Masculinity and Trauma in Support Services: Evaluation Findings
By Kristen Parsons, Research Associate
Through its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative-funded Men’s Empowerment Program, the Center for Court Innovation has expanded support for young men of color by creating a trauma-informed program where participants freely shared their emotions and experiences, gained skills through employment and community service projects, and reshaped their views on masculine roles and ideals.
Research has demonstrated that young men of color experience disproportionately higher rates of crime victimization: homicide is the leading cause of death for African American males between the ages of 10 and 24 and the second leading cause of death for young Hispanic males, while it is the third-highest for youth of all races. The lack of appropriate victim services, coupled with general distrust of public services and hypermasculine ideas that stigmatize seeking help, has resulted in young men of color being among the least likely to seek supportive services compared to other groups.[1]
In 2018, the Center for Court Innovation (CCI)* implemented the Men’s Empowerment Program (MEP) in East Harlem as part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII). The MEP is a trauma-informed, culturally competent adaptation of CCI’s Make It Happen program for young men of color that offers a variety of flexible clinical services, life skills development, and internship opportunities. Principally, the MEP is centered around educating participants around traditional gender role socialization and trauma through the Social-Emotional Learning Foundations (SELF)[2] curriculum. In 2019, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai began an evaluation of the program, which found that the MEP, through CJII funding, created a safe, trauma-informed space for MEP participants, successfully provided community-based and employment opportunities, and challenged participants’ perceptions of masculinity.
Through Shared Understandings, Participants Felt Seen and Heard
According to interviews and focus groups, participants universally agreed that MEP staff reflected participants’ own identities, which fostered a heightened level of trust among this group of young men of color. MEP staff were not only familiar with the community in which the program operated but also had personal experiences that mirrored that of the participants, such as interaction with the criminal legal system or difficulty obtaining mental health care. Learning how MEP staff had previously navigated and overcome similar challenges proved to be a guide for participants to shape their own trajectories.
. . . the MEP’s goal was two-fold: create a safe environment for participants to unpack their trauma, as well as instill the tools and knowledge for them to overcome these experiences.
Compared to their white counterparts, young men of color in particular are less likely to receive psychological care.[3] Thus, the MEP’s goal was two-fold: create a safe environment for participants to unpack their trauma as well as instill the tools and knowledge for them to overcome these experiences. This included teaching participants relevant vocabulary and coping skills through psychoeducation while being mindful of other societal factors: interestingly, one key component of MEP’s design was to be mindful of terms like “trauma” or “victim” to describe participants’ identities and experiences. Evaluation findings indicate that participants were reluctant to use these terms and gravitated more toward words like “stress.” Over time, however, participants became more comfortable using trauma-specific language to self-describe their experiences.
Through Helping the Community, Participants Gained Employment Experience & Earned Income
MEP staff understood that participants’ basic needs had to be secured before working to improve their mental health. Although some participants were enrolled in school, nearly three-quarters of participants upon intake were unemployed, and one-third reported that finances were one of their primary concerns. MEP staff offered valuable employment assistance like conducting mock interviews, preparing resumes, and connecting participants with job opportunities.
As one participant shared, “Helping the community really helps your mindset.”
Specifically, a highlight of the program among many participants was a paid internship distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) through a grant obtained from NYS Health and Hospitals. In August 2020, MEP staff and participants established stations within their neighborhoods to deliver PPE, share information on COVID-19 precautions, and assist community members in scheduling vaccination appointments. The internship component not only supported the financial needs of participants, but also allowed them to meaningfully engage with their community, leading to increased confidence, communication skills and self-purpose. As one participant shared, “Helping the community really helps your mindset.”
Participants Redefined Masculinity and Reassessed Strict Gender Roles
Through the MEP curriculum, participants were challenged to revisit their prior conceptions around traditional gender roles and what it means to be “masculine.” Participants gained more knowledge of the intricacies of gender dynamics and demonstrated shifts in attitudes on what it means to “be a man” in different settings. Engaging in these types of conversations also changed how participants perceive strength and vulnerability in the context of gender. One participant said that MEP taught him that vulnerability and masculinity can exist simultaneously without minimizing the other, sharing that “…I may be biologically [physically] stronger than a[n average] female, but that does not mean you don’t break just as fast.”
Similarly, the redefining of masculine ideals allowed participants to revisit their reluctance to request assistance from community resources, particularly in the context of interacting with law enforcement. Although help-seeking is traditionally seen as antithetical to traditional masculine ideals, participants found value in engaging with social and community services, and, in some cases, found that they were more effective in resolving an issue.
About the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG) and the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII)
The CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance manages the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII), which was established by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in 2015. ISLG provides technical assistance, conducts oversight, measures performance, and manages all CJII grantees.
The CJII focuses on three investment areas—crime prevention, reentry and diversion, and supports for survivors of crime. The Men’s Empowerment Program and this evaluation were funded through the CJII’s crime prevention-focused investments in Victims of Crime. This blog accompanies the final evaluation report of the MEP.
* The organization has since changed its name to the Center for Justice Innovation.
[1] Harrell, E. (2007). Black victims of violent crime. (Special report). Cheatham, C.T., Barksdale, D.J., & Rodgers, S.G. (2008). Barriers to health care and health-seeking behaviors faced by black men. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 20 (11), 555-62. Bureau of Justice Statistics: Washington, D.C.
[2] Bloom, Sandra & Foderaro, Joseph & Ryan, R.. (2006). S.E.L.F.: A Trauma-Informed, Psychoeducational Group Curriculum.
[3] Vogel, D.L., Heimerdinger-Edwards, S.R., Hammer, J.H., & Hubbard, A. (2011). “Boys don’t cry”: Examination of the links between masculine norms, self-stigma, and help-seeking attitudes for men from diverse backgrounds. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(3), 368-82.
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