Page 7 - exoff directory sample pages

Gateways to Community Re-Entry Mazes 29

QQ Washington State Work Release
QQ Wichita Work Release Program

As it further develops, this section has the potential of providing very
useful information to professionals involved in setting up and operating
re-entry programs that show evidence of effectiveness in reducing re-
cidivism, increasing employment, and tackling substance abuse.

The Justice Center section of this website (csgjusticecenter.org) in-
cludes a wealth of informative news and articles on re-entry as well as
serves as a center for conducting useful webinars on a variety of correc-
tional issues, from re-entry, mental health, substance abuse, and youth
to corrections, courts, and law enforcement.

SAMHSA
(Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration)

www.samhsa.gov

Wow! This is where taxpayers really get their money’s worth, and where
government can make a big difference in the lives of its citizens. Oper-
ated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this is one
of the finest online resources available for finding help and treatment re-
lated to substance abuse and mental health services. If re-entry websites
were modeled after this one, ex-offenders would have one of the most
complete and comprehensive resources for locating useful re-entry ser-
vices. But what we do have here is a gem well worth exploring and
bookmarking for future reference. This website deals with two of the
biggest re-entry issues affecting hundreds of thousands of ex-offenders
– substance abuse/addiction/relapse and mental health/illness.

Indeed, since nearly 70 percent of all ex-offenders have addiction
and substance abuse issues, and relapse after release from prison is a
frequent reality (overdosing within the first two weeks after release fre-
quently occurs), the SAMHSA website may well become a lifeline for
many who regress in the not-so-free drug-filled world. Since mental ill-
ness issues are a reality for at least 25 percent of ex-offenders, and many