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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 1
BRIEFPROPOSALSUMMARY
“Afterreleasefromprison,lifebecomesmoredifficultforex-offendersthanitwaswhilelocked-up.”PaulHeroux-StateRepresentative,MassachusettsAsex-offendersattempttore-entersocietythemostpressingre-entrychallengesare:aplacetolive/housing;securingemployment;andadjustingtosociallivingbeyondincarceration.Adeficiencyinanyoneofthesethreeisaseriousriskfactortorelapse.Recidivismisatanall-timehighintheUnitedStates.Manyprisonersarereleasedfromprisonwithoutthetoolstheyrequiretobecomeproductivecitizenschoosingtolapsebackintoalifeofcrime.Accordingtoa2013PennsylvaniaDOCRecidivismReport:
• Onein200AdultPennsylvaniansarecurrentlyincarceratedinaPennsylvaniaStateCorrectionInstitution.
• NinetyPercentoftheinmatescurrentlyinaPennsylvaniaStatePrisonwilleventuallybereleased.
• Approximately6in10releasedinmatesRecidivatewithinthreeyearsoftheirreleasefromprison.
• Releasedinmatesaremorelikelytobere-incarcerated(mostlyfortechnicalparoleviolations)duringthe18monthsafterreleasefromprison.
Whilethereareseveralapproachesavailabletoreducerecidivism,methodsarescatteredandusuallyonlyaddressaminimalamountofissuesfacingex-offenders.Forexample;thereareprogramsforanti-socialattitudes,values,beliefs,peerassociations,personality,education/employment,family,substanceabuse,andleisure/recreation–however,rarelyisthereaprogramwhichaddressesalltheseareasandmoretobringaboutaTotalChange.Cognitive-behavioraltherapystrategies,life-stylechangesandasafe-haventopracticethesenewlearnedbehaviorsarejustsomeofthereasonsTheTotalChangeProgramisreceivingsomuchpositiveresponse.
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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 2
NATUREOFPROBLEMTOBEADDRESSED 2015inErie,PAagroupofbusinessownersandinvestorsapproachedPastorCurtisJones.Sr.(retiredChaplinfortheAlbionStatePrison)witharequestforhelp.NewbusinesseswerelookingtobuildinErietoprovidehotelsandotherattractionsfortouristsandhelpbuildjobsinthemarket.Therewashowever,ahugedownsidetoinvestinginErie…homelessness,vagrancyandhighcrimerates.Itwasdetermined,throughinterviewswiththegroupsofpeopleonthestreet,thelocalpoliceandthedepartmentofjustice–thatthelargestpopulationofloiterersconsistedofex-offenders.GroupsoftheseindividualscouldbeseenaroundthecityofEriecausingconcernfornewbusiness.Alltoooftenwhenaprisonerisreleasedfromincarcerationtheydonothaveasolidplanofaction.Withnoplacetogoandnoonetoturnto,theylapsebackintotheonlylifetheyknow–alifeofcrime.Atypicalreleasefromprisonlookssomethinglikethis…theoffenderisreleasedwithalistofplacestobeassoonastheygetout.Forinstance;beatSocialSecurityofficeat10am,thencheckinwithyourparoleofficeracrosstownat1pm,thenbeattheassistanceofficeat4pm.Alongtheway(ohandhowdotheyevengetthere?).Theyhavetopassbars,streetcornerswheretheyhadmetdealersinthepast,andallmanneroftemptations.Drugdealersandgangsarereadywithaplacetolive,food,moneyandcamaraderie.Inorderforanex-offendertomakebetterlifedecisionshewillrequireoptions.Alltoooften,whenapersonisincarceratedforanylengthoftime–theleveloffreedomafterreleasetendstobethegreatestfactorinrecidivismratherthanadeterrent.Withouteducationandaplan,ex-offenderscanfindthechallengesontheoutsidetobedaunting.Ananswertotheproblem…Theremustbeadesiretolivealifefreeofcrime–thisnewwayofbeingisfromtheinsideout.TheEvidenceBasedtoolsprovidedintheTotalChangeProgramgivestheindividualtheabilitytobringaboutacompletechangeintheirwayoflife,mannerofthinking,decisionmakingprocess–becomingaproductivetaxpayingcitizen,transformingthemintoassetsofthecommunityasopposedtotheliabilitytheyoncewere.
