News
February Highlights
Highlights of our staff and program accomplishments throughout February.
- Osborne CEO Jon Monsalve and Chief Housing Officer Wendell Walters attended the 54th Annual Legislative Conference of New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislators (or Caucus Weekend) in Albany this month. Wendell was part of “Communities Not Cages,” a panel on the critical need for reentry housing, alongside Senator Julia Salazar and colleagues from The Fortune Society, Bronx Defenders, and the Center for Community Alternatives. As Wendell noted: “People are currently in prison who are past their release date but cannot come home because they don’t have a place to live.”
- A participant in Osborne’s Court Advocacy Services shared his story as part of a new report on alternatives to incarceration from the NY ATI/Reentry Coalition. During his eight months at Rikers, Art received no treatment to address the substance use and behavioral health challenges that led to his incarceration in the first place. Through our team’s advocacy, he was offered a chance to participate in an inpatient substance use treatment program that he completed in six months with a changed mindset and desire to succeed. Art has returned home to his family and is actively pursuing employment opportunities. Explore the full report about how expanding ATIs can contribute to closing Rikers.
- We have gathered some results and stories from our work last fiscal year to support individuals, families, and communities affected by the criminal legal system. Through longstanding partnerships, we are advancing restorative approaches to decarceration, jail and prison programming, and reentry. Recent highlights include 98% of Court Advocacy Services participants meeting court requirements, more than 3,300 people connecting to community services after prison, and expanding our housing portfolio to over 400 planned units and beds. Read more about our impact.