SVdP Des Moines Return-to-Work Iowa Program

St. Vincent de Paul Des Moines (SVdP Des Moines) is a local, state, and national leader looked to by government agencies and philanthropic organizations as an example for the development and implementation of innovative community health and justice initiatives. Serving the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area, SVdP Des Moines is the only agency providing in-person community reentry services for returning citizens in Polk County, the State of Iowa’s largest and most diverse county. SVdP Des Moines works directly with the Polk County Sheriff, whose efforts to reduce the cycle of recidivism have been recognized by national initiatives including the Data-Driven Justice Initiative and Stepping Up.

Funding will be used to expand this programming through the Return-to-Work Iowa Project, which will further reduce socioeconomic barriers that promote and perpetuate cycles of recidivism by providing reentry support services to 150 more returning citizens annually in Polk County. The Return-to-Work Iowa Project will provide services to returning citizens who are male, reside in Polk County, and have been released from incarceration in the Polk County Jail. The general recidivism rate for Polk County of 42 percent will serve as the baseline for program evaluation. Based on SVdP Des Moines’ experience, we expect to reduce this rate for program participants by approximately 25 percent.

SDdP Des Moines will engage researchers at the University of Iowa School of Social Work to design and conduct an independent evaluation of program outcomes.