Licking County (OH) Coalition for Housing Visiting Fellows Program

The Licking County Coalition for Housing, Ohio, applied under the Improving Corrections and Reintegration under the Second Chance Act fellowship. The fellowship will focus on Improving Corrections and Reintegration by addressing the barriers and challenges to securing and sustaining housing post-incarceration. The fellow will study the success and impact of individuals with mental health illnesses (MH) and substance use disorders (SUD) in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) who are released into permanent supportive housing (PSH) with peer support. The PSH model with peer support caters to the needs of individuals with severe and persistent MH illnesses and SUD, who have availed of some recovery services while in prison and are now navigating reintegration. The applicant will also conduct surveys and listening sessions with ODRC and Community Linkage Workers (case managers with State of Ohio prisons) to gather feedback on the PSH program and identify obstacles faced by those leaving prison. The report generated from this study will examine the impact of PSH paired with peer support and the role of individuals with lived experience in supporting successful reentry and reducing recidivism and propose a replicable and scalable program model.

 The fellow will collaborate with BJA to support BJA’s ongoing national initiatives aimed at promoting successful reintegration of individuals who were previously incarcerated while also reducing recidivism rates. Additionally, the fellow will help BJA identify and define new reentry challenges, as well as develop effective methods to address these challenges. The fellow will work with BJA to assess the training and technical assistance needs and provide strategic guidance related to corrections and reentry to remove barriers to successful reintegration. Deliverables include examining and translating research and evidence into programmatic and policy implications for practitioners; outreach to the field and TTA partners; presenting to internal and external stakeholders; and developing publications or resource materials for the field.