Prisoner Re-Entry Services
Head Start Connections Program
Contact Person: Dwayne Rodriquez, Head Start Connections Program Coordinator
Phone Number: (248) 721-0912
Eligibility Requirements:
Families of children 3-5 with an incarcerated parent located in the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Work Release Facility and Trusty Camp, who have at least 1 month left on to serve on their sentence.
Brief Description of Program:
An innovative Head Start option that offers an opportunity for parents and their preschool aged child to maintain a relationship during incarceration. Provides supervised visits within correctional facilities between the child and incarcerated parent, home-visits with primary caregiver and child, enrollment in Head Start for child, and other family reintegration services.
Skillman Connections Plus Program
Contact Person: Deborah Carter, Skillman Connections Plus Program Coordinator
Phone Number: (248) 830-9458
Program Beginning and Ending Date: 01/01/06 - 12/31/08
Eligibility Requirements:
Families of children 0-18 with an incarcerated parent located in the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Work Release Facility and Trusty Camp, who have at least 1 month left on to serve on their sentence.
Brief Description of Program:
Purpose of program is to promote positive interactions between parents and children while strengthening the parent-child bond. Involves home-visits twice a month with social workers/ program staff with child and caregiver, focusing on education, social skills, literacy, behavioral issues, and links to supportive services. Also, involves supervised visits within correctional facilities twice a month between the child and incarcerated parent. In addition to visits with their parents, older youth (12 to 18 yrs. old) may receive free individual and family counseling from Common Ground Sanctuary. Program also offers trainings within correctional facilities twice a month for all interested inmates, topics include: Stress management, substance abuse, domestic violence, conflict resolution, anger management, goal setting, etc.
Responsible Fatherhood Program
Contact Person: Cecila Ybarra, Re-Entry Programs Administrative Coordinator
Phone Number: (248) 830-9636
Program Beginning and Ending Date: 10/01/06 - 10/30/11
Eligibility Requirements:
Oakland County resident. Fathers or mothers currently incarcerated (jail or prison), recently released, or on probation or parole, currently in a long term, committed relationship who want to improve their relationships with their families/ significant others.
Brief Description of Program:
This is a marriage/relationship and family-strengthening program to assist families with multiple barriers who are impacted by parental incarceration in Oakland County by creating stronger family structures. Program offers free relationship enhancement classes, counseling (individual, couples, group), support groups, and crisis intervention. Program offers workshops/classes inside correctional facilities and at different locations in the community. Development of Family Reunification Plans and Family Strengthening Plans. Also, assists fathers and mothers in re-entering the community and family unit by linking families with additional services as neeed.
Responsible Fatherhood brochure (pdf).
All services are FREE to eligible participants.
Oakland Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative (OPRI)
Phone Number: (248) 721-1621
Program Beginning Date: 11/01/05
Eligibility Requirements:
Oakland County resident,18 yrs or older with NO violent or sex-related convictions. Recently released within the past 6 months from jail or prison (not currently incarcerated).
Brief Description of Program:
Assistance with employment services (job/career training, education support, readiness skills, connection to employment, job retention, etc.), connection to housing (short/ long-term), and links to additional supportive services. Program also provides participants with individual mentors.
Mentoring Children of Promise (MCP)
Contact Persons: Janis Grabmiller (248-895-2132) and Michelle Malamis (248-592-2651)
Program Beginning and Ending Date: 10/01/06 - 10/30/09
Eligibility Requirements:
Children: Ages 4-18 yrs. old living in Oakland County with a caregiver who is incarcerated at time of enrollment in a State/Federal prison. Child is also eligible if caregiver is currently incarcerated in local county jail (ie: Oakland County Jail) if caregiver has ever served time in a State/Federal prison previously. ("Caregiver" can be a parent, grandparent, older sibling, step-parent, or someone who has played a significant role as caregiver to the child.)
Adult Mentors: 18 yrs. or older. Must complete orientation, background check, and initial/ on-going trainings. Must commit to spending at least 1 hour per week, 4 weeks per month, for a period of 1 year. No previous experience or skills required!
Brief Description of Program:
One-on-one mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents/ caregivers. Program recruits, screens, trains, and supports mentors. Program works with mentors, children, and families to ensure healthy, quality relationships develop that positively impact all individuals involved. Mentors act as caring adult role models that lend support and friendship to youth. Program is a partnership with Jewish Family Services of Metro Detroit (JFS).
Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative (MPRI)
Contact Person: Donna Lassa, Oakland County MPRI Community Coordinator
Phone Number: (248) 681-1705 x260
Eligibility Requirements:
Prisoners are referred to program by parole board/ Department of Corrections.
Brief Description of Program:
Transition program for prisoners re-entering back into Oakland County from prison. Services include assessment, programming, preparation for release, decision-making, supervision and service, discharge and aftercare in the community. Goal to increase success rates of offenders who transition from prison by fostering effective risk management and treatment programming, offender accountability, and community and victim participation.