267568 Building Effective Women's Reentry Programs: A Roadmap for Supporting Women's Transition from Prison to Communities

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Megan Hiltner, MPH , Health Services Division, John Snow, Inc. (JSI), Denver, CO
Lori Nichols, MSPH , JSI Research and Training, Denver, CO
Background: The DHHS, OWH and JSI initiated a project to develop a best practices model and set of recommendations for services in the form of a “roadmap” for providers to meet the needs of women re-entering the community after release from prison. The roadmap highlights the importance of a holistic, gender-responsive approach to women's re-entry, which counters the personal and social determinants that place women at-risk. A gender-responsive approach facilitates open and honest societal dialogue around gender-sensitive issues that directly impact a woman's risk for re-incarceration.

Methods: The roadmap was the result of a literature review, site visits, and interviews with program staff. The aim of this data gathering was to identify the factors of successful reentry, and to identify a range of services that work. Three demonstration projects will receive funding to apply the roadmap to their re-entry programs to bolster their existing services and to influence staff knowledge toward women leaving prison. A short-term process and outcomes evaluation will be conducted.

Results: Preliminary developmental data collected from a literature review, site visits, and key expert interviews supported the effectiveness of a gender-responsive, holistic approach. Demonstration sites are in the planning phase, thus outcome data on the health and well-being of participant women and their families, recidivism, and knowledge and attitudes of staff has not been collected.

Outcomes: This roadmap, if positively tested, can guide service providers to improve staff knowledge and attitudes, services, and ultimately the lives of these women.

Learning Areas:
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the roadmap (findings from the literature review, site visits, and expert interviews). 2. Share specific examples of gender-responsive aspects of women’s re-entry programs cited in the roadmap. 3. Summarize the preliminary plans of the three demonstration projects that are applying the roadmap to their programs.

Keywords: Criminal Justice, Women

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the Project Director of multiple federally funded grants focusing on incarcerated women's health and women's reentry.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2057.0: Women's health disparities