Marion County is actively working to bring LEAD to the Salem area. LEAD,
or Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, was developed in Seattle. The program
combines law enforcement, health care and social services to work with people
who have records of multiple arrests, primarily for drug possession and other
“livability” crimes, but not “victim-related”crimes.
People benefitting from LEAD typically exhibit high risk,
addiction-based behavior and have multiple needs, such as homelessness,
unemployment, substance abuse, and mental health issues. LEAD’s target
population is not likely to engage in treatment services without intense intervention.
As a “harm reduction model,” LEAD meets clients “where they are” and
wraps services around them. Seattle’s LEAD program focused on two
neighborhoods. LEAD, as developed locally, will focus on the top 100 utilizers
of jail and emergency room services, focusing on people living in downtown
Salem and along the Lancaster Drive corridor in East Salem.
Navigators will help people access treatment services from the first
point of police contact. Deputy District Attorney Paige Clarkson is leading the
interagency effort. She said, “The District Attorney’s Office is expanding the
tools we use to increase public safety. Diversion programs like LEAD can have a
significant impact on changing people’s lives by connecting them to the
services they really need, thus making the entire community safer and
stronger.”
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More than twenty people signed up at the October 2016 Giving People a
Second Chance community breakfast to help with the new Inspire program. At the
February 1 kickoff event, eight volunteers hosted more than twenty clients and their
children, making valentines and making new friends.
Catherine Trottman coordinates the volunteers who offer social and
educational skill-building opportunities for reentry clients. “It’s been great
to see the range of ideas and work with the Community Corrections staff to
match volunteer skills with what clients need,” she said.
“The February 1 workshop at Chemeketa Community College was a way for
people to get to know one another,” Catherine added. Clients proposed workshops
on a myriad of topics, including budgeting, couponing, fitness and wellness,
knitting, sign language, kickboxing, grief and loss, manicures/make-up/hair, and
cooking on a budget. To volunteer, or for more information, visit our website.
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Visit www.marioncountyresources.org to become a part of a collaborative community network
that is connecting resources to children and families in our community by
linking organizations together to achieve a collective impact.
The Marion County Children &
Families Commission recently launched the Community Resource Network, or CRN,
to connect people with resources. CRN puts organizations in touch with each
other to easily share information, seek help with unmet needs or develop
community-wide events.
CRN is free. Any organization, including
governments, nonprofits, and for profit organizations registered in Oregon, is
eligible to become a member. CRN complements 211Info which helps organizations and community members find needed
services.
Once registered, CRN members can log on
to the network to post or review requests. Requests are sent to members via
email and members control what type of requests they receive, based on their
profile.
For more information, contact Krista Ulm
or Mary Grim with the Marion County Community Services Department at (503)
588-7975 or email CRN@co.marion.or.us.
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Aaron Norris returned to Union Gospel Mission of Salem as Transitional
Services Administrator in November. Aaron oversees programs at Restoration
House, Greer Street and the Greer Street Annex.
Most recently Aaron was a Christian school principal in Washington. Other
experience included working as program counselor at Union Gospel Mission of
Salem. “It’s great to be back in Salem and serving individuals and the
community in this way,” he said.
Aaron assumes his new from responsibilities Shane Conaway, who recently
accepted a position in Oklahoma. Shane was instrumental in transitioning
Restoration House (previously Stepping Out Ministries) from an independent
non-profit to a Union Gospel Mission program. “Without Shane’s efforts, bridge
funding from local philanthropists and the support of Union Gospel Mission, our
community would have lost a tremendous resource,” stated Marion County Commissioner
Janet Carlson.
Transition Services provides supportive housing, case management and
connections to local resources for men reentering the community from
incarceration. “Clients typically commit to working with us for 9-12
months, which allows them time to get settled in the community,” said Aaron. Union
Gospel Mission works with clients who reside at sponsored housing, as well as
those who have moved to permanent housing. “We do our best to make sure they
have a support system and demonstrated success before reducing contact,” Aaron noted.
“Then we follow up a couple of times a year to let them know the door is open,
should they want to reconnect.”
Welcome back, Aaron!
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Ray Garcia was initially reluctant to visit the De Muniz Resource
Center. He was serving a sanction at the Marion County Transition Center, when
he was encouraged to attend an orientation.
At the orientation, Ray learned about the reentry initiative and its
second-chance advocate partners who are charged with a passion to help with
reentry success. He chose to speak up about
his challenges and subsequently returned to the resource center to finish the
resume he had started while at Columbia River Correctional Institution.
Ray was able to secure full-time employment with a roofing company
through a family member of a former fellow inmate. Resource center staff helped Ray schedule a
meeting with Laura Shaver, employment specialist, for help in acquiring
equipment needed for his new job: boots,
rain gear, and pants.
Laura researched options and accessed the Client Support Fund to help
Ray with his financial barriers to employment. Client support funds are raised
at the annual Giving People a Second Chance community breakfast to help with this
type of need.
To secure his employment and housing, Ray also needed Oregon
identification. De Muniz center staff
helped him contact the Division of Motor Vehicles and vital statistics to
obtain identification. When he receives his birth certificate, Ray will return
to the De Muniz Resource Center for an I.D. voucher and referral to St. Vincent
de Paul. There a volunteer will accompany him through the final steps of obtaining
his Oregon identification. Ray is also working with reentry resource center
staff to connect with other resources and housing.
Reentry initiative partners directly supported and celebrated Ray’s
success. These include the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency’s De
Muniz Resource Center and ARCHES program, St. Vincent de Paul and the Marion
County Sheriff’s Office Community Corrections Division and Transition Center.
Congratulations Ray!
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The Marion County Reentry Council was created by Sheriff Jason Myers in
2010. The council is comprised of leaders engaged in Marion County’s
nationally-recognized prison reentry initiative. In December, the council
agreed to broaden its scope to encompass not only prison reentry, but also prison
and jail diversion services, given Marion County’s efforts with the state
Justice Reinvestment Initiative. To reflect this new scope, the council will
change its name to Marion County Justice Reinvestment Council. Additional
members will be recruited to reflect this new mission.
Current council members
include:
Patrice Altenhofen, Executive Director, Family Building Blocks Walt Beglau, Marion County District Attorney Kevin Cameron, Marion County Commissioner Janet Carlson, Marion County Commissioner Tamra Goettsch, Director, Marion County Community Services Julie Huckestein, President, Chemeketa Community College Jeanine Knight, Director of Programs, Union Gospel Mission of Salem Michael Laharty, Executive Director/CEO, Creekside Counseling Tim Murphy, Executive Director, Bridgeway Recovery Services Jason Myers, Marion County Sheriff Jon Reeves, Executive Director, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action
Agency Dick Withnell, Community Representative Commander Jeff Wood, Chair, Marion County Community Corrections
Division
For more information about the Justice Reinvestment Council, visit our website.
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