Saratoga County District Attorney Announces 53-Member Child Safety Review Commission

Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby recently announced the formation of the Saratoga County Child Safety Review Commission, a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary effort bringing together 53 dedicated professionals and community leaders committed to identifying gaps in the systems designed to protect children and developing solutions to address them.

The commission was formed following an overwhelming response from the community, with more than 250 individuals expressing interest in serving.

The 53-member commission includes District Attorney Eby and 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 others. Every member is serving in a volunteer capacity.

“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,” said Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby. “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 well-being of its children.”

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. “This is not about pointing fingers or assigning blame,” Eby said. “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.”

The commission’s membership reflects the many systems and disciplines that intersect with child safety. 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.

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.