Service Provider Strategies for Shifting Into—and Out of—the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Neal Palmer, Research Project Director
The COVID-19 pandemic forced New York City’s social service providers to transition their work almost overnight. Many shifted their approaches in previously unimagined ways, as longstanding ways of conducting outreach and engagement were no longer viable.
“Over the unprecedented past year, New York City and our nation have experienced immense suffering and trauma due to a series of crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, systemic racism in our society, and an alarming rise in gun violence in our metropolitan cities.”
For the Manhattan District Attorney’s (DANY’s) Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII), the crisis was a moment for reflection and quick response. Through the CJII, which ISLG manages on DANY’s behalf, more than 50 organizations have been funded since 2016 to reduce crime, improve public safety, and increase fairness in the criminal justice system. These organizations have excelled at engaging some of NYC’s hardest-to-reach, and most in-need, populations. And, just as impressively, they adapted quickly in the face of COVID-19.
How did CJII grantees respond to COVID-19?
In response to challenges associated with providing services during the crisis, CJII grantees demonstrated incredible resiliency, creativity, and nimbleness. CJII grantees:
Innovated to meet participant needs related to the pandemic: Examples of this form of innovation included distributing food to vulnerable children and their families who were program participants; scheduling “time-off” for parent participants, during which they could drop off their children for care during specific hours; providing relief funding to participants; and making available computers for program participants to attend necessary trainings or apply for jobs.
Shifted program curricula or organizational services to, in many cases, online delivery: Examples of this strategy included increased use of telehealth/virtual meetings, creation and weekly distribution of virtual program schedules with flexible sign-up, retooling program approaches to ensure that virtual program administration complied with certification requirements, and more intensive 1on1 support for clients with the most critical needs.
Adapted to meet larger community needs: Examples of this strategy included food distribution to the wider community, stipends for young people disconnected from school and work, community/peer-driven counseling and support, and creation of temporary housing for people released from jail/prison at the onset of COVID-19.
The 2020 CJII Annual Report provides more details on these innovations.
Transitioning to the Post-Pandemic Landscape
With the rapid expansion of vaccine availability and administration and an accompanying decline in cases in the US in the first half of 2021, most COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in New York State in late June 2021, and CJII grantees began adapting to this new landscape. For most, this has meant a gradual return to in-person services with continued online offerings to meet particular needs.
The commitment of CJII’s grantee community has been particularly important given the vulnerable, hard-to-reach populations these programs serve—including immigrants and non-native English speakers, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color), survivors of violence, individuals who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, people who are disconnected from school and work, and individuals with incarceration histories. CJII grantees’ quick actions allowed them to maintain vital lifelines to these communities during the pandemic, and their flexible approaches will help them persist as life transitions back to a “new normal.”
What is the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative?
“Transforming our justice system requires more than prosecutorial reform; we must invest in the communities that have been most harmed by historical divestment and disparate law enforcement practices, and support innovative community projects that fill critical gaps in our neighborhoods.”
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. established the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) to invest $250 million to strengthen, support, and increase the safety of communities in New York City. Guided by the principles of prevention and partnership with communities as cornerstones of a 21st century crime-fighting strategy, the investments represent a comprehensive approach to improving the well-being and safety of all New Yorkers. Since 2016, CJII has funded 52 grantees, 11 evaluators, and 90 subgrantees that provide crucial services to New York City residents to interrupt cycles of crime and prevent involvement in the criminal justice system. As of June 30, 2020, CJII funds had supported more than 25,000 people across New York City and New York State. ISLG manages CJII on DANY’s behalf.