The second chance center, INC. (SCC) will use their existing relationship with the colorado department of corrections (CDOC) to further their impact on individuals being released from CDOC custody

The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded a $743,662 Project Grant to the Second Chance Center, Inc. (SCC), a Colorado-based nonprofit organization. The funding will be used from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026 to provide comprehensive reentry services to individuals with substance use disorders or behavioral health conditions who are being released from the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Key services to be provided through the award include screening, counseling, medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, housing assistance, food assistance, case management, mentoring, and supportive housing programs. SCC will work to identify and link these clients to appropriate services upon their release. A key goal is to establish a partnership with a medication-assisted treatment provider to offer these critical services. The award is funded through the Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative (CFDA 16.812), which supports a range of programs aimed at reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for individuals transitioning back into their communities.

The project will identify individuals with substance use disorders or behavioral health conditions through the use of screening by a licensed social worker, chemical dependency counselor, or case manager, who will then link the individual to the appropriate services upon their release. One of the goals defined within the project is to locate a medication assisted treatment (mat) provider who can work with the SCC to provide mat services to clients with substance use disorders. The project also identified services already provided by SCC including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectal behavioral therapy, and other needs-based services including housing and food assistance to also provide to these clients.