Family & Reunification
Osborne Association
Bronx · Brooklyn
Reentry hotline, workforce services, housing support, elder reentry, court advocacy, sealing consultations, video visiting and family programs.
Family & Reunification in the Bronx
Family services cover reunification with children, custody and visitation, parenting classes, family court support and help for relatives who cared for children during a sentence. Many are free and open to the whole family, not only the person coming home.
Tip: if you have an open case with ACS (NYC's child welfare agency), tell your caseworker and your family court attorney about any program you join, since it may count toward your service plan.
If a Bronx program has a waitlist, the citywide services below can often see you sooner, by phone or at an office in another borough.
9 services based in the Bronx, plus 49 citywide
Based in the Bronx
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Bronx Defenders
Bronx
Public defender for Bronx residents in criminal, family, housing and immigration court plus benefits; reentry and ATI advocacy. 24-hour emergency hotline 347.778.1266.
Family & Reunification
Center for Family Representation (CFR)
Manhattan · Bronx · Queens · Staten Island
Free legal and social work help for parents contacted by ACS, aiming to keep children at home; also represents youth 7-17 facing criminal charges.
Education & GED
CUNY Fatherhood Academy
Bronx · Brooklyn · Queens
Free HSE prep or college prep track with tutoring, counseling, parenting seminars, financial incentives and job preparation.
Family & Reunification
Children of Promise, NYC (CPNYC)
Brooklyn · Bronx
After-school tutoring, summer camp, mentoring, a licensed mental health clinic and family engagement services for children of incarcerated parents.
Family & Reunification
Community Connections for Youth (CCFY) - Parent Peer Support Program
Bronx
Pairs parents of court-involved youth with peer coaches who help guide them through their child's juvenile court case and connect them to parent support groups and family-strengthening programming. Peer coaches are also available on call for parents in crisis, and the South Bronx Community Connections program partners with local organizations to create alternatives to formal court processing.
Employment & Job Training
Network Support Services, Inc.
Bronx
Therapeutic reentry support with case management: anger management, education, family counseling, housing referrals, job placement and training; runs programs in four NYS prisons and ATI programs.
Family & Reunification
Emerald Isle Immigration Center (EIIC)
Bronx
Provides information on the procedures for most immigration matters such as reentry permits, lost or replacement Green Cards, family immigration visas, and more. Offers a citizenship program, by appointment, where one can obtain assistance with the application forms, as well as get the necessary photographs.
Housing & Shelter
NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) - Prevention Assistance & Temporary Housing (PATH)
Bronx
All families with children must apply for shelter at the PATH intake center. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Citywide services
These serve people from every borough, often by phone, online or at more than one office.
Family & Reunification
NYC HRA - Office of Child Support Services (OCSS)
Citywide
Help with child support orders, license suspensions, lowering or eliminating child support debt owed to the government, paternity, DNA testing, mediation, and free financial counseling.
Healthcare
NYC Health - Doula Care
Citywide
Connects pregnant people and families with doulas who provide non-medical support before, during, and after childbirth. The Citywide Doula Initiative offers free doula and home-visiting support to residents of neighborhoods most affected by COVID-19 and other health disparities.
Family & Reunification
SCO Family of Services
Citywide
Provides services to children, families, and adults, including therapeutic, educational, vocational, and supportive services for young adults on Rikers Island before and after release, Multi-Systemic Therapy for court-involved youth, foster care, early childhood education, and family/community services such as counseling, employment, and substance use treatment.
Family & Reunification
NYC Department of Education (DOE) - Infant and Toddler Programs
Citywide
Offers free or low-cost early childhood education for children ages six weeks to three years old who are not yet eligible for 3-K, including education, health, nutrition, and social services.
Family & Reunification
NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence - Family Justice Centers (FJC)
Citywide
Provides free and confidential legal, counseling, and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence, gender-based violence, elder abuse, and sex trafficking, with immediate assistance regardless of language, immigration, or economic status. Centers operate in all five boroughs.
Housing & Shelter
NYCHA Family Reentry Program
Citywide
Reunites select people leaving prison or jail with family living in qualified NYCHA apartments and provides reentry services and intensive case management.
Family & Reunification
The Child Center of NY
Citywide
Offers counseling, substance use treatment, early childhood mental health and education programs (including Head Start and Early Head Start), and after-school and enrichment programs for youth in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. The Jamaica Family Wellness Center serves court-involved youth, and the Benefits Access program helps families enroll in entitlement benefits and health insurance and get referrals for financial and legal assistance.
Substance Use Recovery
Al-Anon & Alateen - New York City
Citywide
Support groups for family and friends of people with drinking problems.
Benefits & Financial Help
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) - Military Assistance Program (MAP)
Citywide
Provides free immigration legal services to active-duty service members or recent veterans, and their family members, whose legal matters may be complex and require the knowledge of experienced immigration attorneys. Visit the website for full requirements and to request assistance.
Family & Reunification
Black and Pink
Citywide
National network supporting LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive people who are incarcerated, including a pen-pal program.
Education & GED
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) - Justice Initiatives - Telestory
Citywide
The TeleStory program connects families with loved ones incarcerated in 10 NYS DOCCS facilities through free one-hour video calls. Video calls are available at 13 Brooklyn Public Library branches, where families can also access a range of library resources and support.
Education & GED
Center for Anti-Violence Education
Citywide
Offers Self-Defense and Upstander workshops for women, LGBTQIAGNC people, and anyone at risk from racism and xenophobia. Also provides programs and workshops for young people.