BOSTON — The Children's League of Massachusetts (CLM) gathered with more than 130 advocates, staff from direct service provider organizations, and legislators at the Massachusetts State House to amplify legislative priorities and budget investments vital for vulnerable children, youth, and families across the Commonwealth. 

 

The program included awards presented to four dedicated children's provider staff members, and to three legislative champions.

 

CLM presented awards to three legislative champions from across the state who have persistently advocated to dismantle systemic barriers. Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Senator Robyn Kennedy were honored as House and Senate Champions for Children, and Representative Kay Khan received an All-Time Champion for Children Award recognizing her three decades of leadership on children's issues from Beacon Hill and in the community. 

 

All three spoke of previous legislative wins but also called attention to the work that remains to be accomplished.

 

"There is no work more important in the Commonwealth than advocating for the wellbeing and safety of our children. And there is no work more difficult than finding those solutions so that our children are well protected and have what they need to succeed," said Representative Tricia Farley- Bouvier. "The work is only getting harder. The challenges are only greater. And that makes our work more important to do."

 

CLM Executive Director Rachel Gwaltney shared that while the pandemic years have ended, the "new normal" includes familiar challenges of long wait lists for services, and stressful circumstances that bring too many families into the child welfare system for lack of upstream support and treatment.

 

Gwaltney recognized progress made by the Governor and Legislature this year including ending the practice of seizing social security benefits from children in foster care, and adopting a Child and Dependent Tax Credit that puts more cash directly into the pockets of families most in need.

 

CLM also honored the dedicated workforce from children's service providers. The 2024 Direct Service Awards were given to Jerrid Kenney, the Assistant Program Supervisor at the Key Program Inc. and Kristina Russell, the Specialized Recruitment Coordinator at Massachusetts

 

Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE). The 2024 Program Leader Awards went to Raechelle Joyner- Jones, the Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health and Outpatient Services at the Home for Little Wanderers and Victor Griffiths, the East Regional Director of Community Based Youth Clinical Services at Gándara Center. 

 

CLM member organizations also met with their legislators in the State House to share their first-hand experiences of working directly with children, youth, and families in the child welfare system, and to advocate for legislative and budget priorities that would create transformative policy changes. CLM's comprehensive legislative agenda elevates critical issues impacting the child welfare system, including disproportionality and inequity in children's services, access to and the quality of children's mental and behavioral health services, resources for youth "aging out" of the foster care system without permanency, and fair wages for the children's services workforce. CLM believes that the Commonwealth needs to continuing investing in children's services to produce meaningful change.