News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 29, 2023

Department of Correction’s Health Affairs Division Awarded $249,000 for the Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 23 Collaborative Crisis Response and Intervention Training Program Grant

DOC was selected from a national pool of applicants

The New York City Department of Correction’s (DOC) Health Affairs Division has been awarded the Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 23 Collaborative Crisis Response and Intervention Training Program grant. This $249,000 grant will enhance the ability of DOC’s Crisis Intervention Team’s (CIT) to serve incarcerated individuals experiencing mental health crises by enhancing their de-escalation skills through additional training and support.

Thanks to this grant, DOC will be able to increase the number of CIT staff, and more strategically deploy them across our facilities. Staff will also receive additional training to ensure greater sensitivity to individuals in crisis. Uniformed correctional staff are frequently on the front lines of addressing an individual in crisis, and these encounters often take place without additional support from mental health professionals. DOC understands that uniformed staff must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to support individuals in crisis, safely mitigate further escalation, and refer individuals for further mental health care as appropriate.

“We are honored and excited to receive this grant as more than half of the people in our care require a heightened level of mental health services. They deserve supportive care, and our officers deserve to know how to safely manage any situation they encounter,” said DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie. “We are grateful to the Bureau of Justice Assistance and our hard-working staff for making this grant possible.”

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The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment while providing individuals in our care with a path to successfully re-enter their communities.