The New York Advisory Committee (Committee) to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) seeks to examine the extent to which racial disproportionalities and disparities exist in the New York child welfare system and its impact specifically on Black children and families. After receiving testimony through a series of briefings, the Committee intends to provide the Commission with its findings and recommendations on this topic. Over the last eight months, the Committee has heard from impacted individuals, advocates, academics, researchers, government officials, and the general public on the issue. The Committee will hold their final panel briefing on Friday, July 21, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Public comment will begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. If you wish to join, please register below in advance of the briefing.

Panel VII

Multi-Sector Final Speakers

Friday, July 21, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Telephone Access (Audio Only):

1-833-435-1820

Meeting ID: 160 094 0395#

Panelists

Richard Wexler, Executive Director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform

Andrew Hevesi, Assemblyman, New York State; Chair, Children and Families Committee

Dr. Jennifer Havens, Arnold Simon Professor and Chair, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Director of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, Office of Behavioral Health, NYC Health and Hospitals

Dr. Sophine Charles, Associate Executive Director, Downstate, Council of Family and Child Caring Services; Assistant Professor, Police Executive Leadership Studies Program, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Business Meeting and Panel I

Friday, November 18, 2022

1:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Panel II: Researchers

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Panel III: Academics

Friday, February 17, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Panel IV: Public Forum

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Panel V: Advocates

Friday, April 21, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Panel VI: Govt Officials

Friday, May 19, 2023

1:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Time

All remarks by panelists and members of the public are recorded and transcribed for potential inclusion in the Committee’s report to the Commission. As the time available for each briefing is limited, any individuals who do not receive the opportunity to share remarks during a briefing are encouraged to submit remarks by email to [email protected] within 30 days of the briefing for inclusion in the public record. Any additional new testimony for the Committee's study on this topic should be submitted within 30 days following the Committee's final briefing on July 21, 2023 (August 20, 2023), as the Committee will be writing their report on this topic following that date. All remarks received will be shared with the Committee. Meeting materials will be publicly available in the New York Advisory Committee Public Folder.

Committee Chair Bryanne Hamill said, “As we undertake this bipartisan fact-finding study, it will be critical to our findings and recommendations to the Commission that we hear from children and families impacted by the New York State child welfare system as well as diverse perspectives that include advocates, academics, government officials, and community leaders, among others, to help us identify critical causes of racial disparities and harm to our Black communities as well as promising strategies for successful reform.”

Individuals requiring accommodations should contact [email protected] at least 10 business days prior to a meeting. The Committee is advisory in nature only and does not have enforcement authority, and cannot address individual complaints. Additional briefings in this series will be announced in the Federal Register and at www.usccr.gov.

For questions, please contact:

Sarah Villanueva, Support Specialist

[email protected]

(202) 769-2843