ST. Vincent DE paul DES moines (svdp DES moines) is a local, state, and national leader looked to by government agencies and philanthropic organizations as an example for the development and…

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $746,698 Project Grant under the Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative (CFDA 16.812) to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Des Moines, Iowa. The grant will fund the Return-to-Work Iowa Project, which will provide reentry support services to 150 additional returning citizens annually in Polk County, Iowa. The project aims to reduce the county's recidivism rate of 42% by approximately 25% through services such as employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, housing support, and case management. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will collaborate with researchers at the University of Iowa School of Social Work to conduct an independent evaluation of the program's outcomes.

ST. Vincent DE paul DES moines (svdp DES moines) is a local, state, and national leader looked to by government agencies and philanthropic organizations as an example for the development and implementation of innovative community health and justice initiatives. Serving the greater DES moines metropolitan area, svdp DES moines is the only agency providing in-person community reentry services for returning citizens in polk county, the state of iowas largest and most diverse county. Svdp DES moines works directly with the polk county sheriff, whose efforts to reduce the cycle of recidivism have been recognized by national initiatives including the data-driven justice initiative and stepping up. Funding will be used to expand this programming through the return-to-work iowa project, which will further reduce socioeconomic barriers that promote and perpetuate cycles of recidivism by providing reentry support services to 150 more returning citizens annually in polk county. Thereturn-to-workiowa project will provide services to returning citizens who are male, reside in polk county, and have been released from incarceration in the polk county jail. The general recidivism rate for polk county of 42 percent will serve as the baseline for program evaluation. Based on svdp DES moines experience, we expect to reduce this rate for program participants by approximately 25 percent. Sddp DES moines will engage researchers at the university of iowa school of social work to design and conduct an independent evaluation of program outcomes.