Families Task Force Meeting with NYS OCFS Commissioner Damia Harris-Madden - September 10, 2026
Families Task Force Meeting with NYS OCFS Commissioner Damia Harris-Madden - September 10, 2026
The Families Task Force of the Westchester County Legislature convened on September 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM, to receive a presentation from New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Commissioner Damia Harris-Madden, Ed.D., MBA, M.S. Commissioner Harris-Madden, a former director of the Westchester County Youth Bureau, provided updates on historic state investments in child care, child welfare reforms, juvenile justice, and family support initiatives. The meeting featured extensive dialogue on child care access, workforce challenges, insurance costs, federal funding uncertainty, and the need to streamline administrative processes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A daycare director (Tiffany) expressed deep concern that increased CCAP funding is not translating into accessible slots, citing a waitlist of approximately 850 children in Westchester, with only 75 children being enrolled per month. She highlighted that parents must submit documentation three times through the process, creating a burden for working families.
- The same director also raised a crisis in child care workforce salaries, noting that even with higher reimbursement rates, centers cannot afford to pay competitive wages. She urged the Governor to sign pending legislation for special child care worker funding.
- Frank, representing fatherhood advocacy, praised the Commissioner for the Fatherhood Engagement Initiative, emphasizing the critical need for male involvement to break cycles of father absence and incarceration. He highlighted that many incarcerated men grew up without fathers.
- Emily, from a community organization, expressed gratitude for teen mental health funding but cautioned that school-based mental health clinics are underutilized due to stigma. She advocated for embedding mental health supports in existing youth-friendly spaces like Boys & Girls Clubs and community centers.
- A speaker (Laura) noted that the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester has a groundbreaking community-wide mental health program that reduces stigma through a universal wellness approach.
- An attendee (Kathy) echoed concern that universal pre-K expansion may undermine the financial sustainability of community-based child care providers, urging that pre-K be delivered within child care settings.
- Legislator Eric Pierce participated in the discussion, asking whether the 30-day recertification window is a Westchester-specific requirement and suggesting a need for flexibility.
Discussion Items
- Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Investments: Commissioner Harris-Madden reported a historic $3 billion increase in child care funding (40% year-over-year for OCFS). Westchester County received $93 million in CCAT-based funding (a 43% increase) plus $14.3 million in supplemental funds. The number of children served via vouchers in Westchester grew 237% from 2021 to 2025, reaching nearly 5,000 children. Eligibility expanded to 85% of state median income (e.g., $117,165 for a family of four), and family copays are capped at $15 per week.
- Universal Pre-K and Pilot Programs: The Governor allocated $563 million for universal 3K expansion. Three counties (including Dutchess) are piloting CCAP without income thresholds, starting in 2027. Commissioner acknowledged concerns about pre-K expansion undermining child care centers and emphasized parent choice.
- Fatherhood Engagement Initiative: OCFS awarded seven $10,000 grants to grassroots fatherhood organizations, with a focus on supporting fathers in juvenile justice facilities and promoting father involvement.
- Child Welfare Reforms: The anonymous reporting bill took effect June 2026; callers must now provide their information. Indications of child abuse/neglect are decreasing. The Governor expanded the Empire State Child Tax Credit and baby benefit.
- Juvenile Justice: OCFS has reformed facilities, partnered with community colleges for education, and is addressing long-stay youth. Commissioner noted the importance of fatherhood for youth in custody.
- Mental Health and After-School: $17.5 million for teen mental health first aid; 1,300 school-based mental health clinics (up from 872 in 2020). Positive youth development funding increased; Westchester has 62 programs and $6 million for LEAPS.
- Insurance and Workforce Crisis: Multiple speakers described a crisis in liability insurance for child care providers, with premiums rising 20-40% and insurers dropping coverage. The Commissioner acknowledged the issue and suggested exploring a nonprofit insurance pool pilot. The workforce shortage is exacerbated by insurance costs and low salaries.
- Federal Funding Uncertainty: In response to a question about potential federal cuts to the Child Care Development Fund (which provides 34% of CCAP funding), the Commissioner stated no contingency plan exists but the Governor has signaled strong support for child care. New York led a multi-state conversation on protecting child care funding.
- Streamlining Access: DSS Director John explained that the waitlist was created only after carrying potential deficits; the county is now opening enrollments monthly. A facilitated enroller from the Child Care Council helps families. The group agreed to meet separately to discuss simplifying documentation and recertification requirements.
Key Outcomes
- Follow-up Meeting on Waitlist Process: John (DSS) and the Commissioner agreed to a dedicated meeting with child care providers to streamline the application and recertification process, including exploring a 90-day recertification window to reduce family burden.
