Safer Foundation

REINTEGRATION OF EX-OFFENDERS

YOUTH - YOUNG OFFENDER

YOUTH - YOUNG OFFENDER

TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT - SAFER FOUNDATION PROPOSES THE TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT PROJECT TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, NEED SUPPORT FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND EMPLOYMENT IN COOK, DUPAGE, KANE, LAKE, AND WILL COUNTIES. TYPICALLY, THIS POPULATION IS 70% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 12% WHITE, AND 9% HISPANIC. NEARLY 70% MEET DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR DRUG AND/OR ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS. APPROXIMATELY 15% OF MEN AND 30% OF WOMEN HAVE A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS. SAFER WILL PARTNER WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERED DIRECTLY AT SAFER’S CHICAGO-BASED WELLNESS CENTER OR THROUGH VIRTUAL CASE MANAGEMENT. ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ASSESSED FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, AND WORKFORCE PLACEMENT SERVICES TO BE CONNECTED WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. SAFER WILL USE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, ASAM CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES, MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT, CONTINUITY OF CARE UPON RELEASE, AND SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT. GOAL 1: INCREASE THE ENGAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT RESIDING IN THE FIVE-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA INTO TREATMENT. OBJ. 1.1 BY END OF YEAR 1 AND EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, 50% OF REFERRALS WILL RESULT IN A KEPT INTAKE APPOINTMENT WITHIN 14 DAYS OF THE REFERRAL. OBJ. 1.2 BY THE END OF YEAR 1 AND EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, 25% OF CLIENTS WHO ATTENDED THEIR INITIAL INTAKE APPOINTMENT WILL ATTEND ONE OR MORE FOLLOW-UP VISITS. GOAL 2: INCREASE THE EMPLOYMENT RATE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT RESIDING IN THE FIVE-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA. OBJ. 2.1 BY THE END OF YEAR 1 AND AT THE END OF EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, 50% OF UNEMPLOYED CLIENTS WHO ATTENDED THEIR INTAKE APPOINTMENT WILL ALSO BE ENROLLED IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. GOAL 3: DECREASE THE USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AMONGST INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. OBJ. 3.1 BY THE END OF YEAR 1 AND AT THE END OF EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, 25% OF CLIENTS WHO SHOW NEGATIVE OR DECREASED LEVELS DURING FROM A PREVIOUS DRUG TEST DURING A SUBSEQUENT VISIT. GOAL 4: REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM RATE INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. OBJ. 4.1 CRIMINAL JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT: BY THE END OF YEAR 1 AND AT THE END OF EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, 75% OF CLIENTS WHO ENROLLED IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES WILL HAVE NOT RECIDIVATED. GOAL 5: DECREASE THE USE OF TOBACCO AMONGST INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF SUBSTANCE USE NEEDS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT RESIDING IN THE FIVE-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA. OBJ. 5.1: BY THE END OF YEAR 1, 75% OF PATIENTS WILL BE SCREENED FOR TOBACCO USE, AND FOR THOSE IDENTIFIED AS A TOBACCO USER, WILL HAVE RECEIVED A CESSATION INTERVENTION. GOAL 6: FACILITATE CAPACITY BUILDING ACROSS THE ILLINOIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM TO ASSIST JUSTICE-INVOLVED PERSONS IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKFORCE. OBJ.6.1: ANNUALLY, CONDUCT AT LEAST 3 VIRTUAL REGIONAL CONVENINGS AND 1 STATE SCOPING SESSION ON WORKFORCE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE TARGET POPULATION. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE AT LEAST 75 UNDUPLICATED PARTICIPANTS IN YEAR 1 (ACCOUNTS FOR START-UP PERIOD) FOR A TOTAL OF 500 BY END OF PROJECT

