The Association of New York State Youth Bureaus

New York State has 105 county, town, city and village Youth Bureaus. This network has grown steadily since 1945 and now encompasses all 62 counties including New York City. Youth Bureaus support youth development programs that address community identified needs. Community members, local businesses, human service professionals, educators, clergy, parents and young people are all a part of the planning process.

Founded in 1971, the Association of New York State Youth Bureaus (ANYSYB) has over 200 members representing Youth Bureaus and Youth Boards; not-for-profit youth service organizations and municipalities throughout New York State. The mission of the Association is to promote the physical, emotional and social well being of youth and families in New York State through a unified, statewide network of youth service programs and professionals.

$10 for Youth Statewide Campaign

Krista Barringer, Executive Director of Ulster County Youth Bureau

Again, we have experienced a cut and veto by the governor to the Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention (4.25%) funds and Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (5.475%) funds for 2004 - 2005. The Senate and Assembly voted to re-store it back to the 2003 levels and now unless they act through a super-majority to re-instate their restoration of funding to 2003 levels, we will again be reducing the local level programming capabilities of the youth serving community across New York State. Yet, as we work to keep the 2004-2005 funding at the 2003 level, we also begin the campaign to ensure youth their needed resources at $10 per youth in 2005.

Many factors affect this request and dictate our mandate to ensure the strength of services the youth of New York State deserve. Local youth programs have experienced cuts over the past 13 years. The over five (5) million youth served today, up to age 21, have not seen a cost of living increase in their entire lifetimes. With these additional cuts, we will be at the same per capita rate for Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention as 1974 ($4.51). Please note that $4.50 in 1974 had the same buying power as $17.08 in 2004. The value of the $4.50 in 1974 is about 26% of the 2005 allocation in 2004 dollars.

Youth are just as deserving of the state fund as other sectors of our communities. The funding of youth programs is not the only funding that we can look at based on the end product:

• $188,805.97 per New York State capital defender eligible/notice of intent case (Capital Defender Office)
• $23,939.74 per New York State prisoner (Department of Correctional Services)
• $8,315.79 per New York State highway and bridge mile (Department of Transportation)
• $660 per user of a New York statewide data communication system (Office for Technology)
• $57.50 per New York State adult over age 60 (State Office for the Aging)
• $25.70 per New York State prisoner for the monitoring of state prison facilities (Commission of Correction).
• $4.51 per New York State youth for Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention programs.
• $2.95 per New York State youth for Special Delinquency Prevention Program and Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs.

Children spend more time out of school than in school. A variety of services are needed during these prime hours. Schools, while critically important, do not fill all or even most of the supports, services and opportunities needed to ensure youth are Ready by 21 (The Forum for Youth Investment, 2004).

Youth development is delinquency prevention, it is cost effective, and it is the right thing to do. Our youth deserve $10 for Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention programs in 2005.

 

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