Richard Heyl de Ortiz

I read the New York Times article about the impending demise of the Child Welfare Organizing Project (CWOP), an advocacy group of and for parents whose children are in foster care in New York City, yesterday.

The executive director of the largest and most politically engaged foster and adoptive parent organization in New York announced he’s leaving after four and a half years in the role. “I am writing to share with you that I am winding down my work at the Coalition and will be pursuing my commitment to families and children in another capacity,” wrote Richard Heyl de Ortiz of the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York (AFFCNY), in a Tuesday e-mail addressed to colleagues and friends.

New York State lawmakers approved legislation this week that would allow judges to order contact between parents and children, after the court severs the parent’s rights due to child abuse or neglect.

The Imprint recently hosted its first event in New York City, soliciting live “letters to the editor” to spark conversation about what’s missing from media coverage of child welfare. Family defense lawyers, reporters, adoptive parents, caseworkers and former foster youth shared their insights during the June 27 panel, which was moderated by The Imprint’s northeast editor Michael Fitzgerald and held at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.