Start Corporation's BJA FY24 Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Program

Start Corporation (Start) proposes to implement a new Second Chance Community-Based Reentry program. The purpose of the program is to provide comprehensive, evidence-based, pre- and post-release services in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, in collaboration with the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex and the Lafourche Day Reporting Center (LDRC). Project activities include: Start’s expansion of its substance use disorder treatment program, which will provide 12-week Moral Reconation Therapy through an intensive outpatient program inside the LDRC and medication-assisted treatment services as needed. Start will collaborate with the LDRC to develop gender-specific Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous support groups.

Start will contract with Applied Research Services, Inc. (ARS), a national consulting firm in Atlanta, Georgia, to provide an independent evaluation. ARS will implement Propensity Score Matching, a quasi-experimental method in which ARS will use statistical techniques to construct an artificial control group by matching each treated unit with a non-treated unit of similar characteristics to evaluate program outcomes.
Expected outcomes include reduction in risk scores, substance use activities, and recidivism rates. Recently released men and women ages 18 and older who have been diagnosed with substance use disorder are the intended beneficiaries of the project.