[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6499913,"mediaKeyId","5487907-89759e5b2eb043ff38bf196aacc0e9b4","parentId",5487907,"title","Council hearing spotlights gap in courthouse medical coverage as bill draws debate","audioSeconds",416,"startMs",427000,"endMs",843000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5487907-89759e5b2eb043ff38bf196aacc0e9b4&start=427&end=843","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5487907-89759e5b2eb043ff38bf196aacc0e9b4/thumbnail_427000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6499913/New-York/Council-hearing-spotlights-gap-in-courthouse-medical-coverage-as-bill-draws-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499913-de142e6d97dbb39e083d7cef0cb91dac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577348&Signature=U~JknTl6LJ~WWFHHojmfQzNkaKitQ0I4rFVaLvg64uDUQFTf~auWKsCbNiFLucLnGA3PgAFku5RZ1ytoFY~j-Bhj5FeCnWKz4ddkuEVZnsgbTIzc-cBl1Msh4Hqpb3LrHd9srBxI1sUNWiyich2Jdhm5HaGJOyyfm6eHRh17J95U8wxAsLDZW5oyyBBBwJ5veoDHe-SNiMJGajiCaB2uOuZk10aVc-zzhIQ6CKKRGTrXq0IDeseyCT~ESj1-yTLKqBPzA~Jvvzmh4XfXrbEgMrTegcHPjOF6DZsMZVIIKR-6UMgA0gKXBDElbTMUUqkTdibuZVFL-ZoDtBeGyR1Hlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of New York, NY","date","2025-07-28T20:05:08.847Z","article","New York City Council members and health officials clashed over a bill that would require medical clinics in city courthouses, with proponents saying the measure is needed to prevent medical neglect and agencies warning it would be costly and logistically difficult.

Council Member Natasha Williams introduced Intro 98, saying the bill responds to “access to medical care in our city's court facilities” that she described as inconsistent. Williams told the committee that \"in March, Soso, just 32 years old, died in a Brooklyn courthouse holding cell,\" and cited other recent deaths to argue for on-site capacity during court appearances.

Jeanette Merrill, senior assistant vice president for communications and external affairs at New York City Health + Hospitals Correctional Health Services (CHS), told the committee that CHS reviews nightly lists of people in custody scheduled for court and identifies those who need clinician-administered medication before or after court. Merrill said CHS has a presence in courthouses through screening services but does not operate full clinics there.

Merrill summarized CHS’s central objection to Intro 98 in plain terms: “Establishing medical clinics in every New York City court facility would present enormous logistical, operational, and fiscal challenges.” She explained that clinics require particular square footage, ventilation, plumbing and electrical work and private clinical spaces, and that courthouse space is limited. She also said operation of clinics would require a full complement of clinical staff at each site and significant DOC support.

Chelsea Chard, senior adviser at the Department of Correction, described the logistics of court production from DOC’s perspective: “Our court production process starts typically around 5 in the morning,” she said, adding that people in custody are typically provided breakfast and are screened for medical needs before departure and again after return. Chard said transport schedules vary and that people sometimes return to Rikers late in the day.

CHS and DOC witnesses told the committee that medically vulnerable patients typically receive medications before leaving or after returning from court and that, for emergencies in court, officers call 911 and FDNY Emergency Medical Services responds. Merrill said the agencies can reschedule court appearances for clinical reasons and that CHS can identify patients “who need to be brought to clinic before leaving court the next morning or after returning from court that evening.”

Supporters of Intro 98 pressed CHS and DOC on whether availability of on-site clinic space would reduce costly trips to hospital emergency departments and shorten time that people spend waiting in holding cells. Council members argued that even if only a handful of people per year would benefit, the city should provide an on-site clinical option. Council Member Andy Ressler and others sought data on how many clinic appointments are missed and how frequently people are routed from courthouses to hospitals; CHS said it could provide additional data and described a relatively recent improvement in how DOC and CHS share court appearance lists.

CHS also urged coordination with the New York State Office of Court Administration, saying court operations and case processing could be affected by any major infrastructural changes. Merrill warned that inserting a clinic visit as a required step during a court appearance could delay case processing and potentially contribute to longer detention stays.

