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Mothers in Reentry (MIR)

Award Information

Award #
2010-RN-BX-0021
Location
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2010
Total funding (to date)
$191,443

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2010, $191,443)

The Second Chance Act (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of parents who are incarcerated as well as their families. Research has shown that children may benefit from maintaining healthy relationships with their incarcerated parents. Section 113 of the Second Chance Act authorizes grants to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to improve the provision of substance abuse treatment within prison and jails and after reentry for inmates who have minor children and also includes outreach to families and provision of treatment and other services to children and other family members of participant inmates. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will fund eligible applicants to plan, implement, or expand such treatment programs.

The Family-Based Prisoner Substance Abuse Treatment Program enhances the capability of states and tribes to provide substance abuse treatment for incarcerated parents; prepares offenders for their reintegration into the communities from which they came by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs; and assists offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services. Projects will provide prison-based substance abuse treatment and parenting programs for incarcerated parents of minor children, as well as treatment and other services to the participating offenders' minor children and family members. Programming must be targeted to inmates with minor children and include services for these inmates, their minor children, and other family members. By law, no less that 5 percent of the funds available for the Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program will be used for grants to Indian Tribes.

The Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware will use grant funds to add a family services component to the overall I-ADAPT initiative and to provide additional services and support to a particular at risk component of reentering offenders and women who have minor children and custodial responsibilities or who want to regain custodial rights to their children. Proposed enhancements include: a new Mothers Time room at the Women's Work Release Treatment Center (WWRTC); a new assessment and tracking module on family issues in I-ADAPT data; new training for existing DOC contract treatment staff in family issues for women; enhancement of CCHS support programs for prenatal and postpartum moms (estimated to be 20-25 per year); and more resources for community referral programs. The two main goals for use of these funds are family reunification and reduced recidivism. The evaluation component will be coordinated by the Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies at the University of Delaware, including a process evaluation.

CA/NCF

Date Created: September 19, 2010