Project Grant 23A60PE000007

APPLICANT NAME: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PARTNERSHIP OF ARIZONA FOR FATHER MATTERS (TAPAZ AND FM, RESPECTIVELY) PROJECT TITLE: THE FATHER MATTERS JOB TRAINING INSTITUTE REENTRY PROGRAM (FMJTIRP) PURPOSE OUTCOMES: TO EXTEND FMS SUBSTANTIVE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND EX-OFFENDERS THROUGH ITS REENTRY PROGRAM, CURRENTLY ORIENTED TO PREPARING AND ENGAGING COMMUNITIES FOR THE RETURN OF EX-OFFENDERS BACK INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WITH A COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE-BASED SET OF PROGRAM SERVICES THAT WILL, AS OUTCOMES: 1) REDUCE THE TIME GAP BETWEEN RELEASE FROM PRISON AND ENROLLMENT INTO A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT REENTRY PROGRAM AND SKILLS-BASED EMPLOYMENT FROM SIX TO FOUR MONTHS, 2) IMPROVE THE EX-OFFENDERS TRANSITION BACK INTO THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND 3) REDUCE THE STATES 36.3 RECIDIVISM RATE AMONG PARTICIPANTS BY 10 . PROGRAM SUMMARY: FM HAS IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITY ZONE (OZ) COMMUNITIES IN PHOENIX, GLENDALE, TUCSON, AND YUMA, ARIZONA, CITIES THAT ARE DESIGNATED 2020 CENSUS QUALIFYING URBAN AREAS, FOR THIS PROGRAM. OZS WERE SELECTED TO IDENTIFY IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS AS HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVE THE BULK OF RETURNING CITIZENS. THESE IDENTIFIED OZ AREAS: 1) ARE IMPOVERISHED, 2) ARE WHERE EX-OFFENDERS REINTEGRATE, AND 3) ARE CLOSE IN PROXIMITY TO THE STATE CORRECTIONAL AND LOCAL JAIL FACILITIES THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROGRAM.FM WILL WORK AND IS CLOSELY ALIGNED, THROUGH CURRENT AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE, WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, REHABILITATION REENTRY (ADCRR), THE STATES CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERRIFF OFFICE (MCSO), AND THE PIMA COUNTY SHERRIFF DEPARTMENT (PCSD), TWO LOCAL JAIL FACILITIES, ACROSS EIGHT PRISONS IN AROUND THE FOUR AREAS, AND WILL ENROLL AND SERVE AT LEAST 350 INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN INDIVIDUALS (THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES), 175 FROM CORRECTIONS AND 175 FROM JAILS, WHICH IS 3 OF THE 10,456 INMATES RELEASED FROM ACDRR DURING 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING MARCH 2023.THE PLANS CORE ACTIONS WILL INCLUDE FM, ACDRR, MCSO, PSCD, AND SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TOGETHER TO RECRUIT, SCREEN, AND ENROLL PARTICIPANTS, CREATE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (IDP) AND PERFORMANCE GOALS, AND PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLANNING, CAREER AND LIFE SKILLS COUNSELING, WORKFORCE PREPARATION SERVICES, AND EDUCATION AND TRAINING SERVICES. THE PRE-RELEASE PROCESS WILL INCLUDE: 1) RISK ASSESSMENTS THROUGH THE CRIMINOGENIC RISK AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE FM-DEVELOPED EMPLOYABILITY ASSESSMENT TOOLS, 2) PRISON AND JAIL TOURS AND TRAINING, 3) MEETINGS ON RULES AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, 4) PROGRAM ORIENTATION MEETINGS WITH PRISON OFFICIALS, 5) PRISONER SCHEDULING TIMEFRAMES, AND 6) A PROCESS THAT ENABLES PRISONERS TO IMPROVE THEIR BEHAVIORS, SKILLS, MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL FUNCTIONING, AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT.THE PROCESS THAT FM WILL EMPLOY IS A THREE-SET PROCESS WITH CLASSES (25 PARTICIPANTS PER GROUP) USING A GROUP SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL WITH, AS NEEDED, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT. THESE SETS INCLUDE: 1) WORK-READINESS AND CAREER EXPLORATION TRAINING USING THE ARIZONA CAREER READINESS CREDENTIAL CURRICULUM 2) A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP ORIENTATION TO HELP PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFY A CAREER UPON THEIR EXIT, HOW TO APPLY FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WITH PARTNERED EMPLOYERS AND 3) DISCHARGE PLANNING SESSIONS TO REVIEW SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, TRANSITIONAL PLANNING, LIFE SKILLS COUNSELING, LEGAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT, AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE.POST-RELEASE ELEMENTS WILL INCLUDE WEEKLY AND OR MONTHLY CASE MANAGEMENT FOLLOW-UPS, IDP REVIEWS, ACCESS TO AND USE OF FMS PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, E.G., RESOURCE FAIRS, JOB CLUBS AND JOB FAIRS, FAMILY LAW AND CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES, FREE EYE EXAMS AND GLASSES, HYGIENE KITS, PARENTING CLASSES AND SUPPORT GROUPS, FOOD PANTRY, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES, ETC.