The Joint Reentry Council commissioned its first work session on March 12th, as part of the Governor’s initiative to address issues of reentry. Kerwin Pittman of Emancipate NC has been elected to join the Council. Pittman said, “It is time to make these goals a reality.”
The Join Reentry Council’s stated goals are:
- Reducing the number of incarcerated individuals who are homeless upon release by 50%.
- Ensuring all eligible incarcerated individuals are offered the opportunity to apply for Medicaid before release.
- Increasing career services, pre-screening, and informing incarcerated people of their eligibility for benefits, such as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and more upon release.
- Providing resources to educate incarcerated people on the process of obtaining a driver’s license.
- Providing opportunities to justice-involved veterans.
- Improving opportunities involving education, family engagement, and transition services to youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Providing reentry assistance to previously incarcerated people in every county in the state through Local Reentry Councils.
- Increasing the number of second-chance employer partners by 30%, plus