April 30, 2013

ACS Honors New Yorkers for Contributions to Child Safety

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) honored six individuals and two organizations with the Commissioner’s Child Advocacy Award for their efforts in keeping the New York City’s children safe. ACS Commissioner Ronald E. Richter presented the awards on April 30th as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when New York City joins the nation in focusing on educating the public about child safety and preventing harm to children.

In honoring these exemplary New Yorkers, Commissioner Richter cited them for their extraordinary efforts to protect children, strengthen families, and for supporting Children’s Services’ efforts to achieve those goals. “The work of protecting and supporting our City’s children is a responsibility that we share with many partners, including all of you, and we could not be successful without you,” he added. “Through their work - in Child Advocacy Centers, community organizations, police precincts, hospitals and elsewhere - each of these individuals is helping to care for children, to connect with and educate families, to extend a safety net, and to protect children from those who would abuse them,” said Commissioner Richter. He noted that the Child Advocacy Award is the same award given to Children’s Services’ front-line child welfare specialists who investigate reports of child abuse and neglect, often in dangerous situations.

Those honored were Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs, Ruben Austria, Executive Director of Community Connections for Youth, Dr. Angela Diaz, Director of Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center, Dr. Jennifer Havens, Vice Chair for Public Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, and Director and Chief of Service, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bellevue Hospital Center, Keith Hefner, Executive Director of Youth Communication, Mary Keane, Family Permanency Advocate at You Gotta Believe, and the organizations Joyful Heart Foundation and Voices UnBroken.

Each year, Children's Services investigates more than 55,000 reports of child abuse and neglect involving approximately 90,000 children. In addition, ACS provides loving families and a safe environment for approximately 13,000 children and young people in foster care; early care and education services are delivered to about 110,000 children; and more than 5,000 young people in the juvenile justice system through detention, alternatives to placement, and placement through Close to Home.

ACS OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Contact: pressoffice@acs.nyc.gov, (212) 341-0999