Prevent Child Abuse NY Endorses Home Stability Support

Statewide nonprofit announces endorsement of Home Stability Support, touts plan as major step in addressing homeless crisis and housing instability

ITHACA, NY – Prevent Child Abuse NY (PCANY) today announces its endorsement of Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi’s (D – Queens) Home Stability Support (HSS) plan to address the state’s homeless crisis. The influential nonprofit organization joins a growing coalition of advocacy groups, community leaders and elected officials who have come out in favor of the innovative proposal.

“We’re honored to endorse Home Stability Support and urge Governor Cuomo to include the plan in the next state budget,” said Prevent Child Abuse NY Executive Director Timothy Hathaway. “The threat of homelessness can add additional burdens to already stressful home situations, putting children at an even greater risk for abuse. With Home Stability Support, we can help break this cycle and ensure the overall health and wellbeing of the families we work with every day.”

“I welcome Prevent Child Abuse NY as an important new ally in our effort to include Home Stability Support in the state budget,” said Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi. “There are more than 150,000 children in New York State who are in shelters, doubled up with relatives or otherwise homeless. Our coalition has no greater goal than to ensure each of these children has the opportunity to grow up in their own homes and live their lives free of the threat of homelessness and abuse.”

PCANY provides community awareness, training and technical assistance, and policy and advocacy across New York State. The group attributes its support for HSS to its continued focus on securing and promoting stable housing, and the importance of addressing stresses vulnerable families face in the form of rent and mortgage payment issues. PCANY cites a 2012 study finding a correlation between the increase in hospital admissions for child abuse, and the 2008 mortgage crisis.

With its endorsement of HSS, PCANY joins more than 100 community and faith-based groups statewide who have come out in support of the proposal. The groups are urging New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to include the proposal in the state’s annual budget, due in April.

For more information on Home Stability Support, visit http://www.homestabilitysupport.com/.