Wilmington Hope Commission

THE WILMINGTON HOPE COMMISSION (HC) PROPOSES TO EXPAND ITS STATEWIDE REENTRY PROGRAM (SRP) TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND STRENGTHEN DELAWARES REENTRY SYSTEM BY PROVIDING EVIDENCE-INFORMED SERVICES TO ADULTS RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION. RETURNING CITIZENS OFTEN FACE BARRIERS INCLUDING UNSTABLE HOUSING, UNEMPLOYMENT, LIMITED TRANSPORTATION, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONCERNS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, FAMILY DISRUPTION, LACK OF IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS, AND CHALLENGES COMPLYING WITH SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS. WITHOUT COORDINATED SUPPORT, THESE BARRIERS INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF RECIDIVISM AND CONTINUED JUSTICE-SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. DELAWARES 2021 PRISON RELEASE COHORT HAD A THREE-YEAR REARREST RATE OF 63.0% AND A RECOMMITMENT RATE OF 48.9%, DEMONSTRATING THE CONTINUED NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE REENTRY SERVICES. THE SRP ALIGNS WITH THE BYRNE DISCRETIONARY COMMUNITY PROJECT GRANTS PROGRAM BY STRENGTHENING COORDINATION AMONG REENTRY, SUPERVISION, WORKFORCE, HOUSING, TREATMENT, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. HC WILL EXPAND ITS REENTRY MODEL ACROSS NEW CASTLE, KENT, AND SUSSEX COUNTIES THROUGH SERVICE HUBS IN WILMINGTON, DOVER, AND GEORGETOWN, CREATING A STATEWIDE PATHWAY FOR INDIVIDUALS TRANSITIONING FROM INCARCERATION TO COMMUNITY LIFE. THE PROGRAM WILL SERVE AT LEAST 120 PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY THROUGH ASSESSMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED REENTRY PLANNING, CASE MANAGEMENT, PEER MENTORING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING NAVIGATION, TREATMENT LINKAGE, FAMILY REUNIFICATION SUPPORT, EXPUNGEMENT AND PARDON ASSISTANCE, AND CBT- AND HEAT-INFORMED PROGRAMMING. SERVICES WILL ADDRESS BARRIERS ASSOCIATED WITH RECIDIVISM WHILE PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY, STABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, TREATMENT ENGAGEMENT, AND SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION. GRANT FUNDING WILL SUPPORT STATEWIDE EXPANSION AND INCREASE ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS ACHIEVE LONG-TERM STABILITY WHILE STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY.