sex offenders living in family shelters this year. The highest concentration of offenders live in Bronx shelters.

In 2015, Senator Klein learned that the Crystal Family residence in The Bronx housed two sexual predators who were eventually removed after he notified the city. Senator Klein worked with the city on this issue, and DHS publicly stated that no sexual predators would be housed with homeless families in February 2015.

Months later, DHS developed its own internal policy to screen sexual offenders and use discretion before placing them in family shelters. Factors that DHS would consider according to this procedure are the severity of the crime committed, the age and gender of the victim as well as their relationship to the offender, how long ago the crime was committed, whether that individual faced any existing residency restrictions, their age, and whether the offender happens to be the single custodial parent.  

Families in shelters feel unsafe when they learn a sexual predator lives in the same residence. Senator Klein introduced legislation, S. 1784, which would prohibit Level 2 and 3 sex offenders from residing in family homeless shelters to protect the city’s most vulnerable children from potential abuse.

It has passed the Senate numerous times, but the Assembly will not take it up.

NYC WILL BE FIRST CITY TO MANDATE THAT EXISTING BUILDINGS DRAMATICALLY CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Mandates on NYC’s 14,500 least efficient buildings to accelerate and deepen major efficiency upgrades; most ambitious program of its kind in the nation; financing to support retrofits, steep penalties for non-compliance; will spur 17,000 ‘green jobs’

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced new mandates that will force building owners to make sharp reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The new rules will compel owners to meet fossil fuel caps – requiring deeper upgrades to boilers, water heaters, roofs and windows on an accelerated 2030 timeframe – with sharp penalties for failure to comply.

“Time is not on our side,” said Mayor de Blasio. “New York will continue to step up and make critical changes to help protect our city and prevent the worst effects of climate change. We must shed our buildings’ reliance on fossil fuels here and now. To do this, we are mandating upgrades to increase the energy efficiency of our buildings, helping us continue to honor the goals of the Paris Agreement. No matter what happens in Washington, we will not shirk our responsibility to act on climate in our own backyard.”

When President Trump announced the US would abandon the Paris Climate Agreement earlier this year, the Mayor pledged New York City would adhere to the treaty and accelerate its own actions to reach the 80 percent reduction in emissions by the 2050 target. Fossil fuels used for heat and hot water in buildings are the city’s single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

The mandates announced today frontload the most dramatic reductions into the coming decade, and are the first step the City must take to help hold global temperature increases to just 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid the most disastrous effects of climate change.

Mandated fossil fuel caps will apply to all buildings over 25,000 square feet, and will trigger replacement of fossil fuel equipment and efficiency upgrades in the worst-performing 14,500 buildings, which together produce 24 percent of the city’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

In order to meet these targets, building owners will make improvements to boilers, heat distribution, hot water heaters, roofs and windows, requiring deeper changes during their replacement or refinancing cycles over the next 12 to 17 years.

The new targets will reduce total citywide greenhouse emissions 7 percent by 2035, the single largest step yet taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking 900,000 cars off the road, and spur 17,000 green jobs performing building retrofits. The plan will be enacted via legislation, backed by the administration and sponsored by Council Member Costa Constantinides.

To compel building owners to meet these aggressive targets, the legislation will set annual penalties that increase with building size and the amount the buildings exceed the fossil fuel use targets. For example, a 30,000 square foot residential building operating substantially above its energy target would pay $60,000 for every year over the standard, starting in 2030. A one million square foot building operating well over its energy target would pay as much as $2,000,000 for every year over target. Failure to comply will also affect a building’s ability to receive future permits for major renovations.

To help smaller owners achieve these objectives, the legislation will authorize a Property Assessed Clean Energy program to provide financing at low interest with long terms that allow property owners to pay for energy efficiency investments through their property tax bill. A PACE program in New York City has the potential to finance $100 million annually in energy efficiency and clean energy projects. A 54-unit apartment building in the Bronx that recently upgraded its boiler and made energy-saving upgrades would have saved $8,000 per year in debt payments had PACE financing been available. The City will also continue to provide expansive technical support and sharing of best practices through the NYC Retrofit Accelerator program.

The plan will stop landlords of rent regulated buildings from displacing tenants or raising rents based on the cost of improvements required by new mandates. Targets for these buildings will be established in 2020, in tandem with reform of rent regulation. They will also have an extended compliance date of 2035.

The legislation is the first necessary step in fulfilling Mayor de Blasio’s Executive Order 26 signed after President withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement. The executive order committed New York City to the principles of the Paris Agreement and directed all City agencies to develop a plan by September 30, 2017 to accelerate our 80 x 50 efforts and align them with the Paris agreement’s stretch goal of limiting a global temperature increase to l.5° Celsius.

In New York City, fossil fuels burned in buildings for heat and hot water are the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 42 percent of the citywide total. The burning of these fuels also contributes to air pollution that causes asthma, bronchitis, and premature death, particularly among children and seniors. To address this climate threat, the proposed legislation draws on inspiration from President Obama's Clean Power Plan and the successful New York City Clean Heat program to challenge building owners of the City's largest buildings to meet ambitious but achievable targets to reduce their use of fossil fuels. While the mandate will set the target, it leaves flexibility and time for building owners to make the necessary improvements that make the most sense for their building.

