Pay for Success in Reducing Recidivism and for Achieving Housing, Education, and Employment Advancement Among Restored Citizens in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

The Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry (OR) will expand and enhance its reentry services to at least 450 citizens, of moderate to high risk of re-offending, returning from incarceration to Cuyahoga County, OH .  

Transition specialists will meet, conduct needs assessments, and work with program participants who are within 90 days of their expected release. Based on their individual needs, they will be referred to one or more of our service-provider partners:

Center for Employment Opportunities will provide workforce readiness classes and seminars that prepare justice-involved individuals to (re)enter the workforce; transitional employment; Job Coaching and Development Services and; Job Retention Services  
Reach Success education programming will conduct assessments to determine the best pathway based on current level of education, academic goals, and anticipated barriers to success. Clients will be provided consultation on academic options and opportunities including a range of high school equivalency tests, industry recognized certification and vocational training, and post-secondary options. Client support will continue through navigating registration and enrollment in the program that best aligns with assessment results and career goals.  Reach Success also will provide transportation assistance to participants to ensure access to grant related services and employment.
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry will provide the following activities for individuals within the program who are experiencing homelessness: the recruitment of landlords, housing navigation services, assistance in applying to positive housing locations, housing retention. Additionally, LMM will provide Housing Skills classes to individuals experiencing housing instability or homelessness.

These are evidenced-based programs that will be data driven to ensure that program modifications can be made throughout the grant period, to ensure maximum outcomes.  In addition to these three service areas, participants will receive case management, and wraparound services.  

The program is designed to create self-sufficient participants and reduce recidivism which, in kind, will result in safer, stronger, families and communities.

The program will be managed under outcomes-based contracts according to the principles of the pay for success model. As such, the sub-grantee service providers will receive full payment of their contracts only upon demonstration of the achievement of contractual benchmark outcomes.

The program will undergo a systematic review and evaluation by a research team at Case Western Reserve University.

This project seeks priority consideration 1(A) as documented and explained on pp. 2-3 of the proposal narrative.