Project ECHO (Empowering Communities through Healing and Opportunities)

The 67th Precinct Clergy Council (The GodSquad) proposes this project to launch essential mental health programs desperately needed to undergird its wrap-around services to those impacted by violence. This funding will support efforts to address the underlying mental health challenges that contribute to violence within the vulnerable populations served by The GodSquad’s cure violence site Project ECHO (Empowering Communities through Healing and Opportunities). By investing in trauma-informed therapy and clinically led support groups, the project aims to decrease recidivism rates, improve social integration, and enhance productivity among participants, fostering a more stable and flourishing community.

Project ECHO, established as a Crisis Management Site in July 2023, is a community-based initiative employing violence interruption strategies to reduce gun violence. The program builds on the Cure Violence model to facilitate lasting transformation in East Flatbush and surrounding areas. It engages directly with those involved in and affected by gun violence, providing spaces for healing and personal growth.

The program's activities include street engagement strategies such as safe passage programs, canvassing, and violence disruption efforts. Additionally, it offers holistic wrap-around services including crisis counseling, case management, medical care referrals, support in navigating the criminal justice system, community education, youth programming, outreach programs, safe recreational opportunities for youth, escorting justice-involved youth to legal appointments, facilitating housing transfers for violence victims, follow-ups on unsolved murder cases, emergency assistance, and crime victim compensation application processing.

As a lead agency responding to violence in our community, identified a critical gap in addressing the mental health needs of its constituents. Currently, mental health support is provided through a referral model, which, while valuable, is not immediately responsive to victims' needs. This delay hinders our ability to close the gap between violent incidents and long-term resolutions effectively. Internally, this challenge is described as treating the branch without addressing the root cause. The requested funding will help Project ECHO address one of the core issues underlying gun violence—mental health challenges and their treatment—thereby enhancing the effectiveness and reach of Project ECHO's transformative work.