Pass the One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act
Recommendation
Congress should pass the One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act to provide grants to community-based nonprofits to support reentry centers that offer various services, including housing, job training, and mental health counseling for previously incarcerated individuals.[1][2][3]
Background/summary
Approximately 600,000 people are released from prison each year. Within five years, three-quarters will have been re-arrested.[4] Formerly incarcerated individuals face many challenges, including difficulty accessing employment, education, housing, and health care.[4][5] For people with mental health conditions, the reentry process is especially difficult and, as a result, they have a higher recidivism rate.[6] These individuals are at an increased risk for experiencing barriers to employment and housing, and often struggle to access mental health services.[6] One-stop shop reentry programs can lower recidivism by improving access to critical support services.[1][2][3]
citations
1. One Stop Shop Community Reentry Program Act of 2023. H.R.981 (Kamlager-Dove), 118th Congress (2023-2024). Last Accessed August 4, 2023.
2. “Rep. Kamlager-Dove and Rep. Brown Introduce Legislation to Reduce Recidivism and Ease Community Re-Entry. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove. Last Updated February 15, 2023.
3. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senate, Minnesota. Congress Wants To Set Up One-Stop Shops To Help Ex-Inmates Stay Out Of Prison (Press Release). Last Updated May 20, 2021.
4. Melissa Li. “From prisons to communities: Confronting Re-entry Challenges and Social Inequality.” American Psychological Association. Last Updated March 2018.
5. Urban Institute. Four Ways to Improve Reentry for Formerly Incarcerated People with Behavioral Health Needs. Last Updated March 7, 2022.
6. Esther Galletta, Thomas J. Fagan, David Shapiro, Lenore E. Walker. “Societal Reentry of Prison Inmates With Mental Illness: Obstacles, Programs, and Best Practices.” National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information. Last Updated March 18, 2021.