From Cell to Street Facility Re-Entry Services

Objectives Transition From Prison to Community (TPC) –Overview of Pre-Release Programming offered at all facilities –Identification Acquisition –Optional Programming Opportunities –Special Populations

Transitions and Reentry Services Staffing –Prisons with significant release numbers have an assigned transition program coordinator to facilitate reentry resources –Each of the nine adult prisons in Minnesota are staffed with a Transition Coordinator –Intake facility staffed with Child Support Liaison Worker –Central Office management team of four managers

MN Correctional Facilities Faribault –Jolene Peterson –Jeff Petersen Shakopee –Sandy Hand Stillwater –Harriette Manis –Bridget Letnes Oak Park Heights Lino Lakes –Joe McCoy Rush City –Jason Skwira Moose Lake –Heather Walczynski Willow River –Craig Olsen St. Cloud –Rebecca Fratzke

Professional Collaboration Closing the Gap –Casework Involvement –Supervising Agent –Community Partnerships

Intake Orientation, continuum of service –Mandatory programming –Provides information on programming available at the facility and how to get into such programming –Allows time for a plan to develop –Focus –The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Continuum of services St. Cloud recommendations –What did they recommend –What does it mean if I complete these recommendations? –What does it mean if I do not? Case management expectations –What do they need and when? Supervising Agents –What to expect?

Transitions and Reentry Services Pre-Release Class Mandatory –Challenges of a broad audience –Niche programming (SO, CD, RV, LSI-R) –Continuum of Service – Intake through Expiration –Schedules and programming vary from facility to facility based off of security/programming schedules

Chapters Covered Identification Life Skills Housing Education Transportation Living Under Supervision Family Restorative Justice Health Money Management Employment

Sample Schedule Day 1 –Introduction/Attitude –Identification Birth Certificate Social Security DL Record Review Drivers License/ID Day 2 –Housing –Credit (NovaDebt) –Health Care Overview Day 3 –Tax Credit –Federal Bonding –Family Reunification –Child Support Day 4 –Release Planning –Casework Overview –Living Under Supervision –Agent Presentation –Optional Seminars

Day 5: Creative Job Search Job Search Preparation Career Assessment Skills Identification Resume & Cover Letters Applications Networking Internet Job Search The Job Interview Finishing Touches

Caseworkers Accept referrals/questions Resource acquisition Release Plan questions Pre-Release involvement Q&A

Supervising Agents Living Under Supervision Myth Busters Collaboration with Stearns County and DOC Agents Monthly sessions Q&A

Optional Seminar Opportunities Mandatory Pre-Release Class Interest-Drive Targeted Topics: –Housing, Financial Literacy, Family Reunification, Relapse Prevention, Child Support, College Preparation, Mock Interviews and Career Exploration Offenders are HIGHLY encouraged to enroll in the seminars that apply to their individual needs

Housing Seminars Housing Link Salvation Army

Financial Literacy The Village Financial Consulting Novadebt (Roseville, MN) Family Means Wells Fargo

Family Reunification Bridge Builders for Kids Amicus Minding the Gap

Relapse Prevention Facility CD Treatment Staff Mark Groves Transition Program Coordinators

Child SupportLori Lofrano –Crucial liaison between DHS/DOC –EDUCATE –Assist in modifying child support orders for incarcerated men at intake facility –Contact information for county child support workers –Quash warrants for non appearance –Try to lift drivers license suspensions prior to release

College Preparation St. Cloud State University St. Cloud Technical College Financial Aid Services Admissions

Mock Interviews Interview Preparation –Felony Question Correction Teaching Assistants Volunteers Mock Interview Fairs

Career Exploration Career Scope Career Exploration Class Follow-through –Vocational Short-term Programs –College

Identification

Identification Barriers Need: –Birth Certificate –Social Security –State ID/Drivers License Why dont offenders have these items? Impact?

Identification Social Security Cards –Memo of Understanding Facilities partner with local office Difficulties with varying offices Varying Aliases Social Security Numbers Birth Certificate –Various states/various processes –Funding –Name issues –Road to identification (DL/ID)

Driver and Vehicle Services Driver and Vehicle Services Record Reviews –Fines, Reinstatement Dates, Requirements Driver and Vehicle Services MN State ID/Drivers License MOU –Contract DVS to come into the facilities and complete applications for MN State Ids and Drivers Licenses Class D Written Test

DL/ID Issues Drivers licenses suspended and revoked –Child support non-payment –Driving After Revocation, No Insurance, etc. Hard to prove identity in some cases (lost documents, aliases, name changes) Costs in both time and money to achieve ID docs –MN DL Renewal $24.00 –State ID $18.00

Transitions and Reentry Services SPECIAL POPULATIONS Short-Term Offenders Female offenders Release Violators Segregation

Special Populations Short-Term Offenders (STOS) –July 1, 2009 –<180 Days –Unique Population Mandate Triage Demographics Concerns

Where are they? MCF-St. Cloud retains all offenders who have less than 120 days to their schedule release date (SRD) If an offender has more than 120 days, he may be transferred to another facility MCF-Shakopee retains all female STOs

Services Received Under 14 Days to SRD –Triage Identification Health Care Resources Job Info Resume Optional Seminars

STO Services Received Typical Short-Term Offender Transitional Services –Adapted Pre-Release Class Targeted needs –Seminars –Self-Paced Opportunities –Resources –Key to success: Collaboration

Female Offenders

oBecause men and women are different. To treat men and women equally, we must treat them differently, while always following DOC policies and procedures! oMN State Statute Why Gender Matters…

oAverage age years old oTypically female offenders complete higher levels of education oHigher rates of mental health issues & dual diagnosis oParenting prior to & while they are incarcerated oGreater medical needs Profiling the Female Offender based on July, 2009 statistics

Common issues that female offenders face Trauma and Addiction Relational Issues Relevant Gender Issues

Abuse Poverty Addiction Dysfunctional Relationships Common Issues

Release Violators –Hints on Transitions – Attitude, Issues and Resources (HOT AIR) The program motto is – Its all Hot Air. What YOU do with it determines if your balloon flies Primarily based off of repeat offender issuesmore individualized services

Release Violators Menu of services offered based off of needs… –Attitude –Issues –Resources Collaboration: Parole Officers, Ex- Offenders, Community Resources

Segregation Services Large population getting released directly from segregation living units –MCF-St. Cloud Youthful Offenders Individualized triage services

Transition Resource Rooms All facilities have a Transitions Resource Room Wide collection of resources Computer Access Tutor Assistance

MCF-St. Cloud Transition Resource Room

Transitions Resource Center MCF-Shakopee

Computer Programs Available: –Reentry resources home page – –United Way 211 –O-NET Work Importance and Interest Profiler –Career Scope –Financial/Credit Assistance Microsoft Excel and Word Offender Workforce Development Division Win Way Resume Deluxe Legal Aid Information Child Support Information

Mock Interview Fairs IMPORTANT Community Collaboration Volunteer Interviewers Optional Class-Interview- Debrief Facility-wide initiative

Transition Fairs One of the BEST services we offer offenders nearing release Community Organizations Offenders one year from their Supervised Release Date are invited to attend Collaboration/Education

April 26 th, 2011: MCF-Shakopee –Contact: Sandy Hand May 11 th, 2011: MCF-St. Cloud –Contact: Rebecca Fratzke June 9 th, 2011: MCF-Faribault –Contact: Jolene Peterson July 19 th, 2011: MCF-Lino Lakes –Contact: Joe McCoy November 2 nd, 2011: MCF-Stillwater –Contact: Harriette Manis

Finally… Collaboration is the ultimate key to successful offender reentry

QUESTIONS