Health Empowerment Hour: A series of health modules for parenting women offenders in an alternative sentencing program

Presently, non-violent female offenders with a history of drug abuse who are pregnant or parenting children can complete their prison sentence at a community mothers program if ordered by a judge. However, some women who complete the program struggle to adapt in society and often relapse returning to prison. Literature shows that adequate services and educational training such as parenting skills, job training and healthcare needs currently are lacking in most community mother programs.

An educational needs assessment was conducted on a community mothers program in Southern California that houses non-violent female offenders and their children under 6 years old. Educational training needs of this population in preparation for their re-entry back into society were looked at. Participants were interviewed and they verbalized an interest in learning about health education and accessing resources in their community.

As part of the implementation process eighteen health educational modules were created. Each 30-minute health session involved interactive group discussion facilitated by either the onsite registered nurse or registered nursing students.

Pre and post-test test during each module evaluated the effectiveness of the health educational sessions. Data collected was analyzed and used to improve the health curriculum and incorporated into the master curriculum. We anticipate that through participant's engagement and access to resources in their returning communities this will empowered them to make smarter and healthier choices for themselves and their children upon reentry back into society and therefore reducing the risk of reentry back into the criminal system.