Achieving

Results
Gaining Employers Support
 Identifying The
Problem
Who is the Champion
 Social Service problem (W2C)
 Homeless problem
 Educational problem
 Prisoners reform problem
(Focus)
 GAINING COMMUNITY
SUPPORT

Must have a Neutral Group

that can pull together
human services, faith
based, business and
government organizations,
to begin the process of
dialogue among this
group.
 We Chose
“The Delta Strategy”

Mission: To built the

capacity of the community
to solve our challenging
and complex problems by
engaging in the Delta
community improvement
process with people and
organizations.
 WHO ARE THE
COLLABORATORS
 Women’s Resource Center
 Family Outreach Center
 Goodwill Industries
 Delta Strategy
 Exodus Ministries
 Jubilee Jobs
 Catholic Diocese
 GR Police Department
 Hope Network West Michigan
 MDCD-Rehabilitation
Services
 Cascade Engineering,Inc.
 Keystone Community Church
 MI Department of
Correction
 Federal Probation
 Restorers Program
 Children Need Both
 Pathfinders Resources Inc.
 Heartside Ministry
 Butterball Farms, Inc.
 New Community Church
 Alternative Employee
Solutions
 Project Rehab
 Legal Aid
 LBG Associates
 Office of Community
Corrections
 Kent County Sheriff’s
 Alternative Directions
 Salvation Army
 American Express Financial
 Life Guidance Services
 Re-Entry Aftercare
Partners
 Criminal Justice
Chaplaincy
 A Structured
Approach
High Performing Collaborations
 Goal Clarity

 Role Clarity

 Role Competence

 Commitment To Task

 Ability TO Reinvent Themselves

 Willingness to Step Out of Role

 Commitment To Each Other’s

Success Adapted From: Peter Vaill

“Towards A Behavioral Description of High-Performing Syst
 The Essence of the
COLLABORATION
 Common commitment to a purpose in which
Collaborators believe.
 Specific and clear performance goals.
 Clear communication.
 Constructive conflict within the
collaboration.
 Evaluation how each team member can
best contribute.
 Technical expertise.
 Problem-solving skills.
 Mutual self-accountability for the
collaboration members.
 Mission statement: To establish a community
network for ex-offenders using a collaboration
of private, no profit and government
organizations in order to coordinate resources
and services that promote self-sufficiency and
law abiding lifestyles.

 Identify needs of ex-offenders

 Share information regarding current
available services
 Identify gaps in services
 Study the evidence based practices that
provide the best outcomes for ex-
offenders and promote implementation
 Educate service providers, corrections,
and community of the needs of ex-
offenders, the cost of recidivism to
communities, and reentry initiatives
 Encourage the service sector to meet the
needs of ex-offender population
 Re-Entry Round
Table
of Kent County

Assisting Employers in
successfully accessing an
under-utilized segment of Kent
County’s workforce
 Agenda
 Who / What is Reentry Roundtable
 Facts about Ex-offenders

Systems Cost of Government
 Funding Source
 Michigan Work’s

 Michigan Prisoner Reentry

Initiative (MPRI)
 Certifications / Job Placement

Goals / Benefits

How can you Help
 What is the Re-Entry
Roundtable
of Kent County?

 Stakeholder team convened by Delta

Strategy in July 2002 – “Ex-
Offender Dialogue Group”
 Problem solve barriers to
successful re-integration for ex-
offenders
 Dialogue among 57 individuals: 5
people representing the general
community and 52 persons from 29
human service, faith based,
business, and government
organizations
 Incorporated as its own 501(c)3
 How is the “Re-Entry
Roundtable
of RE-ENTRY
Kent ROUNDTABLE
County”
USDOL / Michigan Prisoner
Michigan Works!
$645,000 Structured?
Of Kent County Reentry Initiative
(MPRI)
The Ex-offender Action Group* $495,000
Executive Team

ACTION GROUP ACTION GROUP ACTION GROUP ACTION GROUP ACTION GROUP
Faith Based Resource Fair Ex-offender Policy, PR, Veterans
Mentoring Resource Center Education Affairs
& Legal Issues

Assessments Employment

Housing Training

Transportation

itially convened and facilitated by The Delta Strategy March

 DATA COLLECTION
 Data Collection Serves To:

Determine how large the problem is

Establish “Proof of Need”

Help make decisions

Prove theories (possible causes or
solutions)
 When you are Ready To Collect
Data, Ask:
 What do we need to show?
 Where can we get the data?
 How can we collect it?
 Facts DATA
about Ex-
offenders
State-wide, in 2001, 51,000 people
were incarcerated in Michigan.
 Over 10,000 inmates are released from Michigan
prisons each year
 86% are released to parole supervision (over 9,000
people)
 14% are released after completing their maximum
sentence) (almost 1,500 people)
 County-wide,
Over 40% will return6,300 people
to prison within received
3 years a
(3,600 people)
sentence to the Kent County Jail in
2002.
 92% had been in the Kent County Jail before
 87% are released directly back into the community
 13% go on to prison and often return to the Grand
 DATA

Costs to the System

Costs of incarceration:
 State of Michigan - $28,000/person/year
which equals over 1.4 billion dollars
 Kent County Jail - $16,000/person/year

Can we afford more prisons?

