Cuyahoga County has plenty of social service programs and resources to help people just released from prison with housing, drug rehab and finding a job. But nearly a third will go back to prison within three-years.  And much of that recidivism rate is blamed on a lack of coordination. That’s why the county established its office of reentry 4 years ago.  And at a state and federal conference on prisoner reentry this week, it released its first strategic plan. Program director, Luis Vazquez, says it was a community effort.

Vazquez/Nied    “The plan has identified about eight action areas such as housing, funding, employment, advocacy, community awareness. And now it’s how are we going to address those priority areas through a community effort and determine how we’re going to reach the goals of each of those areas that were identified.”

Niedermier:  “What you’re finding is that a lot of the services are available, but it’s not coordinated.”

Vazquez:  “One of the things our office is doing, and that’s a very key role, is determining how we coordinate these efforts so we can maximum what an individual obtains as they reenter society from prison. I think this plans gives us a more comprehensive approach to what are the key services. There are so many services that not all of them can be addressed, but we’ll prioritize the ones the community has said we should put our energies and efforts into. And we need to sustain those particular services that are working well from a funding standpoint.”

During the last 3 years Ohio has received $10 million for prisoner reentry programs. And the U.S. Attorney for northern Ohio, Steven Dettelbach, says a lot of that funding has gone to Northeast Ohio.

Dettlebach:  “Right now we have had $10 million come to Ohio in the last 3 years for this purpose, with $3 million coming to Northeast Ohio, and $1.4 million going to Cuyahoga County. We need to make sure we spend that money in most efficient way possible to help reentering felons. So what we’re talking about is making sure the jobs program links up people with jobs they can actually get, jobs they’re not banned from. We need to make sure the housing program works, and that the transportation program actually gets them to a job opportunity they need.”