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Bronx Family Justice Center outlines free, confidential services for survivors at Community Board 11 meeting
Summary
Marlene Crisostomo of the Bronx Family Justice Center told Community Board 11’s Health and Social Services Committee the center provides borough-based, free and confidential services — legal consultation, case management, counseling and shelter referrals — and gave its Bronx address and phone number; members asked about intake and verification procedures.
Marlene Crisostomo, senior director of programs and community partnerships at the Bronx Family Justice Center, told Community Board 11’s Health and Social Services Committee on Dec. 9 that the center offers a range of borough-based supports for people who have experienced gender-based violence, saying, "Everything is free and confidential."
Crisostomo described the center’s intake process, case management and legal options. She said the intake specialist collects basic demographics and the alleged harming party’s first and last name and date of birth, and that case managers perform safety assessments, make referrals, and can help draft family court petitions. She cautioned that legal consultations do not guarantee representation: "There's no guarantee for legal representation," she said.
Committee members asked how the center verifies disputed claims. A member raised the possibility that some callers might report violence that did not occur; Crisostomo replied that the center "doesn't need any police reports or orders of protection to believe that a client is a victim," and that staff use a detailed intake interview to assess whether a person is the primary victim or an aggressor. She added the center will not contact an alleged harming party without client consent.
Crisostomo listed on-site and partner services: counseling for adults and children (with a children's room to avoid re-traumatization), referrals to emergency shelter, a small food pantry and clothing closet for people leaving abusive homes, and partnerships with Lincoln Hospital and community-based organizations including Safe Horizon, Sanctuary for Families and the Women's Prison Association. She also said the center works with Cornell Tech to check phones and devices for spyware or tracking when clients report electronic monitoring.
The Bronx Family Justice Center’s Bronx location is 198 East 161st Street, 2nd Floor, Bronx, New York. Crisostomo gave the phone number as (718) 508-1220 and said callers should leave a voicemail with a name and number if it is safe; staff typically return calls within 24 hours. She noted the centers are collocated in district attorney/family-court buildings and that visitors will need an ID to enter. For clients with open criminal cases, she said referring staff should notify the center in advance so security can be alerted and the center can arrange safe entry.
Crisostomo invited the committee to include the center in future outreach, offering to attend a health fair or to send a team member. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and information. The committee then resumed other business.
