The CASES Center for New Yorkers involved in the criminal justice system officially opened its new office in the South Bronx, which is expected to serve 1,500 people annually.
CASES services for mental health treatment, pre-trial support, youth engagement, court liaison services and more used to be scattered around the borough — but the new office is designed to be a “one-stop shop,” CEO Jonathan McLean said at the July 18 ribbon-cutting event.
“This integrated, holistic model will improve our clients’ lives, enhance collaboration across our programs, and improve community safety,” McLean said.
Crime has decreased in recent years, said Rosanna Rosado, commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, which provides breathing room to focus on long-term prevention and investment in communities and youth.
“What’s important is to build the resiliency, to give people the tools, to give access to youth for afterschool programs so that we can keep them out of that line of fire,” Rosado said.
Rosado said the state has made “unprecedented investments” in the multifaceted aspects of crime prevention. “Law enforcement can’t do the job alone — and shouldn’t.”
Since March 2023, shootings in New York City have decreased by 26%, according to the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. In March, the mayor’s office touted a 23.5% decrease in subway crime in that single month.
But the need for support services remains high — and CASES brings together social workers, therapists, court advocates, nurses, psychiatrists, employment specialists and others under the same roof.
Nefertiti Ross and Tarra Johnson, borough directors for the Bronx office, told the Bronx Times that the new South Bronx office will be more effective and efficient for their clients, especially those with mental illness who have not been well-served by hospitals and the larger medical system.
It all begins with having the right people, said Ross. Staff at CASES reflect a variety of lived experiences and many have had a mental health diagnosis or incarceration stint themselves. Even McLean, the CEO, was incarcerated at age 16, she said.
According to Ross, having dedicated, passionate staff who can relate to clients is most important.
“What you bring in is going to create the culture,” she said.
Because of poor communication between hospitals, courts and service providers, many clients become burned out by “overprogramming,” said Ross. Instead of having clients enrolled in multiple similar services that don’t talk to each other, CASES handles various needs under one roof, helping staff better set the client up for success.
“I never want it to be a pass-off situation,” Ross said.
Everyone at CASES is in constant “teamwork mode,” said Johnson, as “you cannot do this job alone.”
Across New York City, CASES serves about 9,000 people each year, 90% of whom identify as Black and/or Latino.
The organization has some unique offerings, including the Nathaniel Clinic at the South Bronx and Harlem locations, the only outpatient mental health clinic in the city licensed and specializing in treating youth ages 13 and up who are involved in the criminal legal system.
The Supervised Release Program (SRP) served 5,082 people across New York City in 2023, including 1,158 in the Bronx. Upon intake, 22% of the citywide total lived in NYCHA or affordable housing, 16% lived in shelters, and 14% were homeless, according to information from CASES.
The CASES Center was founded in 1989 and is operated by the Brooklyn-based Vera Institute of Justice. Its other locations are in Harlem, Jamaica (Queens) and downtown Brooklyn. For more information, see www.cases.org.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes