Opening Avenues to Reentry Success, Alternative to Revocation, and Probation Pilot Program

The Collaborative Mental Health and Anti-Recidivism Initiative establishes a statewide pilot program to partner the appropriate agencies within the state, such as the Department of Mental Health/Behavioral Health and Department of Corrections, to establish a collaborative prison anti-recidivism effort to provide comprehensive care before, during, and after incarceration for persons with serious mental illness, with a goal of reducing recidivism.

The Initiative will provide comprehensive care before, during, and after incarceration, with the goal of recidivism reduction for individuals with serious mental illness. The Initiative supports the enhancement of services for individuals with serious mental illness in prisons by establishing a comprehensive service delivery plan focusing on the therapeutic, educational, vocational, cognitive-behavioral, and other mental health treatment needs of prison inmates from intake or arrest through their probationary or parole periods.

The recipient will use funding to support the Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS), Alternative to Revocation (ATR), and Probation Pilot Program, also known as OARS2. The OARS2 pilot will provide direct services to participants living with serious mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system and present a high level of risk for re-incarceration. Participants will receive comprehensive case management, psychiatric treatment, housing assistance, and civil legal aid. This pilot, coupled with the existing mental health treatment framework during incarceration and an evidence-based, recidivism-reducing program after release, provides comprehensive services for individuals on supervision. This program will serve 60-70 participants during 28-month pilot project period.

CA/NCF