New York City on Oct. 14 rolled out two major initiatives designed to better support expectant and new parents while working to break the cycle of infant homelessness.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) officially launched Creating Real Impact at Birth, or CRIB. The pilot program connects pregnant New Yorkers applying for shelter with housing vouchers, helping them secure stable homes before giving birth.
“Put simply: No child should ever be born in a shelter. We must do everything we can to stop the cycle of poverty and housing instability before it ever begins by ensuring mothers and babies do not go to a shelter after leaving the hospital and that they have the resources they need to thrive,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
The program will identify more than 300 pregnant New Yorkers entering the shelter system and match them with rental assistance through programs like CityFHEPS or Pathway Home.
Participants will be prioritized for permanent housing as part of the city’s broader effort to move families out of shelters and into stability.
In Fiscal Year 2024, more than 2,000 babies were born in city shelters, a reality that public health officials say can lead to poor health outcomes and long-term instability. By targeting support earlier, city officials hope to improve both maternal and infant health while reducing the overall shelter population.
Alongside the CRIB launch, the city also introduced NYC Baby Boxes, a new effort to welcome newborns and ease the early costs of parenthood.
Families giving birth at four NYC Health + Hospitals locations, including Kings County in Brooklyn, will receive boxes filled with baby and postpartum essentials such as diapers, wipes, baby clothing, books plus health guides.
Each Baby Box also includes a “Mother and New Baby Health Guide” and a “NYC New Family Resource Guide,” offering parents practical information and links to city plus community-based supports.
More than 7,000 families are expected to receive NYC Baby Boxes each year.
“Bringing home a child from the hospital is a beautiful, exciting time for any family, but it is not without challenges,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Katz, MD. "The ‘NYC Baby Boxes’ will help families have the information and tools to care for mother and child in those early days after giving birth."
