COMMITTEE ON YOUTH AFFAIRS
Chair, Councilmember Zachary Parker
Upcoming hearings
- June 11, 12:00 p.m.
- Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2026
- Sign up to testify or submit written testimony here
- June 12, 3:30 p.m.
- Public Roundtable: Youth-Centered FY26 Budget Priorities
- Sign up to testify or submit written testimony here
- June 23, 2025 – 12:30 p.m.
- Committee on Youth Affairs FY26 Budget Mark-up
All hearings livestreamed to Councilmember Parker’s YouTube Channel here (or click the image below).
committee info
Note: At the end of 2024, Councilmember Parker chaired the Subcommittee on Libraries and Youth Affairs. To see an archive of that committee’s work, please click here.
You can view the Committee page for the Committee on Youth Affairs on the Council’s website here.
Agencies Under This Committee:
- Child and Family Services Agency
- Citizen Review Panel on Child Abuse and Neglect
- Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services
- Juvenile Abscondence Review Committee
- Office and Commission on African Affairs
- Office and Commission on African American Affairs
- Office of the Attorney General (jointly, only for oversight purposes, with the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety)
- Office of the Ombudsperson for Children
- Committee Director: Thomas Franco
- tfranco@dccouncil.gov
- 202-727-9277
- Legislative Counsel: Joe Dweck
- jdweck@dccouncil.gov
- 202-654-6179
committee news
- Committee Updates from June 6, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include the revised FY26 budget oversight schedule for the committee and reminders about upcoming hearings.
- Committee Updates from May 30, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a recap of the committee’s May 29, 2025 FY26 budget oversight hearing from the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) and Ombudsperson for Children (OFC). An update budget season schedule is also shared.
- Committee Updates from May 16, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a recap of the committee’s May 14, 2025 public roundtable with DYRS and details about the Councilmember’s unannounced visit to YSC and stops at family collaboratives across the city.
- Committee Updates from April 11, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a listening session Councilmember Parker held with DYRS and parents of justice-involved youth, with the collaboration of Parent Watch.
- Committee Updates from April 4, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a meeting the Councilmember held with the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG).
- Committee Updates from March 28, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include information about the disrupted budget season.
- Committee Updates from March 21, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include the committee’s budget oversight schedule as of March 2025.
- Committee Updates from March 14, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates dive deeper into the updates from the March 7, 2025 newsletter.
- Committee Updates from March 7, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a recap of the March 6, 2025 performance oversight hearing for the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs, Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), and Office of the Attorney General (Juvenile-Related Issues).
- Committee Updates from February 21, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a notice of the March 6 performance oversight hearing for the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs, Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), and Office of the Attorney General (Juvenile-Related Issues).
- Committee Updates from February 14, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a recap of the February 13 performance oversight hearing of the Mayor’s Office of African American Affairs, Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), and Office of the Ombudsperson for Children.
- Committee Updates from January 31, 2025 Ward 5 Weekly Newsletter. These updates include a recap of the January 29 performance oversight hearing of the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs.
past hearings
- May 29, 2025, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – RECORDING
- Child and Family Services Agency Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2026
- Office of the Ombudsperson for Children Budget Hearing for Fiscal Year 2026
- Submit written testimony until the record closes here.
- May 14, 2025 – 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – RECORDING
- Public Roundtable on:
- B26-0186 – Justice-Involved Youth in Community Act of 2025
- REPORT: Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire and Life Safety Systems at the Youth Services Center and New Beginnings Youth Development Center
- Recording has closed for this hearing.
- Public Roundtable on:
- March 6, 2025, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – RECORDING
- Performance Oversight Hearing for:
- Mayor’s Office on African Affairs
- Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS)
- Office of the Attorney General (Juvenile-Related)
- Record has closed for this hearing.
- Performance Oversight Hearing for:
- February 13, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. – RECORDING
- Performance Oversight Hearing for:
- Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs
- Child and Family Services Agency
- Office of the Ombudsperson for Children
- Record has closed for this hearing.
- Performance Oversight Hearing for:
- January 29, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – RECORDING
- Mayor’s Office on African Affairs
- Record has closed for this hearing.
Councilmember Parker’s Committee Assignments
In addition to serving as Chair of the Committee on Youth Affairs, Councilmember Parker is a member of the following committees:
Committee of the Whole
Chaired by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson. Learn more and view key staff here. Agencies under this committee include:
- Board for the Condemnation of Insanitary Buildings
- Board of Review of Anti-Deficiency Violations
- Commission on the Arts and Humanities
- Council of the District of Columbia
- Department of Buildings (including construction codes)
- Deputy Mayor for Education
- District of Columbia Auditor
- District of Columbia Public Charter Schools
- District of Columbia Public Schools
- District of Columbia Retirement Board (including its plans)
- District of Columbia State Athletics Commission
- Historic Preservation Review Board
- Interstate Compact Commissions
- Law Revision Commission
- Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
- National Capital Planning Commission
- OCFO Office of Budget and Planning
- Office of Planning (including commemorative works)
- Office of the State Superintendent of Education
- Office of Zoning, including Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals
- Other Post-Employment Benefits/Retiree Health Contribution
- Pay-As-You-Go Capital
- Research Practice Partnership
- State Board of Education (including ombudsman and advocate)
- Statehood Commission and delegation
- Tax Revision Commission
- Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation
- University of the District of Columbia
Health
Chaired by Councilmember Christina Henderson (At-Large). Learn more and view key staff here. Agencies under this committee include:
- All of the advisory committees and professional boards serving the Department of Health or Department of Behavioral Health
- Behavioral Health Planning Council
- Cedar Hill Hospital
- Commission on Health Equity
- Council on Physical Fitness, Health, and Nutrition
- Department of Behavioral Health
- Department of Health
- Department of Health Care Finance
- Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services
- District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange Authority
- Food Policy Council
- Health Information Exchange Policy Board
- Health Literacy Council
- Metropolitan Washington Regional Ryan White Planning Council
- Not-For-Profit Hospital Corporation
- Statewide Health Coordinating Council
Committee on Human Services
Chaired by Councilmember Matt Frumin (Ward 3). Learn more and view key staff here. Agencies under this committee include:
- Commission on Latino Community Development
- Department of Human Services
- District of Columbia Public Library System
- Interagency Council on Homelessness
- Office and Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders Affairs
- Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment
- Office and Commission on Fathers, Men, and Boys
- Office and Commission on Latino Affairs
- Public Access Corporation
Transportation and the Environment
Chaired by Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6). Learn more and view key staff here. Agencies under this committee include:
- Bicycle Advisory Council
- Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency
- Department of Energy and Environment
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- District Department of Transportation
- District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
- Green Buildings Advisory Council
- Green Finance Authority
- Pedestrian Advisory Council
- Soil and Water Conservation District
- Sustainable Energy Utility
- Washington Aqueduct
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- Washington Metrorail Safety Commission