Visiting and Family Assistance Programs

Osborne provides in-person and virtual visiting, social and emotional support, and advocacy on Rikers Island and in the community so that detained and incarcerated people can maintain meaningful connections with their families and gain skills for enduring the trauma of separation and reunification.
 

The Visiting and Family Assistance Program, in partnership with Hour Children, provides specialized services for incarcerated women at Rose M. Singer Center, focusing on maternal and postpartum mental health. This includes grief counseling, support for postpartum depression, psychosis, or anxiety, and building resilience to reduce stress and trauma using the Social Resilience Model. The program offers family therapy and reunification support for currently and formerly incarcerated women, their children, and interim caregivers, along with counseling for children of incarcerated parents. In addition, we facilitate support groups to build coping skills and offer practical advice, both for incarcerated women and their family members.
 

The Family Assistance Program offered to men at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center provides essential support services including individual counseling, parenting support, and assistance with visiting. Family members receive referrals to community resources, support groups and advocacy, ensuring they are equipped to handle the emotional and logistical challenges that arise during an incarcerated loved one’s time in custody.

In addition to these Rikers-based services, Osborne offers community-based support from our Brooklyn office, including advocacy for court and child welfare matters, and referrals to Osborne’s youth leadership and recreational programs for young people with detained or incarcerated mothers.