Transcript The Transitional Support Unit

Board Members: Albert R. Murray, Chair;
Terry E. Barnard, Vice-Chair;
James E. Donald; James W. Mills & Braxton Cotton
Housing Matters
Michael Nail
Executive Director
Relevance of Housing
 Georgia Reentry Impact Project research
(2006) surveyed 300+ inmates and staff:
housing identified as the #1 reentry need
 Parole Board research (2003 & 2010): one
residence change increases recidivism risk by
25%
 Four moves double the risk of re-arrest
Reentry Housing Continuum
 Transitional housing: 1st residence
following release from jail/prison
 Live with others
 Personal space, safety and freedom is
externally controlled
 Personal residence
 Others live with you
 Experience intrinsic value, worth and
valued role in the community = recovery
Presentation’s Focus:
Parole Board Resources
 Transitional Housing for Offender
Reentry (THOR) Directory
 Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH)
THOR Directory
 Online, searchable database of ~120 self-pay
housing facilities: www.parole.georgia.gov
 Approved for probationers, inmates leaving prison
and parolees
THOR Directory
 Standards include ongoing
communications with supervising
officers and the quality of the recovery
environment  safety & health factors
 Three types of facilities:
1) Structured housing
2) Standard recovery residences and
3) Intensive recovery residences
Initiated
in 2002
Structured Housing
Provides a safe environment in which to
live - substance abuse or mental health
services not offered but other
programming may be available
Recovery Residences
Safe and healthy housing for residents
needing more than outpatient services to
establish/maintain abstinence from alcohol
and other drugs and criminal behavior
 Standard: 1 or more hours of substance
abuse services per week
 Intensive: 5 or more hours of substance
abuse counseling per week
Transitional Housing for Offender
Reentry (THOR) Directory
 Currently 126 approved facilities:
Structured housing = 30
Standard recovery residence = 58
Intensive recovery residence = 38
 Facilities that accept:
Mental health/co-occurring = 111
Sex offender = 7
Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH)
 Collaboration between SBPP, DOC, and
DCA begun in 2006
 Eligibility: inmates beyond their tentative
parole month who do not have a valid
residence
 Pre-approved housing providers receive
first 3 months’ room & board - $600
per month per parolee
Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH)
 427 placements in FY2013
 87% of placements remain active or
successfully completed parole
 FY2011-13 cost avoidance: $20,908,148.78
(parole supervision vs. remaining in prison)
Reentry Partnership Housing (RPH)
 30 housing providers: Program capacity = 226
 136 current participants
 12 participants are Mental Health Level 3 and
those housing providers receive $675 per
month for MH inmates for 4 months –
allows time for SSI/SSDI approval
Partnerships with DBHDD
Advantage Behavioral Health Systems
(ABHS)/Reentry Partnership Housing Pilot
 Long-term housing via RPH for DOC Level
3 & 4 mental health inmates who have
no other housing options.
 ABHS provides treatment, peer support,
medication monitoring , 24/7 crisis
intervention.
Reentry Housing Challenges
 Affordable housing
 Sex offender housing
 Felony exclusions from public housing
 Prosocial community support
 Pervasive stigma and discrimination:
Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)
Board Members: Albert R. Murray, Chair;
Terry E. Barnard, Vice-Chair;
James E. Donald; James W. Mills & Braxton Cotton
Housing Matters
Michael Nail
Executive Director