Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
The school year wrapped up this week for DC Public Schools, coinciding with many conversations about how to best support youth through the summer months. Thousands of our city’s young people are participating in the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program, which kicks off on Monday. Countless others will enjoy camps and other programs, like Late Night Hype, with the Department of Parks and Recreation. Families will receive support through the return of programs like SUN Bucks and the DC Youth Meals Program. And to help keep our young people safe, the Mayor has proposed adjustments to curfews for youth ages 17 and younger.
Of course, these conversations come while my office is hard at work preparing for the Committee on Youth Affairs’ budget markup on Monday. While we discuss how to support our young people through the summer months, I am also thinking about the long-term implications of the Mayor’s budget proposal which:
- makes major cuts to the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), hindering their ability to investigate cases and keep children safe;
- eliminates the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children (OFC);
- limits re-entry services for youth returning to our communities after being in the care of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS); and,
- completely eliminates the District Child Tax Credit.
