Operation Restoration: Community Based Reentry Services for Currently and Formerly Incarcerated Women

Program Purpose: 

With support from this grant, Operation Restoration will expand existing social services to connect with women pre-release who are returning to rural communities and provide the resources necessary to transition out of incarceration. OR staff will provide cognitive behavioral therapy groups, family reunification support, and case management beginning pre-release and continuing with comprehensive, community-based support post-release. OR’s social services programs are designed to empower women to achieve self-efficacy during their transition from incarceration to the community. OR’s four self-efficacy deliverables include participants’ attainment of meaningful employment, continuing education, family reunification, and independent living facilitated by OR’s existing reentry services. 
 

Primary Objectives: 

Operation Restoration will provide comprehensive re-entry services pre- and post-release for 300 women returning to rural communities

OR Social Services staff will meet with all clients pre-release to conduct an intake assessment and create an individualized plan of care that addresses criminogenic risks and needs. All clients will attend a minimum of two meetings with a Life Coach pre-release including at least one meeting within six months of release. 

Planning Phase Deliverables

Formalize partnerships(MOUs) with Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections and two or more rural sheriff departments

Develop evaluation metrics and plan for evaluation and dissemination

Hire two staff members (pre-release coordinator and life coach)

Train social services staff on utilizing risk/needs assessment

Pre-release deliverables include individualized reentry preparation

Review risk and needs (via the Targeted Interventions Gaining Enhanced Reentry (TIGER) assessment and education assessment (Test of Adult Basic Education)

Social Services Intake assessment

Facilitate one bi-weekly cognitive behavioral therapy group for approximately 100 participants annually within the prison

Individualized plan of care  that addresses risks,  needs and long-term goals

Family reunification support for approximately 300 family members to travel to the prison for events and visitation in the three year grant period.

Post-release deliverables include streamlined continuation of care.

Wrap-around case management services, including but not limited to rapid response aid to address immediate needs to support women to secure housing, employment, and education

Support with applications for benefits and referrals to other service agencies

Emergency/ transitional housing support

Family reunification support

Facilitate one bi-weekly cognitive behavioral therapy group for approximately 100 participants annually at a central location or virtually

Enrollment in education programming, including the Women FIRST clinic to increase literacy and high school equivalency

Referral to employment and training programs to promote successful employment