REINTEGRATION OF EX-OFFENDERS

PRISONER-RE-ENTRY

ACHIEVING CHANGE TOGETHER

ACCELERATING REENTRY FOR RETURNING CITIZENS (ARRC) PROGRAM

PRISONER-RE-ENTRY

SAFER FOUNDATION (SAFER) OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, IS REQUESTING $900,000 TO IMPLEMENT THE DRIVING CAREER EQUITY THROUGH SKILLS PROGRAM UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) IMPROVING REENTRY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES SOLICITATION, CATEGORY 2: IMPROVING EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS, SEEKING PRIORITY CONSIDERATION UNDER 1(A). SAFER WILL PROVIDE 120 ADULT MALES WITH EMPLOYMENT-FOCUSED PRE-RELEASE AND TRANSITIONAL SERVICES THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (IDOC) AND TWO ADULT TRANSITION CENTERS (ATCS) OPERATED BY SAFER, CROSSROADS AND NORTH LAWNDALE. DRIVING CAREER EQUITY THROUGH SKILLS WILL SERVE PARTICIPANTS AGES 18 OR OLDER, WITH PREFERENCE FOR VETERANS, DURING THE 3-YEAR PROGRAM PERIOD. SAFER WILL TARGET THE SIX HIGH NEED COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING RECEIVE A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF PRISONERS RETURNING FROM THE IDOC. THESE INCLUDE THE COMMUNITIES OF AUSTIN, NORTH LAWNDALE, EAST GARFIELD PARK, WEST ENGLEWOOD, HUMBOLDT PARK, AND ENGLEWOOD IN CHICAGO. THE DRIVING CAREER EQUITY THROUGH SKILLS PROGRAM WILL SUPPORT 120 JUSTICE- INVOLVED MEN PRE- AND POST- RELEASE TO PURSUE CAREER PATHWAYS AND ADVANCE AS THEY ACQUIRE INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED SKILLS AND CREDENTIALS IN DEMAND SECTORS AND OCCUPATIONS. SAFER FOUNDATION WILL INTEGRATE BEST PRACTICES AND PROMISING PRACTICES FROM THE FOLLOWING FIELDS: COMMUNITY-BASED REENTRY, CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE, POSITIVE CRIMINOLOGY, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM DESIGN IS BASED ON ITS SUCCESSFUL SAFER DEMAND SKILLS COLLABORATIVE SM (SDSC) MODEL FOR SUPPORTING, TRAINING, AND EMPLOYING ADULTS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS IN HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS WITH CAREER PATHWAYS. THE FOUNDATIONS OF THIS EMPLOYER-DRIVEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MODEL ARE: 1) ASSESS EACH CANDIDATES ELIGIBILITY, COMPETENCIES, AND NEEDS; 2) PLACE CLIENTS IN CUSTOMIZED OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING THAT LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS; 3) PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE AND SPECIALIZED SERVICES TO ENSURE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT RETENTION; AND 4) WORK CLOSELY WITH EMPLOYER PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE JOB-PLACEMENT STRATEGIES. SAFER FOUNDATION IS APPLYING UNDER CATEGORY 2, AND WILL IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING UNDER OUR SDSC MODEL: 1) ASSESS LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE DEMAND FOR EMPLOYEES IN HIGH DEMAND OCCUPATIONS AND SECTORS AND WHAT JOB-TRAINING GRANTS WILL BE AVAILABLE, 2) CONDUCT INDIVIDUALIZED REENTRY CAREER PLANNING UPON THE START OF INCARCERATION IN SAFER ATCS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SERVED UNDER THE GRANT, 3) MAINTAIN AND EXPAND CONNECTIONS TO EMPLOYERS AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL AND STATE-LEVEL, AND 4) TRACK AND MONITOR ALL REQUIRED BUREAU OF JUSTICE AFFAIRS AND SAFER FOUNDATION EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES.

PRISONER-RE-ENTRY

CUSTOMIZED PRE-AND POST-RELEASE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITH WRAP-AROUND SUPPORTS FOR INCARCERATED MEN AT ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

HOLISTIC EMPLOYMENT AND ADDICTION LIFE-SKILLS

SAFER'S SOLAR ENERGY DEMAND SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM (SSEDST)

TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

SAFER RETURN - AURORA

SAFER FOUNDATION HARVEY EMPLOYMENT AND LEARNING CENTER

EARMARK

CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM