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Advocacy Archives
November 2, 2006 -- Advocacy Report - November 2006
The Advocacy Department of Covenant House New York has been reinstated with the naming of Elizabeth Garcia as Director, Darlene Delapenha-Reyes as Deputy Director, and Vanessa Torres as Coordinator. A full time lawyer will also be added to the department, and will be on board in November. While the team is in the stage of redeveloping and revamping the department, we have already begun participating in various meetings throughout the city. The Advocacy Department represented Covenant House New York at the Homeless Services United, Inc. and the New York City Association of Homeless and Street Involved Youth Organizations meetings. Both meetings discussed issues and concerns faced by organizations working with the New York City homeless population, and how the city’s policies affect the work we do. Representatives from Covenant House New York attended hearings conducted by the City Council’s Committee on Youth Services and their Committee on Juvenile Justice. The hearings discussed ways of identifying and engaging disconnected youth, and discharge planning and post release programs for incarcerated youth. The City Council is interested in addressing the issues concerning the lack of adequate services for runaway and homeless youth, as well as youth involved with the criminal justice system. Continuing with the efforts of our Advocacy Consultant, Montalbano Initiatives, and our Community Resource Centers, the Advocacy Department attended Community Council meetings for the 46th precinct in the Bronx, and the 81st precinct in Brooklyn, as well as the Youth Council meetings for both. The purpose of these meetings was to network with Council Members and other representatives from city official’s offices, to listen to the concerns and issues in the community, and to promote the services that Covenant House New York currently provides. A representative from the Advocacy Department also met with the District Manager of Community Board 12 in Queens to establish a working relationship with this office. Covenant House New York was also a participant in the Human Trafficking Conference hosted by Covenant House International where representatives from every Covenant House site discussed this issue and what is being done to address this growing problem. In addition, the Advocacy Department attended a conference at St. Francis College on the topic of mental illness and the courts system, as well as a National Alliance on Mental Illness meeting addressing New York City housing for people with mental illness.
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