It can be challenging to navigate the City systems and services available to you. To help you understand the types of Key Resources available to survivors and connect with them, here is a list of key city agencies, how they most frequently help survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, and ways to contact them.
Each person’s situation is unique. To get information more specific to your needs, consider reaching out to a community-based service provider.
Visit any NYC Family Justice Center to get free and confidential assistance. Key City agencies, community, social and civil legal services providers, and District Attorney's Offices are located on-site at FJCs, to make it easier for survivors to get help.
Search the NYC HOPE Resource Directory to find local community-based services in your neighborhood
Call NYC’s 24/7 hotline (1-800-621-HOPE / 1-800-621-4673; TDD 1-866-604-5350) for immediate safety planning, shelter assistance, and other resources.
The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes safety and well-being of NYC’s children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice, and early care and education services.
If you need help finding counseling, child care, treatment for substance abuse or any other program that will help you care for your children, you can call 311 and ask for Parenting Support. Or, you can call the Parent Helpline at 1- 800-CHILDREN. The Parent Helpline is an information and referral line that can help direct you to the services you need, for instance assistance locating services such as parenting skills classes, domestic violence services, or child care. It is free, confidential, and multi-lingual. This is NOT the NYS Child Abuse Hotline.
If you suspect child abuse or neglect, learn how to make a report.
If you have an active Child Protective Investigation, you have the right to talk with the Child Protective Services (CPS) team assigned to your case, at any time. Get help with your CPS case
The NYC Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is charged with the enforcement of the Human Rights Law, and with educating the public and encouraging positive community relations.
The NYC Human Rights Law affords protection against discrimination in employment based on unemployment status, arrest or conviction record, credit history, caregiver status, and status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, and sex offenses. The Law affords additional protections in housing based on lawful occupation, family status, any lawful source of income, and status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking, and sex offenses.
Learn more about Housing and Employment Law for Domestic Violence Survivors in NYC
NYC is home to approximately 1.64 million older adults, and the Department for the Aging (DFTA) is committed to helping them age in their homes and communities. Their mission is to eliminate ageism and ensure the dignity and quality of life of diverse older adults.
DFTA partners with a community-based program in each borough to provide elder abuse victims with crisis intervention and safety planning. The programs also help victims compile evidence, work with authorities, and seek compensation through the New York State Office of Victim Services.
Call 311 to locate specific services in your neighborhood
The NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE) manages the city's public school system. These schools form the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,400 separate schools. The department covers all five boroughs of NYC.
Learn more about NYC Public School Transfer Requests and/or find a Family Welcome Center:
Parents and guardians of public school students may go to Parent Coordinators for help with school-related questions and problems. Contact your child’s school to connect with a Parent Coordinator
After-school programs give students opportunities to learn skills, explore their interests, and discover new things. Learn more about after-school programs
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is one of the largest public health agencies in the world. DOHMH also one of the nation's oldest public health agencies.
Every day, DOHMH protects and promotes the health of 8 million diverse New Yorkers. Their work is broad-ranging. You see DOHMH in the inspection grades of dining establishments, the licenses dogs wear, the low- to no-cost health clinics in your neighborhood, and the birth certificates for the littlest New Yorkers.
DOHMH also behind the scenes with their disease detectives, investigating suspicious clusters of illness. Their epidemiologists study the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in NYC neighborhoods. These studies shape policy decisions and the City's health agenda.
Thrive NYC is an unprecedented commitment by the City of New York to create a mental health system that works for everyone. Learn more about Thrive NYC
Part of Thrive NYC, NYC Well, is New York City’s free, confidential support, crisis intervention, and information and referral service for anyone seeking help for mental health and/or substance misuse concerns, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.Learn more about NYC Well
You can get low- to no-cost services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, at the NYC Department of Health's eight Sexual Health Clinics. Our clinics see patients on a first come, first served basis. No appointment is necessary. Anyone who is 12 or older can visit a clinic, regardless of immigration status. No parental consent is necessary. If you do not have health insurance or cannot pay the sliding scale fee, you can still get services.. Find Sexual Health Clinic Locations and Hours
Learn more about How to Find the Right Child Care
Looking for a low- or no-cost clinic? Wondering where your neighborhood Farmers Market is located and its hours of operation? Trying to figure out your options on how to quit smoking for good? These and other location-based health services are available by address, zip code or borough through the NYC Health Map
Trouble coping? Don’t struggle alone. NYC Well is here to listen and help with problems like stress, depression, anxiety or drug and alcohol misuse—24/7/365. Text “WELL” to 65173, call 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355), or chat online with a counselor.