Spotlight

In January of 2021, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in individuals experiencing houselessness, substance misuse and mental illness, New York City’s Times Square created Community First, a pilot project in midtown Manhattan. The project, a collaboration between a multitude of partners, revolves around street outreach workers tasked with building trust and relationships with individuals in need. These outreach workers, called community navigators, help address a variety of needs, including obtaining food, clothing, showers, and bathroom facilities, as well as fostering connections to mental health services, housing opportunities and medical treatment. 

Six months into the project, the Times Square Recharge Station was implemented to further build trust with the community members the project aimed to reach. The Recharge Station, a kiosk in Times Square, represents a visible safe space, open to all, which is critical to building trust, especially with individuals who may not trust system partners because they have been failed by them in the past. The station is a partnership between mental health nonprofit Fountain House and the Project for Public Spaces, an organization with experience in place-based social service projects. Over conversation and free coffee, the Recharge Station serves individuals experiencing houselessness and/or mental health challenges; station workers collaborate with the Community First outreach team to secure ID cards, benefits, doctor’s appointments and housing applications for individuals in need. Fountain House provides assistance with mental health needs. 

Between January 2021 and June 2022, community navigators engaged 466 unhoused individuals and conducted more than 1,000 interactions with vulnerable community members. The Recharge Station, from December 2021 to May 2022, gave out 1,500 free cups of coffee and conducted 750 interactions with the target community in Times Square, with 500 repeat interactions. Overall, the trust building and place-based emphasis of Community First, combined with the project’s goal of meeting individuals where they are, not the other way around, is crucial to the project’s success.

New From the NCJA Center for Justice Planning

The NCJA Center for Justice Planning (NCJP) is excited to announce that, as of October 2023, we now offer Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP) strategic planning training and technical assistance! We are here to help SAAs strategically plan for the use of Byrne SCIP funds, which can include guidance on developing a program plan, assistance with developing Byrne SCIP advisory boards, board presentations on Byrne SCIP, developing priority identification surveys for advisory boards, sharing resource materials, creating stakeholder engagement plans and serving as a point of coordination between all three training and technical assistance providers. 

Do you need Byrne SCIP strategic planning TTA? Reach out to us!

In Case You Missed It

Tune in to episode 27 of the NCJA Podcast to hear Chris Asplen and Jane Wiseman discuss leadership in the criminal justice space through the lens of the NCJA Leadership Academy.

Learn about a promising model in juvenile reentry by reading about Dallas, TX’s Café Momentum internship program.

Staff Recommends

Jessica recommends Thomas Abt’s book titled “Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence—and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets,” as it provides practical solutions to curbing violent crime at the community level and highlights tools that communities already possess. 

Simone recommends watching this video from the New England Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative; the video highlights the role stigma plays in substance use disorder outcomes through interviews with judges, court personnel, law enforcement and individuals with lived experiences.

Social Media For SAAs

Struggling to fill your social media feeds with content? Consider posting about the following items:

Draw attention to National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, which is in November.

Organize an event for National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week November 11-18.

Celebrate and highlight Native American Heritage Month in November.

Support International Restorative Justice Week November 19-25 or post about it all month long.

News from Our Partners

Is your state struggling to address substance misuse in rural communities? Share the Reaching Rural Initiative, a part of the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) with your networks! This opportunity is designed for rural agency leaders or mid-level professionals working in counties, cities, or tribes as justice, public safety, public health, or behavioral health practitioners. Applicants may apply as individual practitioners or as members of a cross-sector team from the same community/region. Register for the informational webinar on November 14 and apply by December 15.