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Reports that New York City officials proposed ending the practice of paying foster care agencies a daily rate for each foster child and shifting the money towards a variety of neighborhood-based services to keep families together. Daily rate for foster agencies; Details of the proposed changes to the foster system; Plan of the city to reinvest some of the money it will save from reducing foster care placements into services.

Reports on the announcement of police and fire officials that the cause of an underground fire that destroyed a vital transit node in Lower Manhattan, New York City, in January 2005, remains unclear. Fire's gutting of a signal relay room that transmitted information about train positions and movements; Speculation that a homeless person might have caused the fire; Investigation of fire marshals on the real cause of the fire.

Reports on Judge William H. Pauley III of the United States District Court in Manhattan's ruling that under former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, the city denied food stamps, welfare and Medicaid benefits to eligible applicants. Court's decision to place the city under permanent injunction to improve its social services; City officials' complaint that Pauley's decision was based on statistics from 2000; Background on the class-action lawsuit filed against the city which resulted to Pauley's ruling.

Details a report produced by the nonprofit Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement, on the significant gap between welfare benefits and the minimum wage in New York City. Estimated amount of income needed to afford basic living costs in the city; Availability of government benefits to families who earn less than twice the poverty level; Increase in the report's minimum recommended income levels.

Reports on the challenges facing the Salvation Army of New York. Banning of the Salvation Army and other charitable groups performing their annual ritual of seeking donations from holiday shoppers of Target stores and Atlantic Terminal mall; Implementation of Target's no-kettle policy; Impact of the policy on the organization.

Reports on the closure of several day care centers in New York City as of September 2004 directed by the U.S. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene due to the operation of a business without valid licenses, exceeding the number of allowed children and absence of adequate exits.

Reports on the rise of child fatalities in New York City. Sleeping parents' rolling over their children.

Reports on the crime committed by a mother to her son in Brooklyn, New York City. Discrepancy in the collection of welfare benefits for three children; Reason for killing her son; Maximum public assistance grant for a mother with three children a month.

Reports that legislation which could save New York City $7.5 million a year in foster care costs and the state tens of millions more in federal fines has been stalled in the State Legislature. Permanency bill, which would streamline New York's antiquated court monitoring of children in foster care; Goal of speeding up children's reunification with their parents, or their adoption.

Reports on the John B. Mattingly as the next commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services in New York City. Related professional experience of Mattingly.

The article discusses Saint Christopher's Inc, a private foster care agency based in Ferry, New York which ran as a minority run agency to serve minority foster children in New York City. In 1991, children's rights activist Luis Medina was appointed director. Under a mandate to provide foster care to children with families with similar cultures, his agency gained city contracts. However, a series of tragedies linked to employee misconduct ended all contracts in 2005.

The article profiles Steven Banks, the commissioner of New York City's Human Resources Administration, with a particular focus on his role as an advocate for the homeless. According to the author, Banks' previous career as an activist and a lawyer for the Legal Aid Society has helped him to effect change from within the city government and has improved activists' views on the administration of New York City mayor Bill de Blasio.

The article reports that New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is seeking a measure to determine the level of poverty in the city. The measure, challenging the 40-year-old federal poverty standard, takes into account the money families must spend annually on necessities including rent, utilities and child care and also factors, value of financial assistance received. The measure will determine eligibility for Bloomberg's existing and proposed antipoverty programs.

The article focuses on the conflict between John B. Mattingly, commissioner of child welfare for New York City, and several minority-owned foster care agencies which Mattingly stated were mismanaged and delivering inadequate services to children. Brenda Hart, owner of one such agency, has led a protest, claiming the city's evaluation standards were flawed. Outside audits have faulted both the minority-owned agencies and the city's overall management of the foster care system.

The article reports that New York City has stopped offering emergency overnight shelter to families who have been reapplying for a place to stay after being ruled ineligible, according to officials. This decision affects families who have applied for benefits but are turned down. The policy follows an increase in the number of families given emergency shelter in free public apartments from fewer than 75 times a month for most of the year 2006 to nearly 800 stays in July of the year 2007.

The article discusses protests by homeless families in New York City who are attempting to be allowed to live in local homeless shelters. The protests which the families take part in on a daily basis are discussed. Policy established by New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg which does not consider these families homeless is mentioned.

This article describes how Judith Leekin used the New York City adoption system to adopt 11 children. The situation came to the attention of authorities when Leekin was charged on August 1, 2007 in Florida with child abuse felonies. Leekin made most of her adoptions in the mid-1990s when the city was desperate for people to adopt the many foster children. The city's Administration for Children's Services is reexamining its system of adoption.

The article reports on an increase in the number of homeless people in New York City. It is stated that the population of homeless families was at its highest in the last two decades in May 2007. It is mentioned that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had declared in 2004 that he would reduce the city's homeless population, and his administration spent $79 million on programs to solve the problem of housing. However, despite these efforts, the population of the homeless kept on increasing.

This article presents information about the efforts of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's administration to streamline the foster care system so that children are placed more quickly in permanent homes. Many children have languished for more than four years in institutions and temporary homes before being placed in permanent situations. The city will no longer pay foster care agencies for the days that they have a child in their system, but will pay according to the number of children served annually.

