Cap Berkshire

Reentry Program

Mission Statement

To improve public safety and to contribute to a productive community workforce, a partnership of key players will collaborate to maximize the chances for corrections-involved individuals to achieve success upon return to society. This pre-release and post-release effort will build upon individual strengths, promote opportunities, encourage personal responsibility, and offer mentoring as needed.

Program Summary

Project RECONNECT - a program of Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) – provides reentry services to the inmate population in the form of: on-site pre-release support and counseling, discharge planning, post release education and housing support services, on-going mentoring supports, job search support and employment referrals.

Statistics - Number Served

      70+ : Pre-release inmates participated in RECONNECT’s general service presentations.
      40+ : Clients met one-on-one with RC counseling staff.
      33+ : Clients received educational counseling and/or referrals
      21+ : Clients received employment referrals.
      11+ : Clients placed in employment
      10+ : Clients currently receiving on-going mentoring and job search support
       9+ : Received  housing placement or other housing support services


 

Conclusion

The person-by-person approach through Project RECONNECT and an outreach component for older adults will be the cornerstone of the Berkshire Reentry approach. This intensified linkage, with its enhanced prospects for continuity, will profile the scope of the needs and challenges on an ongoing basis. This reentry gateway approach will also shed light upon the array of resources and techniques that are needed.