Community Transition Centers Braddock contracts with the DOC's Bureau of Community Corrections to provide reentrant services and housing for individuals transitioning home following incarceration. A number of new programs and initiatives have been implemented:
Indigent Bus Pass Pilot Program
CTC Braddock was donated 45 $20 bus passes. With such a blessing we are now able to assist our indigent reentrants make it to treatment appointments in the interim of them establishing transportation assistance with places like Foundation of Hope, Travelers Aide and OVR, etc.
Indigent reentrants are identified through their case manager, who coordinates the issuing of bus passes only intended for use to/from the treatment appointment. When not in use the passes are kept in a secured area, and they are tracked and can be frozen if lost, stolen or misused.
Center staff also allows reentrants who recently gained employment to borrow a bus pass to be paid back after 1st paycheck.
Additional Programs and initiatives
- A licensed barber from a local shop visits the center monthly to give free haircuts for indigent/low income reentrants. Staff reports that this is helpful for reentrants with upcoming interviews, and they said it also is a confidence buster and an investment into them doing well.
- To take the burden off of the Braddock community, center staff started a clothing drive to assist less fortunate and indigent reentrants. The goal is to limit center reentrants from going to the local 15104 Braddock Free store which potentially takes away from Braddock residents who need the services of the free store.
- Center staff host and accommodate monthly open referred reentrant interviews with the local workforce development CEO. The same is taking place for Bidwell Training Institute and Breaking the Chains of Poverty, all of whom have agreed to offer free skilled labor training and apprenticeships. The same has been extended to local staffing agencies and CareerLink.
- The center held a monthly group with Tri County Health Concepts in an effort to get all reentrant medical benefits or state assistance.
- Staff also provides weekly office space for Nechama Weingart, a reentry program specialist from Florida State University, to meet with program participants.
The Bureau of Community Corrections supports innovative ideas like these from the organizations with which it contracts. Everything is done in order to help reentrants return home following incarceration and to do so by living a crime-free life.