Exodus Transitional Community Inc

SINCE THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CRIME, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT CRIME, HAS BEEN ON A STEADY RISE THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY. IN FACT, CRIME HAS RISEN TO THE POINT OF BEING LABELED A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN BY GOVERNMENTAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT, MEDICAL, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. WITH OUR VAST EXPERIENCE, BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND LIVED, EXODUS TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY (EXODUS) IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO INTERRUPT THIS VIOLENCE THROUGH ITS TRANSCENDING THROUGH VIOLENCE INITIATIVE - WHICH UTILIZES NONTRADITIONAL METHODS, INCLUDING MUSIC, TO TARGET, TRAIN AND EDUCATE GANG LEADERS AND THEIR MEMBERS, GETTING THEM OUT OF LIVES OF CRIME, GANGS AND VIOLENCE. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, EXODUS WILL HIRE OVERNIGHT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH WORKERS (PEACE BROKERS) TO ADDRESS GANG AND GUN VIOLENCE IN HARLEM AND THE SOUTH BRONX. PEACE BROKERS WILL WORK FROM 7:00PM-3:00AM MEDIATING CONFLICT, PROVIDING INCENTIVES, HELPING TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITY AREAS, AND INCREASING AWARENESS OF EXODUS’ WIDE ARRAY OF SERVICES. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, EXODUS WILL ALSO FORMALIZE A VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION (VIP) COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD, THAT WILL MEET MONTHLY, AND CONSIST OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS FROM LIKEMINDED ORGANIZATIONS (COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, HOUSING PROVIDERS, UNIVERSITIES, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT). MONTHLY MEETINGS WOULD BE HELD AS A FORUM TO SHARE INFORMATION, ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE WITH CITY GOVERNMENT, AND CONTRIBUTE THOUGHTS AND IDEAS RELATED TO REDUCING LEVELS OF VIOLENCE (ESPECIALLY GUN AND GANG VIOLENCE). FINALLY, EXODUS WILL HOST BI-MONTHLY GANG SUMMIT/COMMUNITY EVENTS AIMED TOWARDS IMPROVING COMMUNITY-POLICE RELATIONSHIPS. EXODUS MEETS ALL PRIORITY CONSIDERATIONS: (1A) THE TRANSCENDING THROUGH VIOLENCE INITIATIVE PROMOTES RACIAL EQUITY AND THE REMOVAL OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND OVERLY INCARCERATED, ACCOUNTING FOR OVER HALF OF DETAINED INDIVIDUALS IN NEW YORK CITY. (1B) EXODUS IS A CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION THAT IS LED AND OPERATED BY JUSTICE-IMPACTED NEW YORKERS – THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. AS A RESULT, WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT AND ACT AS CREDIBLE MESSENGERS HELPING PEOPLE MOVE FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY. (2) THE TRANSCENDING THROUGH VIOLENCE INITIATIVE WILL SERVE THE AREAS OF HARLEM, NORTHERN MANHATTAN, AND THE SOUTH BRONX – ALL OF WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. (3) WE HAVE OBTAINED 16 MOUS FROM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF STAKEHOLDERS DEDICATED TO REDUCING VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES; THESE STAKEHOLDERS MAKE UP THE VIP ADVISORY BOARD.

HEALING FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES PROJECT - UNDER THE PROPOSED HEALING FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES PROJECT (HFCP), WE WILL EXPAND COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH (AGES 18-25) WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD) AND/OR CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL DISORDERS (COD), AND THEIR FAMILIES/PRIMARY CAREGIVERS. OUR PRIMARY CATCHMENT AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE EAST HARLEM AND THE SOUTH BRONX, IN NEW YORK CITY; HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEEDS OF JUSTICE-IMPACTED NEW YORKERS ARE GREAT, AND WILL EXTEND OUTREACH BEYOND THE OUTLINED CATCHMENT AREA INTO OTHER HARLEM, BRONX, BROOKLYN AND QUEENS NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. WE WILL PROVIDE 450 UNDUPLICATED JUSTICE-IMPACTED TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES (OVER 5 YEARS) WITH EVIDENCE-BASED CLINICAL TREATMENT SERVICES PAIRED WITH RECOVERY SUPPORTS. HFCP PARTICIPANTS WILL ENGAGE IN 6-MONTHS OF CLINICAL TREATMENT, WHERE THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT SESSION, AS WELL AS AT LEAST 2 EVIDENCE-BASED/INFORMED GROUP SESSIONS PER WEEK. ENROLLMENT IN GROUPS SUCH AS SEEKING SAFETY, ANGER MANAGEMENT, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, HEALTHY COPING SKILLS, RELAPSE PREVENTION, AND/OR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE BASED ON INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS AND CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT COURSE OF TREATMENT (DEPENDING ON NEED). PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO RECEIVE TOXICOLOGY SCREENINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE WILL ALSO HOST QUARTERLY FAMILY & YOUTH COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WITH OUR PARTNERS IDENTIFIED IN ATTACHMENT 5. THE GOAL OF THE GROUP IS TO ENSURE EARLY INTERVENTION AND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET THE COMPLEX NEEDS OF TRANSITIONAL AGED YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES IN RECOVERY. THE GROUP CAN SHARE INFORMATION AND WORK COLLECTIVELY TO ADDRESS POLICY ISSUES AND ADVOCATE FOR THE DE-STIGMATIZATION OF ADDICTION, RECOVERY AND INCARCERATION.