The committee did not take a vote at the hearing. Council members asked CHS and DOC to provide follow-up data — including numbers of missed clinic appointments, counts of emergency transports originating in courthouses, and current CHS staffing and vacancy figures — and to work with the Office of Court Administration on feasibility. Williams said she introduced the bill to address “gaps that show us where systems fall short” and pressed agencies for clarity on what clinic services Intro 98 is intended to require.

Why it matters: People in custody move regularly between jails, courts and hospitals; council members said that handoffs can cause interruptions in medication and monitoring. City health and correction agencies said existing procedures capture most medical needs before or after court and rely on 911 for in-court emergencies, but committee members said the recorded deaths and ongoing complaints signal a need for better on-site options or faster coordination.

The committee scheduled follow-up requests for data and budgetary estimates from CHS and DOC but made no immediate, binding decision on the bill.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","🔴 LIVE: Watch \"The Department of Probation's Organizational Strategy\"","oneSentenceSummary","New York City Council members and health officials clashed over a bill that would require medical clinics in city courthouses, with proponents saying the measure is needed to prevent medical neglect and agencies warning it would be costly and logistically difficult.","taxTitle","New York City Council, New York City, New York County, New York","taxId",77593,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499908,"Council hears Department of Probation staff concerns as leaders outline reforms and staffing plans",3772,3847000,7619000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5487907-89759e5b2eb043ff38bf196aacc0e9b4&start=3847&end=7619","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5487907-89759e5b2eb043ff38bf196aacc0e9b4/thumbnail_3847000.jpg","/articles/6499908/New-York/Council-hears-Department-of-Probation-staff-concerns-as-leaders-outline-reforms-and-staffing-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499908-bba539673489d93e8b8331309e8d321a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577348&Signature=TEV3-Zdz1iG6WAZpUMZ6RuyEPgXxY5dPo1PIH0vTmUU-zU4JiFRLiBCAUjViVr8v1HQqYMmbIknn5eeY0bCgi~JAdRgBvlC~8fjgUWOzUSOJ2Etc~7CPqdt0yow-fmQqbmNwdOxNPsooz~m7XPMfe02a3-2aunsUmck-slaIHPaZsF72W4i3FOsMW4Evf3GGEAVpv8J~LvLBvkvAa0VEIzTHheVWhHNt2nodwL~LWWTxw~Lz1mrjxeF4eYvLEAVfqX1WXiJWw4RvNGI8ccenj68jXsWZ1Data8hvSaNefacXxihgFGQEHbNu80vrARSPqn5ZYLG5n-ajT~OJfFC3LQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Council members pressed Department of Probation leaders on a series of changes that staff and outside partners say have hollowed out the agency: rising vacancies, leadership turnover, program reductions and a more enforcement-oriented posture. Commissioner Juanita Holmes defended reforms, cited new training and data systems and said the department is increasing hiring and program evaluation.

Holmes opened the oversight hearing by describing DOP as “one of the largest alternatives to incarceration in the country,” saying it has “serviced over 33,000 cases, resulting in the supervision of over 16,000 clients year to date.” She outlined a reform agenda that emphasized housing, education, employment and mental health and said the department has launched new training and technology intended to measure outcomes.

Council members and outside witnesses, including legal-service providers and the probation officers' union, disputed the administration’s characterization of progress. Dalvinique Powell, president of the United Probation Officers Association (UPOA), told the committee the agency “is in crisis” and said the union has seen unusually high attrition and stalled hiring. Powell said command-discipline procedures and frequent suspensions without pay have eroded morale.

Vacancies and hiring: Members repeatedly raised the department's vacancy rates and hiring cadence. Council members cited a 23% vacancy rate in probation services (about 244 vacancies) and asked when the next civil-service class will graduate; Holmes said her next training/academy run is scheduled after the next civil-service exam and said the bureau is preparing to expand the academy and its instructors so larger classes can graduate. Holmes said the department has a pool of about 375 prospective candidates and increased training from three to five months while doubling academy instructors from five to 10 to support larger cohorts.

Caseloads and workload structure: The committee heard competing assessments about caseload pressure. Commissioner Holmes and staff said the citywide average caseload is about 48 cases per officer and that the department has sought to equalize assignments. Holmes said she adopted a mixed-case strategy — giving officers a range of high-, medium- and low-risk cases rather than concentrating high-risk caseloads with a few specialists — and that she instituted new supervisor and in-service training and a template to prioritize the most at-risk clients. Council members and some staff argued that officers are nonetheless overloaded in some boroughs and that high-risk cases still demand more time. The department said the Queens gun branch remains an intentional specialty with higher numbers.

