COUDERSPORT — A coalition to help inmates transition from jail to life outside prison walls is gaining momentum and is now ready to develop a strategic plan.
The Potter County Reentry Coalition will hold a strategic planning session, open to anyone, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Gunzburger Building’s auditorium. Angie Crater from the PA State Reentry Coalition will attend.
Since lunch will be provided, RSVPs are requested by Aug. 13 to kwright@pottercountyhumansvcs.org or (814) 544-7315.
The goal, said Kayla Wright, mental health director of Potter County Human Services and a coalition member, is to create the plan and bylaws by Jan. 1 for review and approval by the state.
Potter County is challenged by high recidivism due to a lack of services and support, including a lack of transportation services and housing opportunities, she said.
By addressing those issues, the county can reduce recidivism, which in turn will reduce expenses and help those individuals reintegrate into society and have a good, productive life.
The coalition, which was launched this past January, brings together providers of reintegration services, law enforcement, human services and community members to overcome barriers, find solutions and develop services for success.
“It takes more than one or two people; it takes a whole community,” Wright said.
In March, the coalition members held a simulation provided by the Lycoming County Reentry Coalition. In the simulation, said Wright, participants had a set time to complete several tasks assigned at random and using the existing services and providers in the county. For example, a person might have to find housing or get a job, yet also take — and fail — a urine test.
“It was eye-opening to see how much each person needed,” Wright said. “It really puts the providers in the re-entrant’s shoes.”
Those individuals who were not able to complete the task had additional consequences, such as re-incarceration or another challenge to complete in the next round of the simulation.
Using the county’s existing services helped identify some areas of concern; the community’s input at the strategic planning session could identify more as well as ideas for addressing those concerns, said Wright.
“We did collect data after the reentry simulation and we identified some of the biggest barriers,” Wright said. “Transportation and employment were the highest, followed by lack of support systems, family and community support.”
The strategic planning meeting will help identify the county’s strengths, barriers and opportunities. Once the plan is written and approved, the state will recognize the organization as the county’s official reentry coalition.
Coalition members hope to have a certified recovery support specialist as part of the team, along with people who can help the individual navigate the system, which can be complex and challenging, Wright said.
“We want to see success stories and we have seen success stories,” she said.
The coalition is working with the Potter County Jail to collect data about recidivism rates, what individuals need for success and where the system fails that then results in their return to jail.
“Having a reentry coalition in Potter County will be very important. We want to see them be successful and have the things they need readily available or the support system readily available,” Wright said.
