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Description
A Public Hearing of the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Children an Youth held Wednesday, February 17, 2016, at 10:00 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following item:
160009 An Ordinance authorizing the Managing Director to contract with the Support Center for Child Advocates for the provision of professional services to the City for representing children in certain legal matters, under certain terms and conditions.
A
B
A
Good
morning,
everybody
thank
you
very
much
for
coming
here.
This
hearing
is
now
called
to
order.
This
is
the
public
hearing
of
the
City
Council
Committee
on
children
and
youth,
and
the
purpose
of
this
public
hearing
is
to
hear
testimony
on
bill
number
16,
0009
I
recognize
the
presence
of
a
quorum
of
committee
members.
Members
of
the
committee
and
attendants
are
our
vice
chair
of
the
children
and
youth
committee,
Councilwoman
blondell,
Reynolds,
Brown
and
committee
members,
Councilwoman,
Cheryl,
Parker
and
Councilwoman
kenyon,
as
Sanchez.
A
Also
joining
us
in
the
room
today
is
the
sponsor
of
the
bill:
councilman
Bill
Greenlee.
Thank
you
very
much
Councilwoman
before
we
get
started.
I
just
wanted
to
make
a
few
opening
remarks.
Today
is
actually
the
inaugural
hearing
of
the
Committee
on
children
and
youth.
This
is
a
brand
new
committee
created
informed
by
City,
Council
and
I
am
Helen
game
and
I'm
proud
to
be
the
chair
of
this
committee.
Along
with
my
fellow
colleagues
who
are
here,
we
felt
very
passionately
about
the
creation
of
a
children
and
youth
committee.
A
That
would
look
at
very
specific
issues
of
which
I
think
this
bill
is
a
great
example
about
the
broad
needs
of
young
people
in
our
city
and
that
sometimes
we
do
need
to
create
special
venues
so
that
we're
paying
particularly
close
attention
to
them
beyond
traditional
committees
have
often
dealt
with
children
and
youth,
including
education.
But
in
this
particular
committee
we
are
going
to
be
looking
at
and
embracing
the
whole
of
children's
experiences
in
our
city,
and
that
will
include
issues
that
touch
on
a
variety
of
areas.
A
Everything
from
food,
security
and
access,
homelessness,
childcare,
teen
health
and
care
for
young
people.
We're
going
to
look
very
closely
at
Child,
Advocacy
juvenile
justice,
and
we
welcome
all
of
those
who
are
in
this
room
who
care
about
this
issue
deeply,
and
we
will
be
doing
our
best
to
make
sure
that
that's
upheld.
But,
as
we
begin,
I
would
like
to
allow
my
my
vice
chair,
the
vice
chair
of
the
committee
Councilwoman
Reynolds
Brown.
If
you
have
any
opening
remarks,
good.
C
C
This,
as
I
repeat,
will
allow
us
to
focus
like
a
laser
beam,
because
we
know
the
facts.
When
I
came
in
city
council,
there
were
four
thousand
children
in
foster
care
they're.
Now
five
thousand
children
in
foster
care
every
single
night
they're
1500
people,
not
children,
not
sleeping
in
their
own
beds.
So
is
it
an
enormous
opportunity
to
make
a
better
difference
up
for
our
children?
Congratulations
to
the
chairwoman!
Thank
you.
A
D
A
E
You,
madam
chair
and
you're,
doing
a
great
job
up
there
by
the
way
she
was
all
nervous.
Just
let
you
know
before
him.
In
short,
the
sports
center
for
child
advocates
do
an
excellent
job.
They
have
represented
children
and,
and
the
administration
is
going
to
talk
about
their
background
a
little
bit
so
I
won't
repeat
it,
but
they
done
a
great
job
of
representing
children
that
needed
that
help
that
could
not
be
represented
by
defenders
without
going
into
the
gory
details,
but
a
cause
of
members
who
are
who
were
here
last
yeah
session.
E
There
was
a
legislation
put
in
that
any
contract
that
had
to
do
with
conflict
council
would
have
to
come
through
City
Council
before
the
child
advocates
said,
the
sports
time
for
child
advocates
were
were
just
renewed
every
year
through
the
administration.
So
in
a
sense
they
got
caught
up
in
this
kind
of
no
pun
intended
conflict,
and
it
was
never
the
intention
of
council,
a
former
councilman
O'brien
myself,
or
anybody
to
have
them
in
any
way
shortchanged,
so
I
certainly
support
this
bill.
E
A
F
Julie
wertheimer
assistant
managing
director
for
criminal
justice
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia
good
morning,
chairwoman,
game
and
members
of
the
committee
on
children,
youth
and
Councilman
Greenlee.
My
name
is
Julie
wertheimer
and
I
am
the
assistant
managing
director
for
criminal
justice
for
city
of
Philadelphia,
I'm
joined
by
jessica
shapiro,
the
acting
commissioner
for
the
department
of
human
services
and
marguerite
gaultieri,
managing
attorney
for
both
for
the
support
center
for
child
advocates.
F
We
are
here
to
testify
in
support
of
bill
number
16
0009
introduced
by
Councilman
Greenlee,
which
authorizes
the
managing
director
to
contract
with
support
center
for
child
advocates
for
the
provision
of
professional
services
to
the
city
representing
children
in
certain
legal
matters
under
certain
terms
and
conditions.
Since
its
founding
in
1977,
child
advocates
has
trained
more
than
8,000
attorneys,
who
contribute
pro
boner
silver
services
to
protect
children.
F
This
legislation
authorizes
the
contract
to
provide
counsel
for
children
who
cannot
be
represented
in
legal
matters
by
the
defender,
Association
of
Philadelphia
or
another
provider
due
to
a
conflict.
This
is
a
core
function
of
the
justice
system
and
a
service.
The
city
is
obligated
to
provide,
in
addition
to
representation.
Child
advocates
provide
social
workers
to
address
the
child's
need,
while
under
the
agency's
representation,
we
respectfully
request
that
the
council
rules
be
suspended
to
allow
for
the
first
reading
of
this
bill
at
the
next
council
session.
We
thank
you
for
your
consideration.
A
A
A
A
C
A
Has
been
moved
and
properly
seconded
that
the
amendment
to
build
number
1604
clarify
clarification
seconded
that
bill
number
16,
0009
be
approved
and
all
those
in
favor
of
the
motion
will
signify
it
by
saying
aye
aye
those
opposed
so
the
eyes
have
it
and
the
motion
carries
and
bill
number
16
0009
has
been
approved.
So
thank
you
very
much.