Metrics, recidivism and technical violations: Holmes and staff said they have rebuilt DOP’s data and reporting systems and are reporting a truer recidivism metric. Juvenile recidivism was reported at 4.2% for June (down from 5.1% in May) and a six‑month juvenile average of about 4.8%. The department also reported adult monthly rearrest percentages trending down from 4.1% in January to 3.1% most recently. On technical violations, staff told the committee that monthly totals have fallen over the last year: one example the department cited compared 35 technical violations in May of the prior year to 9 in May of the current year.

Program changes and community partnerships: The hearing featured repeated concerns from providers and defense advocates about program cuts. Providers and defense counsel said a city mentoring program, Next Steps, and other locally run alternatives were ended or curtailed in 2023 with limited notice to vendors; advocates said sudden program cancellations undermined continuity of services to young people and may have contributed to increased detention. Commissioner Holmes said the department has initiated new training and is expanding vocational programs (CDL, EMT, culinary and barbering) and that a behavioral health team for juveniles will begin in the fall with a planned initial capacity of roughly 100 slots.

CLOs, court operations and family court: Multiple witnesses told the committee that removing court liaison officers (CLOs) from courthouse parts created friction. Providers and defense attorneys said CLOs had served as immediate liaisons that walked youth and families to probation, set up interviews, and raised engagement; without them, advocates said families often wait longer and some probation interviews are missed. Holmes said the department has asked courts to use digital repositories already in place and that borough directors and on-call staff can fill immediate needs, but council members and providers said the transition produced real disruptions in some parts of the city.

Arming probation officers and uniforms: Committee members asked about a policy change requiring probation officers to qualify with firearms and carry them in some circumstances. Holmes said peace officers must qualify with firearms and that the administration mandated agency-wide carry as a rule-of-thumb to improve officer safety when staff enter high-violence neighborhoods; she said the agency provides lockers and storage for firearms while staff are in offices. Members asked Holmes for empirical evidence tying firearms policy changes to staff safety and requested the data and policy documents underlying the change; Holmes said she relied on long experience in high-crime neighborhoods and said operational decisions were made to protect staff.

Discipline and command-discipline procedures: Union leaders and committee members raised concerns about suspensions without pay and opaque discipline pathways. Holmes said the agency has added investigators and counsel and proposed a command-discipline policy intended to allow supervisors to address lower-level infractions locally rather than sending everything to the general counsel, but the policy has not been implemented because the union has not agreed to it. The committee requested written benchmarks for discipline and said it expects standardized procedures that preserve due process while enabling consistent accountability.

Next steps: Council members asked for a written reconciliation of DOP’s internal metrics and the Mayor’s Management Report methodology to ensure both the council and the department are ‘‘looking at the same numbers.’’ Members requested documentation on case-assignment formulae (how high-, medium- and low-risk cases are weighted), the department’s dashboard methodology, a breakdown of program slots and employment outcomes for vocational programs, and the data supporting changes in firearms policy. Commissioner Holmes agreed to supply the requested materials and a dashboard presentation to the council.

Why it matters: The Department of Probation is a major alternative-to-incarceration agency. Council members and outside witnesses framed the hearing as a crossroads: whether DOP will emphasize rehabilitation, services and diversion or increasingly rely on enforcement and uniformed visibility. Union leaders said pay, discipline and retention must be addressed; providers said program continuity and court-based engagement are critical to keep young people and adults out of custody; the commissioner said investment in training, data, and vocational opportunities is underway.

The committee said it will hold follow-up oversight sessions and requested written materials and data from DOP to substantiate performance claims and explain recent operational changes.","City council members pressed Department of Probation Commissioner Juanita Holmes on vacancies, caseloads, program cuts and the agency's direction. Holmes defended new training, a mixed caseload approach, and workforce growth plans; union leaders and providers warned of rising attrition, program cancellations and a policing-style shift.","actionData","errors"]

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Council hearing spotlights gap in courthouse medical coverage as bill draws debate

Council hears Department of Probation staff concerns as leaders outline reforms and staffing plans