A Step in the Right Direction!
Funding will help ex-inmates stay clean
Grant tries to end cycle of addiction and crime
By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Thursday, Jan 31, 2008
Beginning next week, nearly $14 million in federal grant money will be available to help released prisoners with addictions navigate the road to re-entry in Summit, Stark and Cuyahoga counties.
That was the message Wednesday from Angela L. Cornelius, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, to about 100 representatives from faith- and community-based organizations that provide substance-abuse treatment and support services in the three targeted counties.Cornelius spoke during a forum at the Interval Brotherhood Home to launch Ohio’s Access to Recovery grant, which is officially called ”Choice for Recovery.” The initiative is expected to benefit about 6,200 adult ex-offenders over the next three years by helping them break the cycle
of addiction and crime. Summit, Stark and Cuyahoga counties were targeted, because they receive the highest number of returning offenders.
”The rate of recidivism and relapse are directly tied to the lack of support these individuals receive when they return to their communities,” Cornelius said. ”This initiative gives access and choice to people who need these services to become re-engaged in life and become productive members of Ohio’s communities. It gives hope and direction for a successful recovery journey.”
Access to Recovery is a three-year program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
It is a presidential initiative that provides vouchers to clients for substance-abuse clinical treatment and recovery support services.
Access to Recovery projects are funded in 17 other states, five tribal organizations and the District of Columbia.
First vouchers Monday
In Ohio, the first vouchers will be given Monday to ex-offenders, who have gone through an assessment process. The vouchers are to be taken to benefit coordinators, which are agencies in each county that give the voucher holder, or client, a list of appropriate providers. The client can then make a choice of provider from the list. A Web-based voucher payment system will monitor the operations and effectiveness of the Choice for Recovery program.
The coordinating agency in Cuyahoga County has not been named. In Stark County, Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) Inc. is the benefit coordinator. Oriana House in Akron is the coordinator for Summit County.
Barriers to success
”In addition to dealing with addictions, it is clear that when those who are incarcerated are released, they face barriers like child care, transportation, housing and employment,” said Chris Richardson, program manager at Oriana House. ”We need as many agencies in the county as possible to come on board to provide the resources that ex-offenders need to get on the right path. If we can connect them with the resources that are needed, we will reduce the rate of recidivism and see fewer repeat offenders.”
The Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services is accepting applications from potential providers. Grant money can be used for treatment services, as well as recovery support services, including education, short-term housing, marriage and family counseling and life-skills training.
”These vouchers offer some positive options to people who have been incarcerated as a result of their addictions or because of problems related to their addictions,” said the Rev. Sam Ciccolini, executive director at Interval Brotherhood Home. ”What this really means is people who get caught up in the vicious cycle of addiction and being sent to prison will now be given options to get help and get into treatment.”
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.
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