Help on way, again
Funds restored for city foster teen coaches
It’s been a roller coaster of a week for the more than a thousand New York City teens in foster care assigned individual coaches through the widely celebrated “Fair Futures” initiative.
Late last week, teens like 19-year-old Brianna Escalante learned they’d be losing their trusted mentors after the program was slashed by three-quarters in the city budget.
“It was shocking,” Escalante said of the cut. “I’m honestly, truly, so sad. That’s something I would look forward to every day. I’d see his [my coach’s] name on my phone at least once or twice every day.”
Then, on Monday, supporters of the initiative got a surprising call: Officials from the Administration for Children’s
Services cobbled together an additional $9.3 million to keep the program running — and prevent coaches like Escalante’s from losing their jobs.
“It’s extraordinary,” said Jess Dannhauser, the CEO of Graham Windham, a foster care agency and member of the coalition that pushed for the city to fund Fair Futures. “It’s a miracle, after the budget was finalized.”
The surprising reversal caps months of frantic advocacy to save the program, which supporters say is a lifeline for young people transitioning out of foster care into adult life.
Just 21% of all city youth who age out of foster care at age 21 have a high school diploma, compared with 94% of foster teens who had a dedicated coach, according to program organizers.
The frequent support of a coach has been especially helpful with the stress of the pandemic, said Escalante.
“You’re literally in the system by yourself,” Escalante said. “Having somebody call you just to talk about things going on in your life … every kid should have that.”
Mayor de Blasio axed all of the $10 million allotted for the program from his April executive budget, and lawmakers restored $2.7 million in the budget adopted last week.
But advocates and foster youth kept pleading with city officials to find a way to salvage the program and stave off layoffs.
On Monday, ACS Commissioner David Hansell told the group the agency found an additional $9 million, through a combination of state matching funds and additional ACS revenue, to keep the program afloat, according to a spokeswoman.
“We’re thrilled that, with this $12 million, we’ll be able to maintain the Fair Futures program and ensure that young people in foster care will continue to have coaches,” Hansell said.
Dannhauser, the foster agency head, said the focused advocacy from youth ultimately made the difference. “The kids were consistent and clear about what it means to them,” he said. “And the city heard them. The commissioner in particular heard them. It feels great.”