1. Assisting Individuals With Felony Background Behrooz Jahanshahi bjaha@okcareertech.org Oklahoma Department of Career & Technology Education Skills Centers School System August 2, 2013

2. Oklahoma’s CareerTech System ComprehensiveSchools TechnologyCenters Business and Industry Skills Centers Full-time Programs Adult Skills Centers Juvenile Skills Centers Instructors Employment/Transition Coordinators FY 2012 Skills Centers Students served, full-time 1,055 Students served, short-term 159 Completed, full-time 545 Positive placement 88.57% Average hourly wage $11.15 33113363

3. Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 2012 Annual Report, Page 17

4. Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 2012 Annual Report, Page 21

5. Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Facts At A Glance, May 31, 2013

6. Defining Reentry It is important to remember that reentry is a process of identifying treatment and training programs, according to individualized needs, to provide the offender with knowledge and skills necessary to rejoin the community successfully.

7. Understanding Offender Culture, Values, Attitudes: Prisonization Process (adjusting to a confined, structured environment) Prisonization Process (adjusting to a confined, structured environment)  Dependency  “Inmate Attitude”  Prison Slang  Sense of entitlement  “Inmate body language” What Ex-offenders Must Take Care of: Probation & Parole Requirements Probation & Parole Requirements Court Cost and Restitution Court Cost and Restitution Child Support Child Support

8. Resources  ID, Birth Certificate Vital Records: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm Vital Records: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/ Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/http://www.ssa.gov/ Department of Public Safety: http://www.dps.state.ok.us/ Department of Public Safety: http://www.dps.state.ok.us/http://www.dps.state.ok.us/  Veterans: Representatives at Workforce Oklahoma offices, and: http://www.oklahoma.va.gov/ and: http://www.oklahoma.va.gov/http://www.oklahoma.va.gov/  Native Americans: Representatives at Workforce Oklahoma Offices and: Offices and: Oklahoma County only: http://www.uuic.org/ Oklahoma County only: http://www.uuic.org/http://www.uuic.org/ Oklahoma Native American Resource Guide at DHS: Oklahoma Native American Resource Guide at DHS: http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/65DCFEDA-6E77-4E12-BC1E-62AEEA05EF4B/0/S11049_OKNativeAmerResource_fod_06012011.pdf http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/65DCFEDA-6E77-4E12-BC1E-62AEEA05EF4B/0/S11049_OKNativeAmerResource_fod_06012011.pdf http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/65DCFEDA-6E77-4E12-BC1E-62AEEA05EF4B/0/S11049_OKNativeAmerResource_fod_06012011.pdf  Medical Needs: Low cost or free dental assistance, ww.ddokfoundation.org Low cost or free dental assistance, ww.ddokfoundation.orgww.ddokfoundation.org Low cost or free medical, http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf Low cost or free medical, http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.tafhttp://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf

9. Resources (Continued)  Food: http://www.foodpantries.org/st/oklahoma http://www.foodpantries.org/st/oklahoma  Housing: Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency: http://www.ohfa.org/ http://www.ohfa.org/  Clothes: Oklahoma City, Suited for Success: http://www.suitedforsuccessokc.com/ Oklahoma City, Suited for Success: http://www.suitedforsuccessokc.com/ http://www.suitedforsuccessokc.com/ Tulsa: Dress for Success: http://dressforsuccess.org Tulsa: Dress for Success: http://dressforsuccess.orghttp://dressforsuccess.org  Child Support: DHS http://www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/ocss/ http://www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/ocss/  Mental Health, Substance Abuse: http://ok.gov/odmhsas/ http://ok.gov/odmhsas/

10. Multiple Services, Multiple Locations  Oklahoma Workforce Portal: http://www.ok.gov/okworks/ http://www.ok.gov/okworks/  Oklahoma Community Action Agencies: http://okacaa.org http://okacaa.org  Oklahoma 211: http://www.211oklahoma.org/ http://www.211oklahoma.org/  Need Help Paying Bills: http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/ http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/  Hand Up Ministries: http://www.huminc.org/ http://www.huminc.org/  Ex-offender Resources: http://www.ex-offenderresource.com/ http://www.ex-offenderresource.com/  Community Service Council of Tulsa: http://csctulsa.org http://csctulsa.org  Catholic Charities: Oklahoma City: http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/ Oklahoma City: http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/ Tulsa: http://catholiccharitiestulsa.org/ Tulsa: http://catholiccharitiestulsa.org/http://catholiccharitiestulsa.org/

11. Networking  Association of Reentry Professionals: http://associationofreentryprofessionals.org/ http://associationofreentryprofessionals.org/http://associationofreentryprofessionals.org/  Partnership for Successful Reentry: http://okreentry.org/ http://okreentry.org/  REACH, hosted by Upward Transition: http://www.upwardtransitions.org/ http://www.upwardtransitions.org/  Let’s Talk: Locates Community Resources  Community Services Council of Tulsa (Quarterly PRI Meeting)

12.  Being better prepared and organized  Importance of completing applications  First impressions and body language  Following up after the interview Preparing for Employment

13. You Must be Prepared and Organized Have copies of all documents: Resume Resume Cover Letter Cover Letter References References Portfolio Portfolio Licensures Licensures Completed Sample Application Completed Sample Application

14. Online applications  Require creation of a user name and password  Sufficient time is required to complete it accurately  Some online applications are timed and will time out if left idle too long  Facebook and Twitter posts warning: Be careful what you post

15. A Few Tough Interview Questions  Tell me about yourself?  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  We have many applicants, why hire you?  Why do you want to work for us?  Why did you leave your last job?

16. At the End of the Interview The employer will ask you: “Do you have any questions?” MUST have at least 1-2 questions ready to ask!

17. Asking Employer Questions  What is a typical day like?  May I take a tour of the facility?  Is there a possibility for overtime? NEVER bring up money…. Pay, holidays, vacations, etc. until those subjects are raised by the employer

18. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job? Was there a….  Merger, bought out, sold or downsized?  New management, new staff?  Owner retired, sold assets, closed business?  Family business, reorganized

19. Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Facts At A Glance http://ok.gov/doc/Newsroom/Facts_At_A_Glance/index.html Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Annual Reports http://www.ok.gov/doc/Newsroom/Annual_Reports/ Oklahoma Department of Libraries: Literacy Fact Sheet: Correctional Education http://www.odl.state.ok.us/literacy/statistics/corrections.htm Office of Justice Programs: Bureau of Justice Statistics http://bjs.gov/ The national Reentry Resource Center: A Project of the Council of State Governments http://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/library http://www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/facts Major State and National Data Resources

20. Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Reentry Resource Guide http://www.doc.state.ok.us/newsroom/publications/Reentry_Resource_Guide.pdf Oklahoma Workforce Portal: Including E-lessons, okjobmatch.com, Grow Oklahoma: okcareerplanner.com, and much more. http://www.ok.gov/okworks/ Indeed Job Search Engine http://www.indeed.com/ Career Builder http://www.careerbuilder.com/ Monster http://www.monster.com/ Craig’s List http://www.craigslist.com/ Employment and Other Services Sites