Re-Entry Partnership Initiative: Overcoming Obstacles to Reintegration

The Congressionally Recommended Awards Program, authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects recommended by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-117, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 2010 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY2010 Department of Justice Appropriations Act.

The Wayne State University will support its Prisoner Re-Entry Program: "Re-Entry Partnership Initiative: Overcoming Obstacles in Successful Reintegration" (RPI), which is a comprehensive effort to prevent ex-prisoners from returning to a life of crime. The program will be implemented by the University's School of Social Work in partnership with the Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a Detroit private non-profit human service agency. The RPI project recognizes the important connection between emotional and medical stability and a returning parolee's ability to maintain employment and independent housing. Through a process of integrated care, NSO will provide mental health, medical, and substance abuse treatment as well as case management assistance to 60 male parolees living in Detroit who are designated as ineligible for care in the existing community mental health system. After six months of participating in the RPI, parolees will demonstrate an increase toward stabilization of medical and mental health conditions and subsequently will require less reliance on substances, such as marijuana and alcohol to cope with life. Evaluation will occur at three month intervals and will use the electronic databases maintained by NSO to assess model efficacy. Funding will be used to help returning prisoners resolve mental health and substance abuse issues with the long-term goal of obtaining vocational, educational, and housing placement services and reduce recidivism for program participants.

NCA/NCF