SARATOGA COUNTY, N.Y. — Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby recently announced the formation of the Saratoga County Child Safety Review Commission.
Eby said the review commission is “a multidisciplinary effort bringing together 53 professionals and community leaders committed to identifying gaps in the systems designed to protect children and developing solutions to address them.”
According to the DA’s office, the believed-to-be first-of-its-kind commission was formed following “an overwhelming response from the community,” with more than 250 individuals expressing interest in serving.
The 53-member commission is made up of Eby, representatives from law enforcement, child advocacy, education, public policy, social services, mental health, health care, the faith community, local government, the judiciary, the State Legislature, philanthropic communities and many other groups and organizations.
“This commission is about bringing smart, dedicated professionals who care deeply about children into one room and giving them the opportunity to work together on some of the most difficult challenges facing our children,” Eby said in a press release. “We received more than 250 letters of interest from people who wanted to be part of this effort. That response demonstrates just how deeply our community cares about public safety and the well-being of its children.”
The district attorney’s office said that the goal of the Child Safety Review Commission is to identify gaps in the systems intended to protect children, understand why those gaps exist and develop practical solutions to close them. The hope is that the commission’s membership reflects the many systems and disciplines that intersect with child safety, with every member serving in a volunteer capacity, Eby noted.
“This is not about pointing fingers or assigning blame,” Eby also stated. “It is about taking an honest look at our systems, asking difficult questions, and finding ways to make them better. We are trying to prevent future tragedies, and I am confident that bringing this group of talented and compassionate professionals together will help us develop meaningful answers to the problems facing our children.”
Members include law enforcement officers and investigators, school administrators, counselors and nurses, child protective services and social services professionals, mental health clinicians, child advocates, public policy experts, health care professionals, government and county leaders, elected officials, a retired Family Court judge, a pastor, nonprofit executives, and community leaders.
“Child safety does not fall within the responsibility of any one agency or profession. Protecting children requires all of us to work together. By bringing these perspectives together, we have an opportunity to see problems from different angles and develop solutions that can make a real difference.” The Saratoga County Child Safety Review Commission is believed to be the first commission of its kind, created specifically to bring together such a broad cross-section of professionals and community stakeholders to comprehensively examine child safety systems and identify opportunities for improvement.
Members of the Saratoga County Child Safety Review Commission include:
- Andrea Cowell — Senior Director of Domestic Violence Programs & Community Wellness, Mechanicville Area Community Services Center
- Ashley Kitts — Crime Victim Specialist, Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office
- Beth Anne Gill — Investigator, Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs
- Casey Bonacio — Child Protective Services Training Specialist, Youth Research Inc.
- Caitlyn Drysdale — Advocate, New York’s Child Welfare and Family Court System
- Cindy Dort — Occupant Protection Instructor, Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County
- Concetta Hmura — Director of Services, Saratoga County Department of Social Services
- Daniel Sheehan — Advocate, Kyra’s Champions
- Danielle Jourdan — Manager of Life Safety & Emergency Preparedness and Coordinator of the Office of Decedent Affairs, Saratoga Hospital; Deputy Coroner,
- Saratoga County Coroner’s Office
- David Torres — Community Outreach Liaison K-12, Corinth Central School District
- Dr. Erin Christopher-Sisk — Clinical Director, ECS Psychological Services; Executive Director, Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, Inc.
- Drew Caprood — Deputy Coroner, Saratoga County Coroner’s Office; Child Protective Services Caseworker, Washington County Department of Social Services
- Hon. Paul Pelagalli — Retired Judge, Saratoga County Family Court; Social Services Attorney, Saratoga County Department of Social Services
- Jaqueline Franchetti — Founder, Kyra’s Champions
- Janelle Sipowicz — Director of Counseling/Social and Emotional Learning, South Glens Falls School District
- Jeff Brown — Sheriff, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office
- Jennifer Buckley — First Assistant District Attorney, Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office
- Jennifer Willwerth — Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Private Practice
- Joan Gerhardt — Former Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- Joseph Manfred — Code Enforcement Officer and Emergency Management Coordinator, Town of Halfmoon; Firefighter, Halfmoon-Waterford Fire Department and
- Menands Fire Department
- Karyn Morales — Early Care and Learning Council, Child Care Project Specialist
- Kathleen Chaucer — Principal, Ballston Spa Central School District
- Kathleen O’Connor — Nurse Practitioner, Health Education at City Mission
- Kaylin Dawson — Forensic Program Manager, Division of Forensic Medicine, Albany Medical Center
- Lauren Stearns — Clinician, Northern Rivers Family of Services
- Lawrence Wies — Retired Truancy Officer, Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office
- Lexie Rogers — School Counselor, Albany High School and Mechanicville Elementary/Middle Schools
- Lisa Clapper — Youth Prevention Coordinator, Mechanicville Area Community Services Center
- Maggie Fronk — Chief Executive Director, Wellspring Saratoga
- Mark Mulholland — Founder, Kelly’s Angels
- Mary Beth Walsh — Assemblywoman, New York State Assembly District 12
- Meghan Dennison — School Nurse, Saratoga Springs School District
- Megan Johnson — Commissioner, Saratoga County Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
- Megan Quillinan — Executive Director, Mechanicville Area Community Services Center
- Michael Menges — Investigator, New York State Police
- Michele Schettino — Senior Bureau Chief, Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office
- Nancy Ness-Lewis — Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LMHC Private Practice
- Nicole Iwaniec — Executive Director, Child Advocacy Center
- Padraic O’Brien — Captain, New York State Police
- Patrick Maxwell — Commissioner, Saratoga County Department of Social Services
- Phil Barrett — Chairman, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors
- Rachael Phelan — Special Victims Unit Bureau Chief, Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office
- Rebecca Carman—Director of Policy and Community Development, Shenendehowa CSD
- Rebecca Robarge — Youth Services Coordinator, Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services
- Roxeanne Lansing — Owner and Director, Early Childhood Education Programs
- Sarah Schanz — Board Member, Shenendehowa Central School District
- Steve Bulger — County Administrator, Saratoga County
- Susan Costanzo — Director of Probation, Saratoga County Probation Department
- Vanessa Rose — Retired Investigator, Saratoga Springs Police Department
- Victoria Lovett — Lieutenant, New York State Police
- Vicki Vanderveen — Pastor, Ballston Spa United Methodist Church and Middle Grove United Methodist Church; Retired Senior Caseworker, Saratoga County Department of Social Services
- William Gettman, Jr. — Chief Executive Officer, Northern Rivers Family of Services
- William Rabbitt — Chief of Mechanicville Police Department
- Commission Coordinator: Emily Namorato
The commission will begin its work by examining existing systems, identifying areas where children and families may fall through the cracks and developing recommendations designed to strengthen child safety and prevent future harm.
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