Legal Aid & Record Relief
Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS)
Brooklyn · Queens
Free court-appointed defense in criminal, family and immigration matters (Brooklyn and Queens), plus civil advocacy, social work, and the Reentry Speaks support group.
Family & Reunification in Brooklyn
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.
Brooklyn is large, so check the address and travel time before you go, and ask whether the program takes walk-ins.
12 services based in Brooklyn, plus 49 citywide
Based in Brooklyn
Family & Reunification
Osborne Association
Bronx · Brooklyn
Reentry hotline, workforce services, housing support, elder reentry, court advocacy, sealing consultations, video visiting and family programs.
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.
Housing & Shelter
Providence House
Brooklyn
Transitional residences, apartments and permanent supportive housing for women recently paroled from prison and their children, with support services.
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.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Arab American Association of New York
Brooklyn
Immigration help, English classes, youth programs and family support in Bay Ridge.
Housing & Shelter
Brooklyn Public Library - Justice Initiatives Welcome Home
Brooklyn
Reentry Navigators offer one-on-one appointments to set goals, guidance on housing, health and reconnecting with family, monthly peer dinners, and links to library services.
Education & GED
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) - Immigrant Services
Brooklyn
Offers free in-person and virtual citizenship classes; for more information email immigrantservices@bklynlibrary.org. Offers programs in multiple languages including English language classes and conversation groups, family cultural events, free citizenship classes, and adult literacy courses.
Education & GED
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) - Youth & Family Services
Brooklyn
Offers a range of materials and programs for young people, birth through teens, and their families and educators. Programs include Babies and Books; Storytime; Ready, Set, Kindergarten!; STEM programs; Inclusive Services programs for children and teens with and without disabilities; and more.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Correctional Association of New York (CANY)
Brooklyn
Independent prison monitor that tracks conditions in NYS prisons and takes reports from incarcerated people and families.
Education & GED
Exalt Youth
Brooklyn · Manhattan
Education and paid internships for court-involved youth.
Employment & Job Training
RiseBoro Community Partnership
Brooklyn
Bushwick-based multi-service agency with workforce, housing, senior and youth programs.
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.