DOC-Osborne: Improving the Visiting Experience for Children and Families through an Integrated Visiting and Family Assistance Model Program for Incarcerated Fathers

NYC DOC proposes to partner with the Osborne Association to adapt an Integrated Visiting and Family Assistance Model Program for a men’s jail on Rikers Island, and to pilot the model in anticipation of bringing it to scale across the NYC jail system (following successful completion and evaluation of all program activities).  Osborne and NYC DOC will: (1) establish a task force of DOC and Osborne staff to oversee activities; (2) conduct focus groups to explore concerns of DOC’s public-facing staff; (3) develop a train-the-trainer curriculum that builds on trainings Osborne has conducted for DOC; (4) conduct a review of DOC policies and practices for processing visitors, with an eye towards streamlining and improving the experience; and (5) create videos/webinars to ensure training continues after the grant period. The project will provide the following direct services to fathers in jail, their children, and other family members: (1) therapeutic visit coaching, (2) one-on-one counseling, (3) parenting education groups, (4) video visiting, (5) cognitive-behavioral therapies; and (5) transportation.