Second Chance Employment Services in Clackamas County

The Children, Family and Community Connections (CFCC) Division of Clackamas County’s Department of Health, Housing & Human Services (H3S) Second Chance Employment program will involve a close partnership with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Both H3S and CCSO are departments within the same organizational structure – Clackamas County, Oregon – which is in the Portland Metropolitan area. CCSO manages the County Jail in addition to Community Corrections (parole/probation).

Purpose: Provide comprehensive employment services for those reentering society from incarceration, beginning during incarceration.

Primary Activities: pre-employment assessment, career planning, job search training, career/technical education, intensive case management.

Expected Outcomes:

Provide services to a preliminary estimate of 60 individuals each year
Reduce one-year re-arrest recidivism rate from current 35.9%

Service Area: Clackamas County, Oregon.

Intended Beneficiaries: Individuals reentering society from Clackamas County Jail – BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) will be prioritized, and perhaps those with children at home.

Subrecipients: None

Category 2 Priority Consideration Requested Information:

Latest figures indicate the County has a record high number of job vacancies at 11,000. The highest number of vacancies are in healthcare, social services, retail and construction industries.
Second Chance will conduct individualized career planning during incarceration and post release.
CFCC has extensive relationships with local employers. This is demonstrated by the fact that when clients of existing programs are ready for employment, staff are often able to place them within 48 hours.
CFCC recently launched a new customized database that greatly enhances the ability of the team to track and monitor employment outcomes, which is does for hundreds of clients at any given time.