This article describes a new approach taken by the top management of the New York City Administration for Children's Services. Commissioner John B. Mattingly began the program in which managers meet weekly to examine the performance of caseworkers on various abuse cases throughout the city. The new program was instituted after a series of children's deaths, the most notable of which was the beating death of Nixzmary Brown by her mother and stepfather.

This article discusses the improvements made in New York City's Admininistration for Children's Services response to reported child abuse. In the wake of the parental abuse and beating death of Nixzmary Brown in Brooklyn in January 2006, Deputy Mayor Linda I. Gibbs is leading an effort to coordinate city agencies in spotting child. The abuse hotline has been receiving an average of 6,000 calls per month and the hope is that the agency can catch abuse before it goes too far.

This article discusses financial improprieties at New York City foster care agencies during 2006. Lelar Floyd, who served as the executive director of Concord Family Services in Brooklyn, New York, resigned from his job after it was found that he used a corporate credit card to spend $71,000 on clothing and jewelry for himself.

The article looks at the poor state of some homeless shelters in Brooklyn and Queens, New York. State health inspectors viewed a shelter that was overcrowded and dirty. The lack of food and medical care at the shelter are cited. The article states that various homes in New York City have been licensed as therapeutic housing for homeless people. The lack of regulation received by these shelters is discussed.

The article reports on the addition of hundreds of new position to handle the critical task of investigating the growing complaints of child abuse in New York City.

The article reports the death of 4-year-old Quachaun Browne in the Bronx, New York, N.Y. Aleshia Smith, the boy's mother, is being charged with second degree manslaughter for not intervening as boyfriend Jose Calderon allegedly abused and neglected Quachaun the weekend preceding his death. Calderon is being charged with murder. Six neglect warnings had been given from family friends, a doctor, and a school counselor since 2004. Caseworkers insist that they knew nothing of Jose Calderon's connection to the family.

The article reports the death of a 4-year-old boy, Quachon Browne, in the Bronx, New York City whose family is being investigated by law enforcement officials. Possible causes of death are discussed, with a description of injuries including a fractured skull and lacerated liver. Allegations of abuse against the boy's mother, Aleshia Smith, and boyfriend are discussed, in the context of numerous complaints to authorities by neighbors and school workers.

This article reports on the increase in the removal of children from abusive parents by city child welfare agencies. The changes have been made in the wake of the death of Nixzmary Brown at the hands of her stepfather. The prior policy had been to attempt to keep families intact, even when there was evidence of abuse. Now many old cases are being treated more aggressively with children being moved into foster care. The new actions reflect the shake up of the Administration for Children's Services ordered by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

This article discusses the near drowning of Elizabeth Gonzalez, a five-month-old Bronx, New York girl. Her mother, Carol Gonzalez, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, endangering the welfare of a child and other charges after being interviewed by police. The home had been visited by a worker with the city's child welfare agency two days before the near drowning.

This article reports on steps taken by New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to restructure child welfare agencies in the city. The move comes in response to the death of a girl, Nixzmary Brown, a victim of child abuse.The creation of a new mayoral office, one that would coordinate all the agencies charged with child welfare, was announced.

This article reports that six New York City welfare workers were suspended or reassigned in connection with the death of a victim of child abuse, the 7-year-old girl Nixzmary Brown. The disciplinary moves were ordered by Commissioner John B. Mattingly, the head of New York City Administration for Children's Services. There are details of the penalties that could befall the six workers if they are found to have been negligent or guilty of actual wrongdoing. The article reports the activities of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in connection with the case.

This article discusses how police officials in New York City met with officials from Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office to discuss the role of police officers in investigating concerns about child abuse of Nixzmary Brown. The police say they didn't participate in the investigation, they were there only to prevent interference from the child's stepfather. "The New York Daily News" reports that the police interviewed relatives and didn't get further involved because it found no evidence of parental abuse. The child's stepfather has been charged with murder for beating her to death.

The article looks at how a Brooklyn pediatrician Dr. Rakesh K. Dua notified child welfare authorities of child abuse in the case of Sierra Roberts, a 7-year-old who died from injuries sustained in beating in October of 2005. The girl's father, Russell Roberts, is being charged with beating her with his knee and with a belt two days prior to her death. The article includes comments from Dua regarding the case.

This article reports on the drowning death of Dahquay Gillians, a 1-year old boy from Brooklyn, after his mother, Tracina Vaugh, left him alone in the bathtub with his 3-year-old half brother. The details of the incident are described. Vaughn pleaded guilty to child endangerment six months previously after her child was scalded by hot water by her boyfriend. Vaugh was arrested and charged with two counts each of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child in this incident. Both children had recently been returned to Vaughn's custody. The city's Administration for Children's Services is investigating the situation.

The article discusses social policy under the administration of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Critics of the mayor's management style say that his public forums do not focus enough on the city's social programs. The administration has reorganized the homeless and foster care programs, simplified the application process for food stamps and other benefits, redesigned after-school care, and made day care available to more children. Diane L. Baillargeon, president of the nonprofit organization Seedco, comments on the Bloomberg administration. The social services policy under former mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, is mentioned.