 In 1973, the state of Michigan had 7 prisons.
 In 2006, we have a total of 44 prisons.
 DATA
KENT COUNTY MPRI PILOT SITE TARGET
POPULATION INFORMATION

Characteristics of Parole Population

 Number Paroled 718

 “B” or Higher Prefix (At least one prior MI
Prison Term) 48%
 Drug Problem
45%
 Alcohol Problem 36%
 Drug & Alcohol Problem 32%
 Substance Dependent (SASSI 3 or 4)
61%
 Previous Mental Health Contacts
12%
 Active Mental Health Diagnosis at Parole
5%
 Less than GED or Diploma at commitment
55%
 Top 10 states in corrections
DATA
spending
Michigan is sixth in prisoner population (as
of June 2004), with 48,591 inmates, just
behind Georgia and ahead of Ohio

In percentage of budget
In corrections spending (2003)
Spent on corrections (2003)
1. California $5.4 1. Texas 6.1 percent
billion 2. Oregon 5.5 percent
2. Texas $3.6 3. Michigan 4.7 percent
billion 4. Georgia 4.5 percent
3. New York $2.6 5. LA. 4.2
billion percent
4. Michigan $1.87 6. Colorado 4
billion percent
5. Ohio $1.84 7. Idaho 4
billion percent
6. PA $1.78 8. Maryland 4
billion percent SOURCE: State Policy Reports
7. Florida $1.75 9. Nevada 4
billion
 SHOW FUNDING SOURCES
 Show the Employers the
funding:
 State Funding $695,000
 Federal Funding $495,000
 Make a case for Employer
supported funding:

The SOURCE model
 What is the Program?
ACSET has received a grant of $495,000 from
the U.S. Dept. of Labor to be used in linking
faith-based and community organizations with
our Michigan Works! Service Centers in Kent
County. This is one of 10 grants awarded in
the nation from DOL’s Center for Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives. The funding will
serve 300 ex-offenders in becoming employed
with a goal of at least 80% retaining
employment for six months and reducing the
rate of recidivism from 48% to 33% by 12-31-
06.
 Who are the Service Providers?
Children Need Both Parents Inc.
Criminal Justice Chaplaincy
Restorers Inc.
 The VISION of the Michigan
Prisoner ReEntry Initiative is
that every inmate released from
prison will have the tools needed
to succeed in the community.

 The MISSION of the Michigan

Prisoner ReEntry Initiative is to
reduce crime by implementing a
seamless plan of services and
supervision developed with each
offender—delivered through state
and local collaboration—from the
time of their entry to prison
The SOURCE

Southwest Organizations
Unifying Resources for
our Community and
Employees

The SOURCE
1904 Buchanan Ave.SW
Grand Rapids, MI 49507
SOURCE Model

Cascade Pridgeon Tier 3

Richwood Engineering & Clay Employer
Furniture

Michigan Keeler
Wheel Diecast Hekman
Tier 2
DECC
Employer

Notions Butterball Spectrum

Marketing Farms Industries

 FIA Caseworker -  Head Start / Child Care

. Standardized Assessment
 Job Coach / Trainer
 Life Skills Training i.e.
. Hidden Rules, Diversity
Satellite office for HSOs
The “SOURCE”  Employee Assistance
. Program
Resource Center
(Southwest Organizations Unifying Resources  Transportation
for our Community and Employees )  Housing Assistance

PWI

HSO HSO HSO HSO HSO HSO

Referrals from Human Service Organizations

 Structured
to present to the
Employer
 Your structure should include the
following:
 Showing the process of how your
clients move.
 What training is involved, before
they are placed.
 Support Resources that will be
provided by the collaboration.
 The communication process with
employers.
 The supportive services you will
provide to the employer.
 How this will impact their
 Certification & Job Placement Flow Chart

Cascade Engineering Pridgeon & Clay Construction company St Mary’s Health

Level 3
1 Year

AEROTEK
Cascade Engineering Hekman Furniture Commercial St Mary’s Health
Staffing
Level 2
1 Year

Feedback Loop
Weather Shield
Cascade Engineering Butterball Farms St Mary’s Health
Roofing Systems

All training including Level 1, must be completed before a person moves to Level 1 employment
Level 1 Certification
1 Week to 90 Days

