Supportive Initiatives

Delivering trauma services and care: The Mobile Trauma Unit is to provide trauma responses and connections to resources within the specified precinct and to intervene with events that have the potential to turn violent. The objective is to reduce and prevent shooting incidents and other acts of violence through swift, coordinated responses to immediate crisis incidents. The MTU seeks to minimize the impacts of retaliation through maintaining a positive, stabilizing and peaceful presence after incidents of violence and increase access points to available trauma resources and services.

Access to higher education for our workforce: Credible messenger mentors play a critical part in solving some of our city's toughest problems. The Community Leadership Certificate Program, offered by the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies in partnership with the Credible Messenger Justice Center, is training future leaders for this important work. Please visit here to learn more.

The Institute for Transformative Mentoring is based at The New School, and offers dynamic, and intensive, year-long training to support the development of credible messengers. Through healing and enhancement of practical skills, credible messengers become healthier and better able to assist the youth they serve. Please visit here to learn more.

Executive Director Jessica Mofield serves on the board of advisors to the Institute for Transformative Mentoring (ITM). Based at The New School's Center for New York City Affairs, ITM is a dynamic training provider focused on the development of credible messengers working in the social services fields throughout New York City. Structured using restorative justice practices, ITM's core offerings focus on building relationships, authentic engagement; positive youth development; and practical tools to support professional performance (from group facilitation skills to communicating with colleagues). ITM brings a trauma-informed lens to all of its work, supports participants in their own healing, and gives them the tools to engage youth and strengthen their programs and communities.

Mentoring justice-involved youth: Credible messengers work closely to mentor and provide support to youth with risk factors in Administration for Children's Services (ACS) "Close to Home" and Secured Detention sites. Close to Home allows young people found to need a period of out-of-home placement by the Family Court to be placed in residential programs closer to their families and communities. Young people receive therapeutic services at small group homes in or near the five boroughs where they are close to resources that can support their treatment and transition back into their communities.

Enhancing public safety with community stakeholders: The Public Safety Coalition serves as the liaison between the police, community, clergy and congregation promoting healthy neighborhoods while minimizing crime, and reviving activism within the community. The membership is comprised of clergy, local pastors, associate pastors, ministers, elders and community members.

Intervention and Reduction of Domestic Violence: A groundbreaking citywide initiative announced by First Lady Chirlane McCray, that will address domestic violence through services, training and intervention for abusive partners who are not involved in the criminal justice system. Domestic Violence Coordinators are incorporated into our Crisis Management System to enhance the identification and response to domestic violence in communities served by CMS sites.