  

By 2035, benefits from this program include:

• Less carbon pollution: Reduced citywide greenhouse gasses by 7 percent = 900,000 cars off the road.
• Green jobs: 17,000 good middle class jobs created for plumbers, carpenters, electricians, engineers, architects, and energy specialists. A well trained workforce is necessary to help us to meet our ambitious goals and so the City's Green Jobs Corps, in close partnership with the skilled trades, will help to prepare thousands of New Yorkers for careers at good wages and benefits to do this work.
• Less reliance on fossil fuels: 14 percent reduction in natural gas use and a 20 percent reduction in fuel oil use.
• Cleaner air: Improved air quality, enough to avoid 40 premature deaths and 100 emergency room visits related to asthma every year.
• Lower annual energy costs, more comfortable indoor spaces:Energy cost savings up to $300 million per year for multifamily building owners and more consistent temperature for tenants.

"At this moment, we're watching the climate change before our very eyes as the most intense storms like Harvey and Irma become more frequent," saidDaniel Zarrilli, NYC's  Senior Director of Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer. "These impacts could get even worse. Now is the time ‎to accelerate New York City's climate action to achieve the Paris Agreement and lead toward a safer, cleaner, and more resilient city and planet."

“Buildings are the city’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and New York is leading by example with the most ambitious program in the nation to mandate a dramatic cut in emissions from our City’s building stock," said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. "Less carbon pollution and less reliance on fossil fuels mean lower energy costs, more comfortable environments for tenants, and cleaner air for all New Yorkers, all of which put us on track toward achieving our vision of a sustainable, thriving, and just city."

"Climate change is not the cause of hurricanes but makes hurricanes much stronger. With devastation from back to back hurricanes, it is imperative that we reduce the demand for fossil fuels. Mayor de Blasio's bold commitment to reduce energy demand in buildings is timely and crucially important," said Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator.

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES RELEASES “A FOSTER PARENT’S GUIDE TO EDUCATION”

Guide provides information on navigating city’s school system and provides additional resources for foster parents and children in their care

  The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS released its ACS Foster Parent’s Guide to Education, a valuable guide specifically made for foster parents to help them in navigating the city’s public school system. The guide – funded by New Yorkers For Children – highlights the many services and resources available to them and the children in their care− from birth to high school, college, and beyond.

“New York City’s more than 5,000 foster care parents play a vital and permanent role in the lives of the children in their care,” said ACS Commissioner David Hansell. “Quality education is nourished in the classroom, but begins in the home. Our role is to provide direction, support, and services to families so that they can ensure our kids perform to their best ability both in and outside of school.”

“We are committed to providing equity and excellence for all New York City students and families, and this guide will serve as a useful tool for foster parents and caregivers,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “Only by closely collaborating across City agencies can we meet the individual needs of students, parents, guardians and educators and this new guide is an example of this essential partnership in action.”

“We are thrilled to partner with ACS and fund this important work,” saidSaroya Friedman-Gonzalez, New Yorkers For Children’s Executive Director. “Foster parents play a critical role in the day-to-day educational success of the children in their care. This guide will serve as a useful resource for foster parents and will help ensure that youth in care across our city have the resources they need to accomplish their educational goals and this guide strives to help them achieve those goals.”

Education is the great equalizer, opening doors of opportunity and providing stability and focus that counter negative experiences ACS-involved youth may have had in their lives. For many children in foster care, school is a haven where they feel a sense of safety and a sense of belonging. Given what are sometimes unique challenges, children in foster care may need special attention to support their success.

The ACS Foster Parent’s Guide to Education will help foster parents and caregivers understand key developmental milestones; provide a better understanding of the Pre-K, Kindergarten, Middle School and High School admission processes throughout city schools; support the application process for colleges and post-high school programs; and expand their knowledge on alternative high school programs. The Guide will also provide information on other education-related topics for LGBTQ students, pregnant/parenting teens, and students with language barriers.

This educational guide will also help foster parents to engage and build partnerships with parents to support and improve the educational outcomes of children and help to facilitate education transition planning for when children in foster care return home.

 ACS is offering this valuable guide online and in schools to help foster parents take advantage of the many services and resources available to them and the children in their care, as part of our ongoing commitment to improve the foster care experience for both our young people and caregivers.

ACS has also partnered with the City University of New York, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, the Workplace Center at Columbia University School of Social Work, Pinkerton Foundation, New Yorkers For Children and other partners to launch multiple initiatives to improve education and employment outcomes for youth in foster care.  More than 400 youth in foster care are attending college, including about 100 participating in the Fostering College Success Initiative ACS Dorm Project in partnership with CUNY. 

About the New York City Administration for Children’s Services:

 

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes safety and well-being of New York City’s children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care and education services. In child welfare, ACS contracts with private nonprofit organizations to support and stabilize families at risk of a crisis through preventive services, and provides foster care services for children not able to safely remain at home. ACS is aggressively implementing a Foster Care Strategic Blueprint to improve outcomes for children in foster care.  The most recent status report indicates a 25% increase in children achieving permanency through kinship guardianship, and a 5% increase in children adopted from FY 2015 to FY 2016, even as the overall number of children in foster care continued to decline, among other significant progress made to improve case practice and outcomes for children and families in the foster care system.  In juvenile justice, ACS manages and funds services including detention and placement, intensive community-based alternatives for youth, and support services for families. In early care and education, ACS coordinates and funds programs and vouchers for close to 100,000 children eligible for subsidized care.   

For more information about NYC ACS, please visit www.nyc.gov/acs