Reports that twenty-two months after it won the right to evict troublesome men and women from its homeless shelters, New York City started to use its power, taking action against nine men and a woman. How the city threatened action against several disruptive homeless-shelter residents; Response of the homeless to the threat of eviction; Debate between the city and advocates for the homeless over the eviction policy; Analysis of the issue.

Reports that a federal agency is investigating whether guidelines for including foster children in drug trials for AIDS were violated. Inquiry into whether children in New York City were harmed in the trails; Observation that most of the questions have arisen from a single account of abuse allegations; Details of the charges; How physicians and federal health officials have strongly defended their work; Information on the rise of pediatric AIDS deaths in New York City through the mid-1990s, and their sharp decline once effective drugs became available; Background on the controversy; Outlook for completion of the investigation.

Focuses on the success of a ballroom dance instruction course for fifth graders at Public School 115 in New York City. Way that the children have excelled in learning ballroom dance techniques; How a documentary film, titled "Mad Hot Ballroom," was made about three public schools, including P.S. 115, who competed in a ballroom dance competition; History of ballroom dancing; Description of the dance program, which is run by the American Ballroom Institute.

Reports that New York City is to lose nearly $100 million in state aid for social service programs. Cuts, many the result of line-item vetoes by Governor George E. Pataki; Laid off workers at nonprofit groups; Result of the financial problems in state government; State's decision to use federal welfare money indirectly for non-welfare spending; Legislature, which has until the end of the year to override vetoes.

Focuses on the effort of the volunteers of Kings County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in protecting children from abuse in New York City. Response of the volunteers of a call about a young man with a machine gun who threatened children in an apartment; Argument of the state that the organization has no right to investigate cases of child abuse; Description of the office of the organization.

Focuses on the welfare policy outlined by mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in New York City. Emphasis on educating and training women so they could leave welfare for sustainable work; Complaints received about commissioner of the Human Resources Administration Verna Eggleston; Move of the commissioner to throw a program on supportive housing for AIDS patients into disarray.

The article offers information on the National Book Awards in Manhattan, New York in November 2012. It says that the U.S. National Book Foundation, which presents the prizes, has been establishing changes behind the event, particularly in the nomination process. It mentions that Man Booker Prize gives one award for fiction and its judges are not just writers but also an entertainer with literary interest.

As temperatures outside were dropping from icy to arctic early Monday evening, volunteers inside the Friends Meeting House off East 15th Street prepared their gym for homeless guests, following a routine that has taken place nightly for more than 25 years. They arranged green cots in neat lines on the polished wood floor, placed cold cuts and leftover lasagna on pink cloth-covered tables, and set out 14 chairs -- 12 for the homeless, 2 for volunteers who share the communal meal, then sleep in the next room. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A bitter financing battle that could threaten day care programs serving thousands of poor families in New York is brewing between the city and state governments over a year-old state order to increase the amount the city pays providers of subsidized day care to make it closer to market rate. Since October 2007, when the mandate went into effect, the city has refused to increase the rates for the 24,000 home-based providers because, according to the Administration for Children's Services, the state's one-time grant of $27 million is not enough to cover the increase, which it estimates would be as much as $53.4 million a year. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The city will reduce funds for 21 day care sites in January as part of efforts to close a yawning budget deficit, city officials said on Wednesday. While officials made it clear that the sites would not be closed, critics charged that the reductions would have the same effect, by destabilizing the centers to the point that they would be forced to shut down. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Because of budget cuts, the state will curtail its substance abuse programs for ex-convicts living in New York City and its suburbs by month's end, despite research indicating that such programs help reduce recidivism. The elimination of about $8.6 million in contracts between the Department of Correctional Services, the Division of Parole and nonprofit groups that provide the drug counseling is a tiny drop in the $1.1 billion that Gov. David A. Paterson has cut from the state's annual spending since March. About 2,700 parolees participated in the programs over the last year, and many who work on smoothing prisoner re-entry worry that cutting the programs could land hundreds of them back behind bars. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In what some see as a sign of the economic downturn's impact on the city's poorest, more families entered the homeless shelter system in September than in any other month since data has been collected. Some 1,446 families entered shelter in September, city officials said. That was the highest number in one month since the city began keeping track 25 years ago. In each of the past three months, the city has seen record numbers of families admitted to shelter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A 2 1/2-year-old boy was found dead on Monday night in his home in Far Rockaway, Queens, an apartment that he had been returned to last month by child welfare workers after he spent most of his life in foster care, officials said. It was unclear how the boy, Jashya Brown, died, officials said on Tuesday, though investigators were pursuing whether roughhousing with an older brother had contributed to his death. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, according to the city medical examiner. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

FRAN LEBOWITZ, the New York City society commentator-at-large, tells of dining recently at the Waverly Inn & Garden in Greenwich Village. Her companion was Toni Morrison, the winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in literature. When the two stepped out onto the sidewalk, the paparazzi who were waiting across Bank Street were stumped. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]