August 30, 2023
To Whom It May Concern: This letter is on behalf of the Next STEPS youth at Tompkins Community Center in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. We are writing this letter to express the benefits of having this program and just how much it means to us. Next STEPS has helped us to find jobs and internships while helping […]
Read more See More NewsThe reliance on incarceration has had devastating consequences that disproportionately impact communities of color and people living with mental illness. In recent years, New York City has become a national leader in reducing incarceration while at the same time increasing community safety.
CASES has played a critical role in advancing this new approach to justice by providing effective community-based alternatives to jail and prison. Our programs have helped to raise the age of adult criminal responsibility, eliminate the use of cash bail and pretrial detention for all but the most serious charges, and ensure that individuals with serious mental illness have the intensive treatment and support they need to achieve healing and wellness in the community.
People experiencing mental illness and/or addiction are disproportionately represented in the criminal legal system. CASES Behavioral Health Services offer youth and adults an array of treatment options, including outpatient services at the Nathaniel Clinic in Harlem and intensive mobile treatment delivered citywide.
From court and program offices in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, CASES provides community-based alternatives to jail and prison. These programs address urgent needs, including hunger and shelter, and support clients to improve mental health, address substance use, and achieve employment and career goals.
CASES’ Education, Career & Enrichment programs help young people ages 13-27—many of whom have involvement in the criminal legal system—to build skills, attain credentials such as diplomas, and secure employment while addressing mental health, family, and other needs.
CASES Pretrial Services provide an alternative to bail and detention for individuals awaiting trial, helping them attend court dates, avoid rearrest, and remain in the community—and out of jail—while connecting with services to support health and wellness and the attainment of housing and/or employment.