Re-Entry Program - Family Services of NW PA

Re-Entry is a support service offered by Family Services of NW PA that helps people who have been incarcerated make a successful transition to community life and reunite with family members.

Re-Entry is available to adults and their families who are preparing for, or who have already transitioned back into the community from incarceration. Clients must be assessed as moderate to high risk to meet eligibility for the program. For Venango Re-Entry only, clients must be assessed as low to moderate risk to meet eligibility.

Funding for Re-Entry in Crawford, Mercer, and Venango Counties is provided by the Second Chance Act Community-Based Re-Entry Program through the Bureau of Justice Administration. Separate funding for individuals with low to moderate risk in Venango County is provided through a contract with Venango County.

Re-Entry Program Goals:

Address the impact of incarceration on the individual and his or her family and reunify parents with their children.
Reduce recidivism and opioid use through integrated case management.
Achieve or maintain family safety, stability, independence and unity by providing referrals and coordinating additional support services.

Services May Include:

Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) conference, which can include clients, families, children, providers or any combination of supports.
Parenting Support Groups.
Parent Education Classes.
Skill Development, including Budgeting, Stress Management, Conflict Resolution, Daily Living, Anger Management, Parenting and Communication.
Case Management.
Referral to other social service agencies.
Assistance in locating adequate housing or improving home conditions necessary to a child's safety.
Coordination with other service providers.
Assessment and recommendations.

Benefits to Program Participants:

Stability
Community Support
Engagement
Reduced Recidivism

Referrals can be made by:

Department of Corrections (DOC)
PA Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP)
Crawford County Adult Probation
Mercer County IPP
Mercer, Venango, and Crawford County Jails
Self-referral and other providers

Re-Entry Task Force:

Funding for the Re-Entry program at Family Services of NW PA requires engagement with existing groups, policymakers, government agencies, treatment and services providers, potential funders, crime victims, family members of formerly incarcerated people and other key stakeholders.

To meet this requirement, the Community-Based Re-Entry Task Force was created. Goals include:

Identify and address barriers to successful Re-Entry programs, including barriers that are policy or procedural in nature.
Provide support to the program and its goals in the community, helping expand visibility, community support, and sustainability.
Examine ways to pool resources and collect data and best practices in Re-Entry from stakeholders' agencies and organizations.

This project was supported by BJA Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program Grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

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