Ex-Offenders and Housing

Donna HarrisonCommunity Placement CoordinatorVirginia Department of Corrections

2010 South Hampton Roads Regional Conference on Ending HomelessnessMarch 16, 2010

Community Release UnitCommunity Release Unit

*Types of Releases

*More than 14,000 offenders were released last year (2009).

*Growing number of GTRD/no parole law cases being released

*Increase in number of homeless offenders being released

*Increased need for specialized caseloads

Who are the homeless ex-Who are the homeless ex-offenders? offenders?

Females/males Females/males Young adults/elderlyYoung adults/elderly Healthy/physically disabledHealthy/physically disabled Substance AbusersSubstance Abusers Mentally illMentally ill Developmentally DisabledDevelopmentally Disabled Non-violent/violentNon-violent/violent Sex offendersSex offenders

Why are ex-offenders Why are ex-offenders homeless?homeless?

No family supportNo family support Financial burden for familyFinancial burden for family Lack of housing for ex-offenders Lack of housing for ex-offenders

directly from incarcerationdirectly from incarceration Lack of alternative housing for Lack of alternative housing for

violent/sex offendersviolent/sex offenders

Why are ex-offenders Why are ex-offenders homeless?homeless?

Limited financial resources to help Limited financial resources to help pay for cost of housingpay for cost of housing

Offenders do not qualify for many Offenders do not qualify for many housing assistance programs or low housing assistance programs or low income housingincome housing

Limited housing resources for Limited housing resources for medically and/or mentally disabled medically and/or mentally disabled offendersoffenders

Additional Barriers for Additional Barriers for medically and/or mentally medically and/or mentally

disabled offendersdisabled offenders Decrease in assisted living facilitiesDecrease in assisted living facilities Shrinking number of Medicaid/AG Shrinking number of Medicaid/AG

beds in assisted living facilities beds in assisted living facilities Nursing homes moving towards rehab Nursing homes moving towards rehab

care from hospital to home; lack of care from hospital to home; lack of long term beds or long waiting listslong term beds or long waiting lists

Criminal history Criminal history

Community Placement Community Placement CoordinatorsCoordinators

Our goal:

To assist institutional and community corrections staff with transition planning for homeless medically and/or mentally disabled offenders. Our primary focus is addressing the unmet needs of disabled offenders who qualify for ALF or nursing home placement.

Community Placement Coordinators

Ensure identification documents have been requested

Ensure durable medical equipment is available at release and special transportation is arranged

Monitor and provide technical assistance for pre-release benefit application process (SSI & Medicaid)

Make arrangements for screenings (UAI) to be conducted to determine the level of care needed for ALF or NH placement

Work with medical and mental health staff, and counselors at the DOC facility to ensure medical/mental health information is relayed, follow-up appointments are made, and release medications provided

Secure placement of disabled offenders into ALF or nursing homes

What is DOC doing?What is DOC doing?

DOC Reentry Planning policyDOC Reentry Planning policy Institutional Counselor-primary coordinator for Institutional Counselor-primary coordinator for

reentry planning; other transitional staff assist reentry planning; other transitional staff assist with planningwith planning

Release planning begins at receptionRelease planning begins at reception Pre-release benefit application processPre-release benefit application process Identity and employment documents processIdentity and employment documents process Medical and mental health release preparation Medical and mental health release preparation

What is DOC doing?What is DOC doing?

Education/vocational trainingEducation/vocational trainingTreatment programsTreatment programsSpecial transition housing unitsSpecial transition housing unitsTransition planning programs Transition planning programs Developing programs that focus on reintegrating Developing programs that focus on reintegrating familiesfamilies

What is DOC doing?What is DOC doing?

►Separated units in DOC facilities based Separated units in DOC facilities based on special needs populationson special needs populations

►Agreements with other state agencies to Agreements with other state agencies to apply for identity documents and state apply for identity documents and state and federal benefits pre-releaseand federal benefits pre-release

► Jail re-entry programsJail re-entry programs►Specialized caseloads in CRUSpecialized caseloads in CRU►Developing relationships with ALF’s & Developing relationships with ALF’s &

NH’s for future referrals and NH’s for future referrals and collaborationcollaboration

Community CollaborationCommunity Collaboration

*Shelter Plus program*Shelter Plus program

*Partnering with DSS, CSB, shelters, *Partnering with DSS, CSB, shelters, and private mental health providersand private mental health providers

*Private housing providers *Private housing providers partnerships with Probation & Parole partnerships with Probation & Parole DistrictsDistricts

With supportive housing in With supportive housing in place…..place…..

• Communities are safer Communities are safer

• Decrease in recidivism Decrease in recidivism

• Better coordination of medical and/or Better coordination of medical and/or mental health caremental health care

• Decrease in use of emergency Decrease in use of emergency services-hospital/ER visitsservices-hospital/ER visits

Successes/Positives

• Serve as mentors or leaders in re-entry and transitional housing programs, and substance abuse treatment programs

• Network with employers• Utilize job skills • Apply education

Give back to the community by being successful, active citizens and maintaining a healthy lifestyle