FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Ortiz
Email: andrea@dignityandrights.org
Phone: (734) 512-3973
“THE PEOPLE SAVED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS – NEEDED EXPANSION THWARTED BY MAYOR’S AUSTERITY”
Mayor cuts vital social services and thwarts the expansion of restorative justice in the name of austerity and a budget crisis, yet expands funding for policing
JUNE 30, 2023 – New York, NY— Today, the New York City Mayor and City Council agreed to an executive budget for fiscal year 2025 that includes restorations of funding for restorative justice ($12M), social workers & psychologists ($74M), the Mental Health Continuum ($5M), and other vital education programs. The collective power our communities and the City Council brought into these negotiations saved existing restorative justice initiatives, 500 social workers and psychologists, more than 100 community schools, Student Success Centers, and more.
Our efforts will result in our City’s most marginalized students accessing social, emotional, and mental health supports the Mayor had continuously threatened to take away. We commend the City Council for standing with us throughout the budget negotiations and prioritizing healing-centered approaches for fostering safe and supportive schools.
Unfortunately, the Mayor’s budget, soon to be voted on by the City Council, continues to invest hundreds of millions in hiring new School Safety Officers and policing students at the expense of cuts in much-needed areas including early childhood education and endangering the planned expansion of restorative justice to all middle and high schools. To expand restorative justice and comprehensive social, emotional, and mental health supports in schools, we have to fully divest from carceral approaches that harden schools. There is still much work to be done to create a budget that reflects our values and we will continue to organize and work with partners throughout the City committed to changing our school culture to welcome and support all students. Our students deserve abundant resources and need freedom from the police to feel safe and free to learn, grow, and try new things.
We encourage the City Council to continue to leverage its power to resist austerity, move more money away from policing, and ensure our students feel safe and supported in schools.
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