- Commitment to Address Insurance Crisis: The Commissioner committed to taking the insurance issue back to the Governor's office, noting ongoing discussions about nonprofit insurance pools and regulatory reforms.
- Embedding Mental Health in Youth Spaces: The Commissioner agreed to consider allocating mental health dollars to community-based settings (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs) to reduce stigma, referencing a positive youth development white paper.
- Digital Equity Roundtable Invitation: An invitation for OCFS to participate in a September 28th state digital equity roundtable was accepted.
- Recognition of County Staff: Commissioner Harris-Madden praised Westchester DSS and child care council staff, particularly Nora Yates and Laura Higgs, for their exceptional work.
- No Formal Votes: The meeting was informational and did not include any formal resolutions or votes. It ended with thanks and an invitation for the Commissioner to return.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, thank you so much. Okay, good morning. Nancy Barr, co-chair of the task force. Shall we? And um, and we're really excited today. Um, I'm gonna uh I guess I should first just mention uh take a two minutes. We have two of the legislators here with us. Eric Pierce, Joel Williams Johnson, and we um and we also just sort of went around the table and and introduced because we were having technical difficulties, and you didn't want to wait any longer, but we are really excited today to have with us the commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services from New York State, also formerly our chair of our or our director of our youth bureau of Westchester County. Um, and uh we're really thank you so much for coming today. Uh, we really appreciate your taking time out of your very, very busy schedule to be here with us. And um, we have uh an unusual circumstance in that we have everyone around the table, and usually we have lots of people online as well, but apparently whoever was coming came in person. So that's great. Um so I you know, whenever you're ready, you can do your formal introduction of yourself and of uh the program today. Okay, thank you. It is always great to be home and again looking around the room, having work with most almost everyone here. Um it is just it's always happy. It's like a homecoming, right? Bestchester we represent and John said, no, right. I mean, we are we're always touting the great work of Westchester County. So it is always a pleasure, and I appreciate when folks from my own own county reach out. Um as I often open up by saying, and OCFS, I now have twinkle to wrinkle, where that is and wrinkles on my face that have accumulated over the last two and a half years, but uh it truly is a dynamic organization, and for those who don't know, um OCFS has very broad oversight of the local departments of social services, which there are about 58 throughout New York State. So that covers a whole lot, and I learned so much from our great DSS here, um, which in my mind is a true model, and I am not kidding. Um, I've met wonderful commissioners, deputy commissioners, associate commissioners, senior staff from local departments of social services. But again, the innovation that comes out of Westchester County is always stellar and always uh prized upon when we gather and what and and we'll when we're having conversations, particularly around reforms, which is what I am keenly looking at as it relates to social services as well as junior justice. I just wanted to compliment our staff, which I know you already know that uh are just doing amazing work. So thank you. Hi, you know, again, from Niagara down to Ageborough, Long Island. I've been traveling probably about three to four times a week this year since the top of the year. And it's a privilege to meet so many people, but also to champion the good work of Governor Holkle, her accomplishments since 2021 taking office have just been astounding, particularly when you look back at some of the other um accomplishments of it. When there have been many of our other leaders, but as it relates to our space uh regarding child care and positive development and supports the families, uh the data does demonstrate that she has done far uh exceedingly well with with what she's doing. Um I want to also thank those who are here from the child care council. Um we could not do this work and try to build uh upon the goal really to universal child care and other partners in the room like Tiffany who who offer child care services in nonprofit organization and the other nonprofits throughout the county just been very much relied upon as we were to expand the footprint as it relates to childcare. And of course, Kathy, you've swung the bat for decades as it relates to expansion for child care, and you know, you met served on our CRP, which I appreciate, which is our citizen review panel. Um, and again, I could go along around the room looking at Luca, looking at you know other organizations that really do support the work of New York State. Would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Frank Frank. Frank has been a leader again for so many. And we're going to talk a little bit about fatherhood. I know that that's something that the legislature is also talking about. We're trying to replicate some of the things we've learned here in Westchester County and expand that net as well. So I'm gonna dig right in, and I think the slides are queued up. This presentation, some of you have sat through the budget road shows as we call them. So I I wanted to make sure that that we limited the number of slides because there's a lot to talk about, areas that I cover that I probably know the least about, like the governor's uh auto insurance and DOT and highways, and we're all proud of that. Uh, but for the purpose of this meeting, uh I wanted to just make sure I kept to the areas of interest here. Erica, it's so good to see you. I mean, you know, I'm just looking around growing up. Don't want to miss anybody, but but but it's just I can't I can't help it. Um, Nancy, you know, so much great work we've done together. Um so let's start with her slogan, which is your family, my future, your future my fight. I often say her fight because uh, you know, I have to give credit where it's due in terms of all of the accomplishments that New York State has uh actualized, but also as it relates to OCFS. Next slide.
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