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Re-Entry Programs: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Successful Community Re-Entry

Senate Criminal Justice Committee . Re-Entry Programs: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Successful Community Re-Entry. William Carr Assistant Secretary of Re-Entry. October 4, 2011.

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Re-Entry Programs: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Successful Community Re-Entry

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  1. Senate Criminal Justice Committee Re-Entry Programs:Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Successful Community Re-Entry William Carr Assistant Secretary of Re-Entry October 4, 2011

  2. “While we diminish the stimulant of fear, we must increase to prisoners the incitements of hope, in proportion as we extinguish the terrors of the law, we should awaken and strengthen the control of the conscience.” Dorothea Dix, Prison Reformer (1802-1887)

  3. Recidivism and Successful Community Re-entry Agenda • Re-Entry Facilities • Vocational Training • Identification Cards • Work Release Beds • Prescription Drugs Upon Release • Financial Assistance • Mental Health Services in the Community

  4. Re-Entry Facilities • Northern Region: • Baker • Southern Region: • Demilly • Polk • Sago Palm

  5. Re-Entry Facilities Portals: A Single Point of Entry Re-entry FACILITY Re-entry portal Offender Reunited with Family On-site criminal registration POST-RELEASE supervision? NO YES Offered re-entry services available at portal Connected with probation staff Offered re-entry services available at portal

  6. Re-Entry Facilities: Portals • Designated release site for offenders returning to a specific county upon release • Locations • Jacksonville Reentry Center (JREC) • Hillsborough County Portal • Pinellas Safe Harbor • Palm Beach County Portal “The moment of release represents a critical point in time that can make or break an inmate’s successful reintegration into society.” (Release Plan for Successful Reentry, Urban Institute Justice Policy Center)

  7. Vocational Training Occupational trades based on Agency for Workforce Innovation and U.S. Department of Labor • FY 2010-2011 • Vocational courses offered to 4,981 inmates • Certificates awarded 2,190 inmates • Primary recipients • Inmates identified with the greatest need • Youthful Offenders with no marketable occupational skills • Adults with no marketable skills within 3.5 years of release “Without education, job skills, and other basic services, offenders are likely to repeat the same steps that brought them to jail in the first place…” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal

  8. Vocational Training 33 occupational trades offered within the Department include: • Commercial Class “B” Driving • Building Construction Technology • AC, Refrigeration and Heating (HVAC) • Applied Welding Technologies • Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing • Commercial Foods and Culinary Arts • Electrical • Environmental Sciences • Gasoline Engine Service Technology • Masonry Brick and Block • Plumbing Technology • Waste Water Treatment Technologies

  9. Vocational Training Specter Program • A federally funded grant for Post-secondary vocational training • Inmates 35 years of age and under who have a high school diploma or GED • Programs operated at 7 institutions

  10. Vocational TrainingU.S. Department of Labor In collaboration with U.S. Department of Labor and the Florida Department of Education • Will provide the opportunity for inmates to earn an industry certificate from the Florida Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor • Available for long-term and short-term inmates • Program offering includes… • Auto-body repair • Cosmetology • Welding • Landscaping • Housekeeping

  11. Issuing Identification Cards • Collaboration with Social Security Administration and DHSMV to meet the requirements of the Real ID Act • Currently 13 participating sites • Social Security cards issued to inmates at all Institutions • Since January • 530 birth certificates issued • 384 ID cards issued • “Proper identification generally is required to find employment, obtain housing, or apply for public benefits that may be necessary to obtain medication or other treatment services that can help reduce inmates’ risk of reoffending.” (OPPAGA, Report No. 09-44)

  12. Work Release • Work Release is a community transition program authorized by Florida Statute, which was introduced in the Department of Corrections more than 35 years ago. • Participating inmates must be within 14 months of their release date. • Work release allows inmates to be gainfully employed while still being in a controlled environment.

  13. Work Release Beds • Statewide Community Release Program 3,992 – Total Beds • Department Operated Facilities -202,133 (53%) – Total Beds • Vendor Operated Facilities - 13 1,859 ( 47%) – Total Beds

  14. Paid Employment • Subsistence in FY 10-11 $6,748,739 General Revenue • 20 Department Operated Facilities: $6,748,739 • 13 Vendor operated (vendor retains all subsistence collected) $0

  15. Paid Employment • Restitution, fines, court costs collected FY 10-11 $1,853,840 • 20 – Department Operated Facilities: $1,011,471 (55%) • 13- Vendor Operated Facilities: $842,368 (45%)

  16. Financial Assistance in the Community FDOC and DCF entered into an Interagency Agreement • DCF will provide a dedicated staff member to assist inmates transitioning back into the community with the following: • Determine eligibility for all ACCESS assistance programs • Process applications for Office of Disability determinations • Food Assistance • Medicaid • Temporary Cash Assistance

  17. Prescription Drug Cards • Provide offenders with access to discounted prescription drug benefits to aide in the reentry process • Saved FDOC ex-inmates and probationers $28,000 since June • 1,874 have used the card since May • Save an average of 38% on prescriptions • Individual saved 93% on a single prescription “While access to in-prison health care services may be readily available, continued adherence to treatment regiments following release is a critical public health issue…” (From Prison To Home, Urban Institute Justice Policy Center)

  18. Mental Health Aftercare

  19. Post Release & Work Release Medications Policy • Statute requires that an inmate be provided a 30-day supply of all HIV/AIDS-related medication at the time of release. • FDOC policy requires that all inmates prescribed psychotropic medications will be provided with a 30-day supply of medications as part of their mental health re-entry plan at the time of release.  • FDOC policy allows for inmates to be provided with up to a 30-day supply of medications upon end of sentence (EOS) or transfer to a Work Release Center (WRC). • If the Work Release inmate cannot afford continuing health care, including prescribed medications, the inmate is referred for evaluation by a health care provider at the inmate’s assigned institution.

  20. Process for Offenders Needing Post-Release Outpatient Mental Health Services 180 Days Treatment Plan updated 150 Days Referral to DCF SSI/SSDI Application initiated 45 Days Aftercare Appointment Set with CMHC Treatment Summary Completed SSI/SSDI Application forwarded to SSA Treatment Summary Forwarded to CMHC and Probation/Parole 30 Days Inmate Advised of Aftercare Arrangement Release Medications Order Release 30 Day Supply of Medications

  21. Electronic Web-Based Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) Referral System Step 2: Encrypted file transfer Step 1: FDOCstaff enter referral information into DC Mainframe DC Mainframe DCF Server Step 3: DCF staff receives referral and assigns community provider Step 5: FDOCstaff obtains aftercare arrangements from aftercare database / communicates information to inmate. Step 4: Community provider receives referral and posts aftercare appointment in aftercare database.

  22. Resources William Carr, JD Asst Secretary , Reentry Carr.William@mail.dc.state.fl.us Latoya Lane, PhD Director of Reentry Lane.Latoya@mail.dc.state.fl.us Dean Aufderheide, PhD Director of Mental Health Aufderheide.Dean@mail.dc.state.fl.us

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