Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
This week, I introduced a 16-bill policy package in my role as the Chair of the Committee on Youth Affairs. The C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan is designed to foster youth wellbeing in the District, and was developed in partnership with impacted youth and their families, advocates, agency employees, lawyers, judges, and experts.
Since beginning my committee’s oversight in January of this year, I’ve seen up-close the gaps and systemic failures within DC’s juvenile justice and child welfare systems. By addressing a range of issues—from truancy, to financial stability, to parent engagement and more—we are seeking to improve the outcomes for youth who come into contact with those systems. As I shared in The 51st yesterday, the C.A.R.E. for Youth Plan is one small step and a call to action. I’m urging my fellow lawmakers and all neighbors of goodwill to reject oversimplified narratives that ask us to give up on our kids. Instead, we have the opportunity to invest in the systems, relationships, and opportunities that will help every child in the District reach their full potential.
