By working collaboratively to address fundamental needs like mental health care and access to a safe place to stay, we can improve public safety in our communities. Together with The Bridge, we launched a network of Neighborhood Navigators who connect directly with New Yorkers with deeply entrenched needs, including challenges with mental health and substance use. Neighborhood Navigators, who share lived experiences, work tirelessly to build trusting relationships with New Yorkers who may be in crisis and, over time, connect those individuals to longer-term supportive services. 

In the first few months of the program’s launch, Navigators engaged with more than 400 New Yorkers and provided critical resources, including hygiene kits, food, clothing, and safe use kits, as well as housing, substance use, mental health, education, and employment information and referrals.