Puyallup Tribe of Indians Reentry Expansion of Services

The Puyallup Tribe’s 2022 Tribal Justice System proposal is designed to enhance Re-Entry Services program capabilities.  In March 2020 the Re-Entry Services program became operational just days before government mandated closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has achieved notable participant engagement and growing success, even under these conditions. So far, the Re-Entry Services program has made contact with over 110 individuals in need of support re-entering the community from incarceration or in-patient treatment. Over half of those contacts have turned into active program participants. The Re-Entry Services program provides support to participants for as long as necessary to promote rehabilitation and growth.

As the Puyallup Reservation is located in Pierce County, near some of the highest crime areas within the City of Tacoma, there is increased risk of the individual returning to their previous lifestyle. The Re-Entry Services program is able to identify what supports an individual will need upon release and provide intensive case management to help reduce future criminal behavior. The Puyallup Tribe seeks grant funding to help the Re-Entry Services program meet the needs of at-risk individuals, including: vouchers for public transportation, hygiene supplies, and court ordered treatment or classes. One of the most necessary components to successful re-entry is housing, which is increasingly difficult to secure in the Tacoma-area market. The Re-Entry program is in need of funding to help individuals at risk of homelessness stay off the streets through the use of vouchers for transitional housing.

Grant funding is necessary to fund an additional Re-Entry Navigator which could reduce caseloads to a sustainable level while allowing the Director of Re-Entry to provide oversight, program development and evaluation. The Puyallup Tribe has made significant strides towards a restorative justice system that responds to substance use disorders and criminal behavior with the goal of increasing community wellness and reducing harm. Healing and rehabilitation can be successfully achieved by sustaining a wrap-around system of care for community members who have struggled to access available resources in the past. Without grant funding the Re-Entry Services program may not have the chance to reach its full potential and will lose valuable ground gained through community awareness and participant engagement.