POWER OF COMMUNITY & HEALING PROJECT - UNDER THE PROPOSED POWER OF COMMUNITY & HEALING PROJECT (PCHP), WE WILL IMPROVE RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES (RSS) IN NEW YORK CITY (NYC), WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON 115TH STREET TO 130TH STREET FROM 1ST AVENUE TO FIFTH AVENUE IN HARLEM, NEW YORK. HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEEDS OF THE JUSTICE-INVOLVED COMMUNITY ARE GREAT AND HOPE TO EXTEND OUTREACH BEYOND THE OUTLINED CATCHMENT AREA INTO OTHER HARLEM, BRONX AND BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL. FURTHERMORE, WHILE WE ANTICIPATE MANY POWER OF HEALING PARTICIPANTS WILL RESIDE IN HARLEM, PCHP WILL BE OPEN TO JUSTICE-INVOLVED PEOPLE IN RECOVERY THROUGHOUT NYC. AS A RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION (RCO), WE OPEN OUR DOORS TO ALL PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE JUSTICE-SYSTEM AND RECOVERY, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF CRIME, LENGTH OF SENTENCE AND/OR TIME STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION OR IN RECOVERY, OR LENGTH OF TIME SINCE THEIR LAST INCARCERATION. UNDER THE PCHP, WE WILL INCREASE OUR TREATMENT CAPACITY TO SERVE 15 ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS IN YEAR 1 (4-MONTH PLANNING PERIOD AND 8-MONTH PROGRAM PERIOD), 30 IN YEAR 2, AND 40 IN YEAR 3, TOTALING 85 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS OVER 3 YEARS. IN ADDITION, WE WILL CONDUCT AT LEAST 56 OUTREACH EFFORTS OVER THE COURSE OF 3 YEARS (8 IN YEAR 1, 24 IN YEAR 2, AND 24 IN YEAR 3), AS WELL AS HOST A HEALTH AND RECOVERY FAIR IN YEARS 2 AND 3. WE ANTICIPATE REACHING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH THESE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. THE POWER OF COMMUNITY & HEALING PROJECT (PCHP) HAS A THREE-PRONG APPROACH – (1) RECOVERY SUPPORT SYSTEM; (2) OUTREACH EFFORTS; AND, (3) HEALTH AND RECOVERY FAIRS – TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF THE RECOVERY COMMUNITY TO INCREASE THE PREVALENCE AND QUALITY OF LONG-TERM RECOVERY SUPPORT FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ADDICTION FOR LOW-INCOME, JUSTICE-INVOLVED NYC RESIDENTS. PCHP PARTICIPANTS WILL ENGAGE IN 6-MONTHS OF CLINICAL TREATMENT THROUGH OUR NYS OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES (OASAS)-LICENSED 822 OUT-PATIENT TREATMENT CLINIC – THE WELLNESS CENTER. DURING TREATMENT, THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT SESSIONS, AS WELL AS AT LEAST 2 EVIDENCE-BASED/INFORMED GROUP SESSIONS PER WEEK. ENROLLMENT IN GROUPS SUCH AS SEEKING SAFETY, ANGER MANAGEMENT, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, HEALTHY COPING SKILLS, RELAPSE PREVENTION, AND/OR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE BASED ON INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS AND CAN CHANGE THROUGHOUT COURSE OF TREATMENT (DEPENDING ON NEED). PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO RECEIVE TOXICOLOGY SCREENINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO BE CONNECTED TO OUR RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES AND HOLISTIC WRAP-AROUND SUPPORTS, INCLUDING ACCESS TO OUR CENTER FOR TRAUMA INNOVATION, INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC, AND OUR ROBUST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFERINGS. THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE POWER IN COMMUNITY & HEALING PROJECT (PCHP), OUR PROJECT COORDINATOR, CASAC, NORA ROLLINS AND RECOVERY COACH, GREGORY IRIZARRY, WILL ENGAGE IN RIGOROUS OUTREACH EFFORTS. WE WILL PROMOTE EDUCATION ABOUT RECOVERY, AND OUTREACH ON ISSUES RELATING TO DRUG/ALCOHOL ADDICTION AND RECOVERY. WE WILL HOST HEALTH AND RECOVERY FAIRS IN YEARS 2 AND 3 DESIGNED TO REDUCE DISCRIMINATION AND/OR NEGATIVE ATTITUDES AGAINST PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION AND IN RECOVERY FROM DRUG/ALCOHOL ADDICTION.