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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 3
PROPOSALTheTotalChangeRe-EntryProgram,developedbyClimateChangers,Inc.a501c3addressesthechallengesex-offendersrunintobyprovidinganopportunitytochangetheoutcome.Theprogramincludes3phases;thesecomponentssupplytheindividualwiththemostcomprehensivesetoftoolstogivethemthegreatestchanceofsuccessfullynavigatinglifeusingacombinationofevidence-basedprograms.“Thereisverygoodevidencethatafterbeingcrimefreeforsevenyears,theprobabilityofreoffendingisaboutthesameassomeonewhoneveroffendedinthefirstplace.”PaulHeroux-StateRepresentative,Massachusetts
TheTotalChangeProgramPhase1–Pre-ReleaseProgramattheinstitutionofincarceration;equippingeachparticipantwiththenecessarytoolsenablingthemtosuccessfullyadjustandfunctionasproductive,lawabidingcitizenswithinsociety.BasedontheIntegratedCaseManagementApproach,T4C-ThinkingforaChangeandtheNICTransitionfromPrisontotheCommunityModelEducationincludes:howsocietyandtheirfamilywillviewthembecauseoftheirvariouspastindiscretions;therealityofgainfulemploymentandwhatopportunitiesmayormaynotexisttothem;equippingthemtobeabletoeffectivelydealwithrejectionstheywillface;discoveringwhatbasicidentificationisrequired-Driver’sLicenses,BirthCertificates,SSCards,etc.;andbasicinterpersonalskills–responsibility,decisionmaking,denial,communicationandmore.(programdetailsprovidedbyrequestonly–MutualNon-DisclosureAgreementrequiredtoaccessthiscopyrightedmaterial–email [email protected] ).
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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 4
Phase2–A6to12monthIntenseResidential/Non-Residentialcommunitybasedcomponentfurtherequipsparticipantswiththenecessaryessentialstopreparethemastheytranscendbackintosociety.Withinthisphasewomenarereconnectedwiththeirchildren,whichisimperativeintheprocessofbringingfamiliesbacktogether.Thiscommunitybasedphaseincludesaplacetolive,basicnecessities,accesstoagencies(SocialSecurity,Driver’sLicense,HealthCare,ParoleOffice,Assistance,etc.),education,jobtraining,computer,resumebuilding,healthcare,support,personalresponsibilities–asafehaventotransitionandpreparetore-entersociety.Phase3–Aftercare,TheTotalChangeProgramanditstoolsremainaccessibletoallparticipantsasneededtoassistthemalongtheirjourneytolivingaslawabiding,productivecitizens.Inorderfortheprogramtobesuccessfulcontinualsupportwillbeprovidedwheneveraparticipantwantshelp.Thepre-releaseclasseshaveproventobesuccessfulwithcontinuedweeklymeetingsontheoutside;andwhereex-offendersfromtheprogramareencouragedtovolunteerandhelpserveinthecommunity.Thesemeetingsarenotjustforex-offenders–theyarecommunitymeetingswheremembersofthecommunitycometogethertoworkwitheachothertoimprovetheneighborhood.Theexpectedoutcomeisgreaterwhenthetransitionalhousingcomponentisadded.
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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 5
Anoutcomeisachangeinbehaviorafterreleasefromprison.
Programsconsideredmosteffectivehavebeenfoundtoreducerecidivismbyabout10to15percent;andonrareoccasion,upto20percent.TheTotalChangeProgramisexperiencingahighersuccessrateduetopostreleasepieces;includingconsistentweeklymeetings,transitionalhousing,supportandcontinuingeducationcomponents.Webelievewecanreducerecidivismofourparticipantsbyatleast50percent.Thefirsthousingfacilitywillaccommodate14menatatime.Theexpectedtimetheywillstayisfrom6monthstoayear.Asoneparticipantleavesanotherwillfillthespot.Thisfacilitywilltakecareofanaverageof30menperyear.Astheprogramgrowsandsuccessisestablished,otherlocationswillbeaddedtohousemoremen,womenandjuveniles.Thereisaninitiativeinplacetotakeoverclosedschoolpropertiesforthispurpose.Forwardthinkingwillallowexpansionofthisprogramquicklyasresultsfurtherprovethemodel.Asproofofthesuccessofthisinitiative,thecourtsarenowreleasingindividualsintoourcustodyasacourtmandatedprogram.FinancialSupportOurdesireistobecompletelyself-fundedthroughinnovativeideas(workinitiatives),donationsfromthecommunity,programspecificgrantsandTotalChangeRe-EntryEducationProductsales(on-linecourses,books,workbooks,videos,etc.).AnexampleofcommunitysupportisanITindividualwhobuildscoursewebsitesisdonatinghertimetobuildourcourseproducts.NOTETheTotalChangeReentryProgramusesacombinationofthefollowingevidencebasedtechniques,methodologiesandcurriculums:
• TheIntegratedCaseManagementApproach(ICM)• T4C-ThinkingforaChange• TheNICTransitionfromPrisontotheCommunityModel(TPC)• PositiveYouthDevelopment(PYD)• TripleP-PositiveParentingProgram-Level5EnhancedTriplePandPathways
TripleP• CognitiveBehaviorTherapy(CBT)
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TotalChangeRe-entryProgram
Copyright Climate Changers, Inc. 2016 all rights reserved. Page 6