Phoenix Personnel WJG Enterprises Profile Industrial

(New Company Spectrum Industries
Packaging

Goodwill
Jubilee Jobs Hope Network
Industries

Full Assessment by Employment Resource Center:

Includes interests, employment, housing, health care,
substance abuse, child care

County Jail State Prison Work Program

 Re-Entry Roundtable Level 3
Employer Careers
Of Kent County
• Home Ownership Class
• Take an “Alumni” Role
• Ongoing Mentoring

Level 2 3 yrs
Employer

T
EN
• Lean Enterprise
E

M
• Ongoing Mentoring

VE
C

IE
• Ergonomics

H
I • Intro to Value Stream

AC
•
O Level 1
Money Management

H Employer
2 yrs.

C • Conflict Resolution
Partnership

S
•

ES
Team Problem Solving

CC
• Ongoing Mentoring with

SU
• Centering on Success Community
(7 Habits) Based Groups
Foundation Level & • Basic Computers
• DISC 1 yr.
Transitional Work
Systems of Support
Y

 Hidden Rules
IT
UN

The Process  Diversity Awareness

RT

 Life skills training

O

Hope &  Job Search Skills Training

PP
O

Opportunity:  Interviewing Skills

The Employment  Policy & Procedures
 1
Mentoring
Resource Center week-
Assessment & 3 mos.
Orientation Level
PE

1 Week
O

W.I.I.F.M Training & Support

H

Agencies
 Engaging the
Employers
 Engage as many in beginning
of the formation of the
collaboration.
 Including their pre-training
needs.
 Developing the process flow
of referrals.
 Participating on Advisory
Counsel of Employers, or
Certification Team.
 REFERRAL PROCESS
Saint Mary’s Health

Reentry Roundtable Membership Organizations

Comprehensive Assessment and Foundational Training

Point of Contact / Liaison Agency

will Verify that the Foundational Training
OPEN program will notify has been completed and any other Levels.
CNBP will send all resumes to Saint Mary's
the Contractor of issues
Of those interested in having a medical
with their clients Career.

OPEN OPEN program is notified Contact Children Need Both Parents

Retention of referral, with person’s name, with any openings where they are
Specialist contact person and agency. willing to place Reentry clients

SAINT MARY’S
conducts normal interview process, provides verification
on candidate readiness and areas of program improvement.
Candidate is employed into identified Departments.

Saint Mary’s Departments

will notify OPEN of any problems
with any referral, under their current
Retention process
 Certification by
Employers Participant
Competency Determinations

 Employer auditors evaluate each

participant’s achievement through
combination of verbal and observation
criteria to verify actual comprehension.
 Participant reaches competency level and
is certified at level 1, 2, or 3.
 If participant does not meet competency
level, he/she is referred back with
instructions for improvement to meet
requirements.
Each
 participantismust
Participant complete core
re-retested; training
competency
and certified.
undergo
work evaluation for 1-2 weeks in Transitional
Work Experience
(TWE) before being placed in Level 1 or
 Spell-out Your
Benefits
What are the benefits:
 To the person

 To the community

 To the businesses

 To the State

 And the benefits to the

participating
agencies/organizations?
 MPRI Goals

 Promote public safety by reducing

the threat of harm to persons and
their property by released
offenders in the communities to
which those offenders return.

 Increase success rates of

offenders who transition from
prison by fostering effective risk
management and treatment
programming, offender
accountability, and community and
 Benefits to the
Employer

 Low Turnover and Best People

 Higher Retention Rate
 More Effective Team Efforts
 High Productivity
 Customer Satisfaction
 Profitability
 Continuous Improvement
 Bonding Program
 Tax Credit
 On-the-Job training dollars
 Benefits to the
Community

 Less crime
 Fewer Victims
 Safer Communities
 Reduce the need for more prisons
 Reduce return rate of ex-offenders
 Improve quality of life for the person
 Skilled workers for employers
 New tax base for the City
 Family life improves
 Some Next Steps:

 Back to Business Breakfast –

24th April 2006
 Convening Business Advisory
Counsel in May 2006
 US Department of Labor Grant
for FBCO for Foundation and
Level 1 Training
 Connecting with WIRED
 Action Steps:
Ways to engage with the
program

 Your support of this program

 Offer feedback on how to improve
this presentation
 Share what you heard today, with
other business and friends
 Volunteer to be part of the
Employer Advisory Team or
Certification Team
 Be willing to hire an ex-offender
at any level that you are
comfortable with.
THANK YOU
Re-Entry
Roundtable
of Kent County
For more information contact:
Ron Jimmerson Sr.
Cascade Engineering
Ph. 616.975-4812
Email: jimmersonr@cascadeng.com