Kate Connolly of United Neighborhood Houses testifies on funding and infrastructure challenges

Hello and thank you for the opportunity to testify.

My name is Kate Connolly and I'm a senior policy analyst for United Neighborhood Houses, an umbrella organization that represents settlement houses across New York State.

Settlement houses within our network operate one-third of all beacon programs and half of all cornerstone programs.

I just want to start by saying thank you to the chair for hosting this oversight hearing.

I think attention to these programs are long overdue.

And despite the benefits of these programs that you've heard all throughout today's hearing, both programs are chronically underfunded and have not seen new RFPs in years.

As DYCD and the city plan for the future of these programs with a new RFP or with other updates, they must meaningfully engage community members, families, and staff early and often to ensure that their needs and priorities are shaping decision-making.

In the meantime, it's critical that the city invest in our city's community centers by increasing overall funding for cornerstones and beacons to respond to the pressures for minimum wage increases and inflation and to address the changing needs of the community.

Alongside increasing overall rates, DYCD must permit intern and counselor in training stipends as an eligible budget expense to strengthen the workforce development opportunities for our youth.

And then while funding increases should be the top priority, there are a lot of other challenges that these community centers face.

For example, many providers cite growing mental health needs among their communities.

At current funding levels, hiring qualified mental health staff is often unrealistic, leaving many providers reliant on referrals to external clinics that have long wait lists.

Programs should have the flexibility and funding.

to offer on-site services directly or through partnerships with community-based mental health providers.

And then regarding NITRA infrastructure, as you've detailed today, they face significant challenges due to long-neglected buildings, not only disruptions to services, but

slow response times to emergency repairs and they also receive fines from DOH and FDNY for issues already reported to DYCD and NYCHA.

As these programs evolve, agencies must establish clear communication and accountability so providers and participants are not left bearing the costs of delayed repairs, fines, or administrative failures.

We appreciate that DYCD has already started taking some steps.

But they need to do more.

And then, as you heard earlier, beacons and cornerstones are so much more than after-school programs.

And as the city, however, and as the city continues to work towards a vision of universal after-school, they need to think about how beacons and cornerstones can play a role in this, and especially serving communities that would benefit from more comprehensive services.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, I just, the universal thing always stresses me out because I feel like we need to fix so much stuff before we get there.

So, but thank you guys.

Appreciate your testimony.

And I don't have any questions for this panel.

I'll be calling our next panel, Vincent Price, Chris Pena, Leonardo Richards, Vinny Dung.

Oli?

How do you say this?

Cote?

Cote?

Dialis.

Felsnebo.

I'm sorry.

Please say your name before you speak.

I apologize.