The occasion was “Legislative Action Day,” an annual event for the school and the fourth year the students made the journey.  “We are building a tradition and experience,”said Associate Professor Jennifer Zelnick, who leads the trips. “Alumni are showing first-timers the ropes and it is gratifying to watch the development of our students’ skills, empowerment and professional identity as they make a difference on issues they care deeply about.”

This was the first year the school advocated for “Raise the Age” legislation, a package of policies to ensure that youth are tried in juvenile rather than adult justice systems.  New York is one of only two states in the nation that continues to automatically process, prosecute and incarcerate 16-year-olds as adults. The other state sharing that distinction is North Carolina.

Prof. Zelnick noted many students work with juvenile offenders and come from communities of color that are the worst affected. In Albany, they had important observations and first-hand experiences to contribute she said, citing for example a student who had worked in addictions who was able to point out that many young people end up getting felonies on their records and become discouraged and find it hard to turn their lives around because they have been charged as adults and their records are not sealed. In some cases the youth have been falsely charged.

Keneisha Newland, a second year MSW student who works full-time in the child welfare system, said, “Seeing how many teens under 18 are charged as adults for primarily nonviolent crimes is devastating.” With their records unsealed, Ms. Newland, asked, “How can they contribute to society afterwards?” Their records are easily accessible to prospective employers, and if their families live in public housing they can’t return home, she said.

Another second year MSW, Georgia Van Cooten, is equally passionate advocating for increased funding for the Social Work Loan Forgiveness Program, established in 2006 at just under $1 million and funded now at just over $1.4 million. With studies predicting an increased demand for social workers, and starting salaries stagnant at 2013 levels of $35,000 a year, graduates are too indebted to manage on their low pay and high debt loads and are seeking an increase close to $2 million. Currently the program forgives $6,500 maximum per year over four years.

The Social Work Loan Forgiveness Program receives the least amount of funding of all loan forgiveness programs and is the most utilized, with the programs for nurses, district attorneys and primary care physicians receiving more funding and seeing fewer applicants.

Said Ms. Van Cooten: “As a Summer 2016 graduate…[loan forgiveness] hits especially close to home because the reality of paying off my $60,000 in debt is fast approaching.  If social workers strive to service their communities it’s hard to do so when they’re juggling the cost of hefty loan payments in addition to every day life--rent, bills, and living in Brooklyn.”

Legislative Action Day was very meaningful for Ms. Van Cooten, she added.  “I enjoyed advocating since I will be applying [for loan forgiveness] upon licensure and [with] one year’s work experience with an underserved population. Having the ability to personally meet my assemblyman on the Assembly floor to push for Loan Forgiveness along with ‘Raise the Age’ was a memorable experience that I encourage all MSW students to participate in for 2017 and years to come!”  

Media Contact

Barbara Franklin 
Director of Communications 
646-565-6530 
barbara.franklin@touro.edu

About the Touro College and University System

Touro is a system of non-profit institutions of higher and professional education. Touro College was chartered in 1970 primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American and global community. Approximately 18,000 students are currently enrolled in its various schools and divisions. Touro College has branch campuses, locations and instructional sites in the New York area, as well as branch campuses and programs in Berlin, Jerusalem, Moscow, and Paris. New York Medical College, Touro University California and its Nevada branch campus, as well as Touro University Worldwide and its Touro College Los Angeles division are separately accredited institutions within the Touro College and University System. For further information on Touro College, please go to: www.touro.edu/news/