4 Important Issues | 2 days of Advocacy
Come to Albany. Take action.

Take part in four campaign events fighting for access to children’s behavioral health, alternatives to school suspensions, youth justice reform and family-based foster care.

January 27: Join us at the Albany State Capitol Building in the Million Dollar Staircases for three back-to-back rallies:
12:00pm Solutions, Not Suspensions Rally| 1:00pm Achieve Youth Justice/ Raise the Age NY| 1:30pm CHAMPS-NY

January 28: Join us for meetings through the day and a rally at the Albany State Capitol Building in the Million Dollar Staircases:
Children’s Behavioral Health Advocacy Day (Contact ABufkin@CCCNewYork.org for more details.)

Solutions, Not Suspensions- January 27th

Join Solutions Not Suspensions as we rally to advance education justice in New York State through the passage the Solutions Not Suspensions Act which aims to:

  • limit out-of-school suspension;
  • end suspensions of students in kindergarten through third grade;
  • encourage schools to use education-based, age-appropriate, proven alternatives to suspensions;
  • formalize processes to ensure that students who are suspended are able to stay on track academically;
  • when feasible, require schools to attempt positive intervention strategies either before or in conjunction with a suspension; 
  • ensure that police in schools are not permitted to intervene in everyday student discipline matters.

When: Rally is Monday, January 27 @12pm. Meetings throughout the day.
Where: Million Dollar Staircase, NYS Capitol, Albany
RSVP: Kesi Foster, kesi.foster@maketheroadny.org

Youth Justice Advocacy Day- 1/27

Join the Raise the Age NY campaign in Albany on January 27th for a rally on the steps of the Capitol Building (1pm) and meetings with legislators to advance our youth justice agenda!

Raise the Age implementation went into full effect in October of this year, affording critical protections to 16 and 17 year olds who come in contact with the justice system. But our work is not done! Learn more our youth justice agenda by visiting the Raise the Age Campaign website.

To join the Advocacy Day in Albany on January 27th, contact Laura Jankstrom at ljankstrom@cccnewyork.org. Important points to note:

  • All groups must attend an in-person or online training.
  • We will distribute parental consent forms prior to the trip for youth under 18.
  • Transportation will be by bus. Busses will leave early in the morning from downtown Manhattan (more details to come) and return around 7pm. Groups attending are encouraged to make a donation to supplement the cost of the bus, but it is not mandatory for participation.
  • There must be 1 adult ally from your organization attending per 8 youth.

CHAMPS-NY Advocacy Day- 1/27

Research shows that children thrive in family-based care. That’s why when children must enter foster care, they should be placed into family-based settings whenever possible with well-supported caregivers, especially relatives. Join us as we rally in support of family-based care for all kids in NY’s #FosterCare system.

Learn more about our policy priorities and the campaign at www.fosteringchamps.org/NY.

When: Rally is Monday, January 27 @ 1:30. Meetings throughout the day.
Where: Million Dollar Staircase, NYS Capitol, Albany
RSVP: CHAMPSNewYork@gmail.com.

Children’s Behavioral Health Advocacy Day 1/28

The Children’s Behavioral Health Campaign is a statewide coalition of behavioral health providers, advocates, and New York families, joining together to create the public and political will necessary to ensure that all children and adolescents in New York receive the high-quality behavioral health care they need. Join the Children’s Behavioral Health Campaign to urge State leaders to improve access to mental health care and substance use services for children and adolescents in New York.

Details: We will be meeting at the Albany State Capitol on the morning of January 28, conducting legislative meetings throughout the day, and holding a press conference at the State Capitol. We will reach out with additional details to those interested in joining us.

Interested? Please email Alice Bufkin at ABufkin@CCCNewYork.org. We will be able to help with transportation costs, so please let us know if you would like assistance with travel.