Virginia Community Reentry Program

Virginia CommunityReentry Initiative

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative The Virginia Community Reentry Initiative(VCRI) is a community-based reentry approachunique in its integration of human services andpublic safety. It is being voluntarily implementedby a number of Virginia localities.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative VCRI is an approach to reentry that grew out ofthe Commonwealth’s participation in the ReentryPolicy Academy of the National GovernorsAssociation.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative VCRI supports the Governor’s Virginia ReentryInitiative and the Virginia Adult Reentry Initiativedeveloped by the Virginia Department ofCorrections.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative VCRI goals are to increase public safety throughreduced recidivism, to maximize opportunitiesfor former offenders returning to the communityand to support family and communityreintegration for persons previouslyincarcerated.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative It is not a new program nor does it impose anyrequirements on institutions or local governmentagencies and their community partners. It israther a collaborative reentry approach thatmaximizes effective use of existing resources.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Integrates human services and public safety Addresses both system change & service needs Developed around four primary principles:Pre-release planningInteragency/governmental level coordinationIntegrated service deliveryPositive links to community with system of family andcommunity support

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Communities establish reentry councils. Localhuman services directors, probation & parolechiefs and/or community partner agenciesserve as conveners

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Brings together law enforcement, local humanservices, Community Service Boards, WorkforceInvestment Boards, non-profits and faith-basedgroups, business community, along withprobation offices and others to coordinate preand post-release services with the previouslyincarcerated person and the correctionalcenter/jail

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Uses a risk assessment and an outcomefocused service delivery system to improvepublic safety through reduced recidivism Individual and family-to-family mentoring duringthe pre-release phase and for 9 Monthsfollowing return to the community Emphasis on use of evidenced-based practices

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Core Reentry Activities Include:Linkage to employment /workforce development servicesAssistance with locating housing resourcesHelp With connecting to transportationConnection to health/mental health/substance abuseservicesFamily strengthening/reintegration services

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Initially six areas of the state voluntarily adoptedthe VCRI approach to reentry and formed localreentry Councils.Norfolk Reentry CouncilRichmond Regional Reentry CouncilCulpeper Reentry CouncilKing George & PD 16 Reentry CouncilCharlottesville/Albemarle Reentry CouncilSouthwest Virginia Reentry Council

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative In 2010 VDSS was awarded 750,000 in federalfunding. This along with a 750,000 in-kindmatch of services from Virginia localities andstate agencies resulted in a 1.5 million reentryproject for these six areas of the state. Thegrant project is focusing on employment, jobtraining, housing, mental health and substanceabuse programs and family reintegrationservices.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Technical assistance on the project isbeing provided by the Council of StateGovernments. Emphasis is on early engagement inwork.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Newly established reentry councils are:Danville/PittsylvaniaRoanoke City/Roanoke CountyGreen CountyAlexandriaLoudoun CountyFairfax

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Reentry councils are under developmentto serve an additional 12 Isle of WightNewport urg

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Informational Sessions on VCRI are Scheduledfor:HarrisonburgWinchesterEastern ShorePortsmouthVirginia Beach/ChesapeakeWilliamsburg/James City/YorkMartinsville/Henry

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Informational sessions on VCRI’s communitybased reentry approach will be scheduled for theremainder of the State before the End of 2011.

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative 2010 Executive Order 11:Governor Robert McDonnell established the Virginia Prisonerand Juvenile Offender Re-entry Council Council charge:Identify re-entry barriers and develop methods to addressthem; improve collaboration and coordination of re-entrytransition services; establish partnerships to promote jobs;promote re-entry strategies for juveniles and adults;participate in the development of the state re-entry strategicplan; and submit a report of re-entry actions to the Governor

Virginia Community Reentry Initiative Governor McDonnell has made successful reentry apriority issue for his administration Governor directed the Departments of Corrections andJuvenile Justice to develop comprehensive reentry plans Governor surveyed all state agency heads and askedthat they identify services and initiatives from theiragencies that support reentry On the community side the Virginia Department of SocialServices continues to facilitate reentry communitycapacity building and expansion of the VirginiaCommunity Reentry Initiative which supports theGovernor’s comprehensive reentry initiative

Virginia Community Reentry InitiativeContact information:Jane BrownDirector for Community PartnershipsSecretary of Public SafetyOffice of Governor Bob McDonnellPatrick Henry Building1111 East Broad StreetRichmond, Virginia 23219804-692-0331

agencies that support reentry On the community side the Virginia Department of Social Services continues to facilitate reentry community capacity building and expansion of the Virginia Community Reentry Initiative which supports the Governor's comprehensive reentry initiative