Cayuga County's Community-based Adult Reentry Program

Cayuga Counseling Services, Inc. is proposing to develop a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, trauma-informed and best practices community-based reentry program for individuals incarcerated in Cayuga County jail in upstate NY. Public safety in Cayuga County will be enhanced and both the reentering offenders and the community as a whole will benefit from the proposed program and subsequent reduction in recidivism rate in Cayuga County, which includes a Qualified Opportunity Zone. The proposed program will enhance and expand upon the County’s current reentry continuum by:        

Establishing a Reentry Advisory Board consisting of correctional agencies, law enforcement agencies, substance abuse, mental health and medical providers, agencies providing material assistance such as food and clothing as well as homeless services providers, and vocational providers in our community;
 Implementing evidence-based risk and need screening and assessments tools administered to all offenders at the point of first contact that will facilitate the transition planning process;
Developing and implementing a Multi-Disciplinary Reentry Collaborative Case Management and Coordination Team to ensure appropriate interventions and services are being accessed and delivered pre and post release; and
Formalizing and designating community-based, peer-run and faith-based organizations to provide post-release care coordination, case management, support, services and treatment. 

Project deliverables include that will be completed over the 36 month grant period include:

Develop a multi-disciplinary team to cohesively address the reentry needs of offenders exiting the Cayuga County jail;
Provide evidence based services that address the housing, educational/vocational, family reunification/stability, education, health, mental health and substance abuse need of individuals reentering the community;
Reduce the recidivism rate in Cayuga County;
Conduct regular evaluations/assessment of the program to insure it remains responsive to the needs or reentering individuals;
Have an evaluation performed on the program by independent researchers that includes, to the maximum extent feasible, random assignment of offenders to program delivery and control groups.