Speaking Up: Rise parent leaders began testifying to legislators and speaking to thousands of attorneys, judges, child welfare leadership, frontline workers and journalists every year. In 2015, three impacted parents joined the staff: current Assistant Director for Training and Policy Jeanette Vega, Senior Parent Leader Robbyne Wiley and Senior Parent Leader Nancy Fortunato.

• Court Project: Rise presented on parents’ experiences and recommendations for family court in Manhattan, Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn Family Courts; at a CUNY Law School forum; and at the American Bar Association Parent Attorney Conference.
• Family First Prevention Act: Rise met with 11 congressional staffers about funding services that can prevent family separation.
• Parents’ Priorities for Frontline Practice in NYC: A team of 6 Rise parent leaders ran focus groups with 40 parents with open cases and presented parents’ priorities to ACS Commissioner Gladys Carrion, leading to an investment in improvements of parent-child visiting.
• Training for staff: Rise parents trained staff at Center for Family Representation, Bronx Family Court, CASA, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, ACS, New York Zero-to-Three Network, Schuyler Center, COFCCA, American Bar Association and New York State Defenders Association, as well as many others.
• Policy and Practice Reform: Rise parent leaders served on NYC’s Citywide Task Force on Foster Care, the New York State Parental Representation Commission and other task forces.
• Reunification Month: Rise worked with the American Bar Association to encourage celebrations of National Reunification Month, and Rise parents have spoken at events in NJ and every year in NYC.