Pinebrook Family Answers

LEAVING JAIL: A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL REENTRY PROGRAM FOR WOMEN

ABSTRACT PINEBROOK FAMILY ANSWERS IS APPLYING FOR FUNDS FROM THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE SECOND CHANCE ACT ADULT REENTRY EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAM TO CONTINUE THE PROMISING WORK OF LEAVING JAIL: A COMPREHENSIVE, REGIONAL REENTRY PROGRAM FOR WOMEN. THE ORIGINAL LEAVING JAIL PROJECT AWARDED IN 2017 AND IMPLEMENTED IN THREE COUNTY JAILS; CARBON, LEHIGH, AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES, IS THE ONLY TRAUMA-INFORMED REENTRY PROGRAM IN THE REGION.  LEAVING JAIL IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT A REENTRY PROCESS FOR WOMEN THAT BEGINS DURING THEIR INCARCERATION AND ENDS WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATED BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. LEAVING JAIL HAS RECEIVED PHENOMENAL FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AS WELL AS PROMISING RESULTS IN RECIDIVISM REDUCTION FROM AN EVALUATION COMPLETED BY THE LEHIGH VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES.  CURRENT PROGRAM STAFF ALONG WITH THE COLLABORATING CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRENT PROGRAM AND BUILD OFF ITS STRENGTHS AND SUCCESSES FOR THIS PROPOSAL.  THIS UNIQUELY COLLABORATIVE REENTRY SERVICE BEGINS WHILE WOMEN ARE INCARCERATED AND CONTINUES FOR SIX MONTHS POST-RELEASE, AS WOMEN WORK TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE, AND SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.  LEAVING JAIL SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE INDIVIDUAL SKILLS AND DECISION-MAKING OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, WHILE WORKING TO REUNITE MOTHERS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, REDUCING THE BURDEN ON STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES.  THE PROGRAM WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH COUNTY PARTNERS TO FACILITATE SUCCESSFUL SUPERVISION, REDUCING THE BURDEN ON PROBATION AND PAROLE STAFF, AND INCREASE REFERRALS AND CLIENT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS A WIDE ARRAY OF REENTRY SERVICES.  PER BEST PRACTICES, A VALIDATED RISK/NEEDS ASSESSMENT ALONG WITH SUPPLEMENTAL GENDER-RESPONSIVE TOOLS WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AT MODERATE TO HIGH RISK OF RECIDIVATING.  REENTRY SPECIALISTS WILL FACILITATE A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING INCLUDING SEEKING SAFETY, MORAL RECONATION THERAPY, STAYING QUIT, AND PARENTING INSIDE OUT.  PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE REENTRY CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO ASSIST IN MAKING POSITIVE CHANGE AND REACH SHORT- AND LONG-TERM REENTRY GOALS INCLUDING EXPANDING PRO-SOCIAL SUPPORT NETWORKS; ENGAGING IN MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION TREATMENT; FINDING AND MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT; NAVIGATING SUPERVISION; AND REUNITING WITH THEIR CHILDREN.  ALL WHILE PROGRAM STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH INDEPENDENT ASSESSORS TO VIGOROUSLY EVALUATE THE PROGRAM’S OUTCOMES. THE PROPOSED LEAVING JAIL PROJECT SEEKS TO CAPITALIZE ON ITS EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPERIENCE, USING A BLEND OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICE RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM; BENEFITING THE PARTICIPANTS, THEIR FAMILIES, CORRECTIONS STAFF, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS, PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION FOR THE LEHIGH VALLEY BY BOLSTERING COMMUNITY EFFORTS TOWARD THAT GOAL AND COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. - THE SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITION IS A BACKBONE ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT TO AGENCIES, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO CONTINUE THEIR POSITIVE APPROACHES FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS, PREVENTION, AND INTERVENTION. THE USE OF DATA IS CRITICAL AS IT INFORMS OUR SPECIFIC FOCUS AREAS. OUR AREA HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN YOUNG ADULT [AGES 19 – 28] SUICIDES. BLACK AND HISPANIC DEATHS HAVE INCREASED 100% AND 500% RESPECTIVELY. THE 2021 PENNSYLVANIAN YOUTH SURVEY OF LEHIGH COUNTY STUDENTS INDICATE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS: 37% OF 10TH GRADERS AND 35% OF 12TH GRADERS FELT DEPRESSED, 23% OF 10TH GRADERS & 20% OF 12TH GRADERS CONSIDERED SUICIDE, AND 13% OF 10TH GRADERS & 10% OF 12TH GRADERS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. CURRENTLY, 54.3% OF LEHIGH COUNTY IS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 64; THIS COHORT HAS OUR HIGHEST RATE OF SUICIDE BY AGE GROUP CONSISTENTLY SINCE 2011. THE COALITION IS FOUNDED ON THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL, AND AS SUCH UTILIZING COMMUNITY PASSION IS NOT ONLY INTEGRAL IT IS WHAT MAKES OUR COALITION SO SUCCESSFUL. AN INFORMED AND TRAINED COMMUNITY WILL DECREASE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND DEPRESSION. SUCH A COMMUNITY WILL BE READY TO ASSIST OTHERS PROMPTLY AND ACCURATELY TO DECREASE DEATHS. THE COALITION WILL ENGAGE IN A FOUR-PRONG APPROACH FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE AWARENESS, PREVENTION, AND INTERVENTION. FIRSTLY, A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION PLAN THAT INCLUDES A MEDIA CAMPAIGN COMPLETE WITH WEBSITE ENHANCEMENTS, COALITION MEMBERSHIP PORTAL AND A COORDINATED SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN. TIMELY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS COORDINATED WITH THE MESSAGING ON THE WEBSITE WHICH HAS THE CAPACITY TO LOG AND REQUEST TRAINING AND TRAINERS. MEMBERS OF THE COALITION AND THE ACTION TEAMS SUPPORTED BY THE COALITION WILL HAVE LOGIN PERMISSION TO ACCESS MEETING NOTES AND BEST PRACTICE INFORMATION. THE SECOND PRONG ESTABLISHES AND LAUNCHES A LOCAL OUTREACH FOR SUICIDE SURVIVORS [L.O. S. S.] TEAM AND THE TRAINING REQUIRED FOR LAUNCHING THE TEAM. SUCH A TEAM IS A POSTVENTION EFFORT TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE SUFFERED A SUICIDE LOSS. A COORDINATING TRAINING EFFORT IS THE THIRD PRONG. TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, QUESTION PERSUADE REFER [QPR] AND APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING [ASIST] WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY. AS WELL AS “TRAIN THE TRAINER” TRAININGS FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR CONTINUED TRAINING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE LAST PRONG IS A SPEAKER'S BUREAU. A COMPREHENSIVE WEB-BASED CATALOG WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY TO INCLUDE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN SUICIDE LOSS, AWARENESS PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. INDIVIDUALS CAN ADDRESS SPECIFIC TOPICS AND ARE FROM SPECIFIC POPULATIONS: LGBTQ+ , VETERANS, MILITARY, FIRST RESPONDERS, BLACK, HISPANIC, SENIORS ,YOUTH, MALES, FEMALES, ATTEMPT SURVIVORS AND LOSS SURVIVORS. PROVIDING PRESENTATIONS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS WILL FURTHER AWARENESS AND DECREASE STIGMA. IT IS OK TO NOT BE OK. THESE FOUR PRONGS WILL PROVIDE A BLANKET APPROACH FOR SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY. SUCH RESOURCES EQUIP OUR CITIZENS WITH BEST PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY WHEN SOMEONE THEY KNOW AND CARE ABOUT NEEDS ASSISTANCE THEREBY REDUCING THE DEATH OF DESPAIR THAT IS SUICIDE.

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM