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Q&A
Council Member Sandy Nurse questions DOC officials about programming at Rikers Island
0:32:43
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4 min
Council Member Sandy Nurse engages in a detailed discussion with Department of Correction officials about programming availability and funding at Rikers Island. The conversation covers the implementation of the mandated five hours of daily programming, the status of new in-custody programming contracts, and changes in programming budget and offerings.
- DOC officials confirm that inmates are offered access to five hours of daily programming, though engagement is optional.
- New in-custody programming contracts worth approximately $14 million have been awarded and are set to begin in early fiscal year 2026.
- The discussion reveals a reduction in programming budget compared to previous years, with disagreement on the impact of this change.
Sandy Nurse
0:32:43
There's a question here on are people in custody in Rikers receiving five hours of programming every day as per BOC's minimum standards?
Alex Maldonado
0:32:54
I would yes, they are, and I would turn it over to our Deputy Commissioner for Programming, Nell McCarty, if you'd like further detail.
Nell McCarty
0:33:10
Hello, my name is Nell McCarty.
0:33:12
I'm the Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Programs and Community Partnerships.
0:33:16
So thank you for your question.
0:33:17
And yes, people in custody are afforded access to five hours of programming, but it's important to note that while afforded, they have the opportunity to decline engagement in certain programs.
0:33:31
So on any given day based on what a person is opting in to engage in, it may not look like they are engaging in five hours of program.
Sandy Nurse
0:33:38
Okay.
0:33:39
No.
0:33:39
Thank you for that clarification.
0:33:41
We just ask every time because we know that we've heard that not everyone is getting access.
0:33:46
We've we ask this pretty much every single time.
0:33:48
Before, it had been questions of staffing and capacity.
0:33:51
So for everybody who wants to opt in to five hours of programming, is that available to them?
Nell McCarty
0:33:59
There are various mechanisms of programs that are available to them.
Sandy Nurse
0:34:02
Okay.
0:34:03
Thank you.
0:34:05
Has the RFP for the new in custody programming contracts been posted yet?
0:34:09
Yes.
0:34:10
I I think you mentioned some of that in your testimony.
Francis Torres
0:34:12
Yes, we're very happy and I'll have deputy commissioner McCarty elaborate.
0:34:17
What we thought was going to be a very speedy process going through challenge based procurement has demonstrated that it took a little longer.
0:34:27
But DC McCarty will give you the very good news.
Nell McCarty
0:34:30
Yes.
0:34:30
So they were posted in January six of twenty twenty five.
0:34:34
The the deadline for the RFP was February twenty one of twenty twenty five.
0:34:40
We have identified and selected vendors for each of the RFPs.
0:34:44
They have all been made aware that they have been selected as the vendors, and we're working with them closely on ensuring that we are closing the gap on anything with their budget.
0:34:52
Some of them actually had proposed budgets, as an example, less than the actual amount that they were awarded.
0:34:57
So we're working with them to make sure that they are using all of the funds towards the RFP.
0:35:02
And right now, the stage that we're at is finalizing the master agreements, which are currently we're working in collaboration with the mayor's office contracting services or MOCs to ensure that those are finalized so we get them registered as quickly as possible.
0:35:15
And that has just again taken a little bit more time because of the challenge based vehicle, this being the first of its kind procurement for human services in New York City.
0:35:25
But that being said, we are really excited to get these off the ground rolling in early fiscal year twenty twenty six.
Sandy Nurse
0:35:31
So what's the value of the services, the monetary value of all the services that are going be provided?
Nell McCarty
0:35:36
In total, it's approximately $14,000,000, which again we we plan for fiscal year twenty six.
Sandy Nurse
0:35:44
And that's about, what, 3 to 4,000,000 short of what was cut like a couple years ago from the programming that was provided.
0:35:52
So what is the gap?
0:35:54
What have you eliminated in programming that addresses that gap?
Nell McCarty
0:35:58
While this funding is not a replacement of the $17,000,000 of the peg that was applied to the Division of Programs budget.
0:36:07
It was $17,000,000 that was the PEG.
0:36:10
So this is $14,000,000 so that's approximately $3,000,000 of the difference.
0:36:14
But we would really like to highlight that the programs that were offered through the PEG for the targeted jail based services contract were in sourced with our department's counseling services
Sandy Nurse
0:36:23
No.
0:36:23
I remember we had we had lengthy conversations here about that.
0:36:27
Disagree with the the way you're describing it, but sure.
0:36:31
It's a decrease, and we've talked about the decrease in programming and and the value.
0:36:37
We understand all of the insourcing and why it couldn't be done effectively, and that's why we're back here.
0:36:42
So I was just wondering if there was a difference in the type of programming that accounts for that gap there.
Nell McCarty
0:36:49
Well, not that it accounts for the gap, but I would say the programming is generally different from the targeted jail based services contract.
0:36:55
So it's targeting four core areas.
0:36:58
Supplemental education, which is something that we've never pursued before in such a large contract.
0:37:02
It's also targeting trauma informed care, substance misuse programming, and transitional planning, and transportation.
0:37:09
So all of those are new.
0:37:11
Or maybe transition planning is the closest that you could get to what was the targeted jail based services contract.
Sandy Nurse
0:37:17
Okay.