aBOUT US
The Healing and Justice Center is a community-based public safety program based in the Liberty City and Overtown neighborhoods of Miami, aiming to:
Reduce violence without incarceration
Expand access to mental health services
Divert people from the criminal legal system
We respond to crises and violence in our neighborhoods and connect people to long-term services through our centralized dispatch system - 1-866-SAFE-MIA, including:
Providing mentorship and case management to those at greatest risk of becoming a victim or a perpetrator of violence
Mediating disputes that may result in violence and preventing retaliation
De-escalating mental health crises and supporting people in accessing long term services
Providing therapy and case management to survivors who are excluded by traditional victim services agencies
Our multidisciplinary team brings together the wisdom of trusted community members with deep relationships in Liberty City and Overtown and the training of medical and mental health professionals to collaborate in responding to conflict, mental health crises and violence. The power of our model lies in its reliance on community relationships and our ability to meet needs through a trauma-informed, culturally-competent approach. These are needs that police officers are expected to respond to, but are not trained to handle, which puts an undue burden on the individual police officer and communities. We believe that directly-impacted people have the power, wisdom, and relationships to address crises in our community. We believe in giving residents the tools and resources needed to respond, instead of a top-down punitive approach.