Chair Brooks-Powers asks about trends and dedicated housing for pregnant people

Thank you for that, because as you heard earlier, I asked questions about this because I had requested that those who are pregnant be transferred into the nursery,

only to hear that only one person has applied.

And so I'm curious.

In terms of any trends you may have identified with some of the complaints from the pregnant or postpartum individuals in custody, and also if you can kind of quantify how many of the complaints

let's say in this year, you may have received from women who are pregnant or postpartum.

Good morning, everyone.

Katrina Blackman, Assistant Executive Director for the New York City Board of Correction.

So in terms of quantifying the amount of complaints we receive from pregnant and parenting individuals in custody, that number could vary depending on the census of those pregnant and parenting in custody.

But as of recent, in preparation for and even before this testimony, as Director Augustine articulated, we do routinely tour Rose M.

Singer, where females and pregnant and parenting women reside.

One of the things that I can say in stress, and I think one of you pointed it out, which was really helpful,

is that having a dedicated housing area for pregnant and or parenting women would be extremely beneficial because then that concentrates the focus of care for those individuals.

It can allow the doula, CHS, DOC staff to readily be available.

To that population as opposed to, I want to say, for lack of a better term, touring around and trying to identify and locate where those individuals are housed in general population.

I think having a dedicated location, it can also, without thinking too hard, you can add

actually know what the quantified number is if they're all in the same location, if that makes sense.

No, absolutely, because when I went to visit and I wanted to talk to one of the pregnant individuals in custody, you know, we were on a hunt to try to find them and where they were at that moment.

And I would also add the mental health benefits of being within a community of people who are going through the same thing you are.

That can be extremely beneficial to these people.

So we are really advocating for a space to be identified within roses.

It doesn't have to be the nursery.

It can be its own dormitory as it was before.

For all pregnant people in custody.