BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, March 15, 2023) – Today, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement announced a Request for Applications for Baltimore’s first-ever Re-Entry Action Council geared to coordinate government agencies and community-based organizations around Baltimore’s Re-Entry Continuum of Care that will work to ensure seamless coordination of services to address and reduce barriers for Baltimoreans who have been incarcerated. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2023. Individuals with lived experience are encouraged to apply.
The Council will be responsible for establishing and implementing evidence-based re-entry practices, including but not limited to: strengths-based case management; access to effective workforce development training and programming; work readiness; addressing barriers to housing; family reunification; and connectivity to holistic healthcare services including mental and behavioral health, substance use disorders, and co-occurring disorders.
“Supporting our residents returning home from incarceration and ensuring families are whole is work that those with lived experience must have a strong presence in,” said Executive Director Shantay Jackson of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. “We are excited to join with members of the community as we build out robust re-entry programming focused on reducing recidivism, rebuilding families, and working with individuals prior to release.”
In the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan, Mayor Brandon M. Scott commits to intentionally supporting residents returning home from prison in order to reduce recidivism rates across the city through dedicated re-entry programming. MONSE is working closely with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services, the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, other City agencies, and various community based re-entry partners to implement work that leverages the influence of the Mayor’s Office and relationships with community-based providers to open new avenues of coordinated support. Members of the public can expect more about this work in the coming months.
Re-Entry Action Council Members will commit to:
- Attending bi-monthly meetings, including workgroup meetings;
- Partnering with MONSE’s Community Engagement and Opportunity team in identifying grant opportunities to fund existing and new programming, as well as opportunities for policy and legislative change;
- Assisting City government with accessing, interpreting, and dismantling data related to re-entry;
- Participating in the annual Re-Entry Summit for justice-involved persons and their families;
- Participating in the development of the Re-Entry Continuum of Care; and
- Hosting and participating in community engagement events and forums.
Qualifications for members of the Re-entry Action Council include lived experience as a justice-involved person and/or experience supporting a justice-involved person; subject matter expertise in re-entry best practices and strategies; current or previous experience serving the re-entry population; and current or previous experience with the Second Chance Act.
Qualified persons are encouraged to submit their application online. Questions related to this RFA should be sent to Delancia.Browning@baltimorecity.gov.
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