ACS Launches New Partnership With Former Detectives To Help At-Risk Families
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New York City's Administration for Children's Services is hoping to keep kids safer with brand new protocols for families at risk of domestic violence.
As CBS2's Reena Roy reported, the new program beginning Tuesday night may help save many young lives across the five boroughs.
"Through this new protocol, we are significantly expanding our services to protect families who are at risk of domestic violence or already experiencing domestic violence," Commissioner David Hansell said.
Highly experienced former NYPD detectives have recently been brought on to do so – like David McDonald, who will be working with preventive staff at ACS to focus not just on families with active investigations but also those who have been identified as high risk for domestic violence.
Read More: ACS Teams Up With Experienced Detectives To Handle High-Risk Cases
"The whole idea is to be able to give a clear picture of any risk factors that the family might be experiencing," he told Roy.
Investigative consultants like McDonald will be able to provide background checks and help create safety plans for vulnerable homes already in prevention service that meet certain criteria, like a new adult moving in or any criminal history in a household with children under seven years old.
The ACS preventive staff will then use that information to take action if needed.
"The protocol expands our ability to support families for a longer period of time with the collective involvement of experts law enforcement, child welfare and preventive services," said Hansell.
The mayor turned to Hansell after former commissioner Gladys Carrion was forced out in 2016. The city was outraged by the deaths of Jaden Jordan and Zymere Perkins.
Officials said Perkins, just six years old, was beaten to death by his mother's boyfriend, despite five separate complaints of abuse to the city agency.
In hopes of preventing those tragedies in the future, 10 former detectives will be joining ACS as investigative consultants.
