Agency Presentation

Jamison Parker

Volunteers of America Delaware Valley

The Safe Return Program

My Role

 I work for Camden Safe

Return as a Substance
Abuse Counselor

 My internship title is
Treatment Director Intern for
all four Safe Return
Programs
History of Agency

 Volunteers of America Delaware Valley (VOADV) began

in 1896 by social reformers to uplift and impact lives in
America

 VOADV over fifty-two different programs

 One of which, is Safe Return

 Safe Return commenced in 2015 in Trenton and Atlantic
City, NJ
 Through expanded funding Camden County and Tri-County
(Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem Counties) were
created in October, 2017
Mission

 VOADV’s mission is to provide community-based help to

individuals in need so they may live independent and
fruitful lives

 Safe Return’s mission is to afford instant and direct

services to ex-offenders, so they may integrate back into
society to live a life free from crime
Safe Return’s Services
Demographics

 VOADV
 Assists homelessness, incarcerated population, domestic
violence perpetrators, the mentally disabled, elderly, individuals
with addiction and/or mental health issues, and more

 Safe Return
 Participants must have served a jail or prison sentence within the
past three years.
 They must live or are experiencing homelessness within Atlantic
City, Trenton, Camden, Salem, Cumberland, or Gloucester
County
 Ex-offender may not be on any intensive supervision (i.e. parole,
ISP, or drug court)
Camden Safe Return Demographics

 Program has 312 participants

 271 are male and 41 are female

 Half of the clients are African America, a quarter is

Caucasian, and the other quarter is Latino

 4% are between 18-24, 33% between 25-35, 25% is 36-45,

and 37% is over 46
Policies and Procedures

 VOADV is an EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) employer

 At-will employer

 Zero-tolerance policy related to sexual misconduct/harassment against employees or clients

 Compliant with state and federal regulations

 Strict privacy policies regarding clients information

 Staff and client grievance policy and procedures

 Policy and procedures reflect the mission, vision, and values of the agency

 Safe Return does not have a strict set of policies and procedures, resulting from the flexibility from the
funder, yet follows VOADV’s rules
Structure of VOADV Corporate Office
Safe Return’s Structure
Governance

 VOADV is governed by an elected Board of Directors who

are members within the community who establish policy
and make decisions on noteworthy aspects of the
organization
 Chairperson: Judy Donlen
 Treasurer: Maury B. Reiter, Esq.
 President/CEO: Dan Lombardo
 Secretary: Jack Fisher
 Corporate Council: Amy Santa Maria, Esq.
 Other members: Carolyn Ballard-Freeman, Karen Olejarz, Paula
Harrington, Damon Gray, James Brown, James Hemm,
Assemblywoman Patricia Egan-Jones, Robert DiLella, and
Stanely Mastil
Funding

 Safe Return is a grant-based program

 Funded through NJ Department of Community Affairs

 Relationships with Other Agencies
 State and local correctional facilities

 State and local police enforcement

 Homeless and transitional housing

 Local mental health and substance use providers

 Parole and probation

 Local second chance employers and

educational institutions

 NJMVC, Social Services, Social Security, NJ Vital

Statistics

 Soup kitchens, food banks, and food pantries

Strengths, Trends, and
Challenges

 Strengths: provide an array of

services specific to each clients
needs, strong community
relationships, supported by VOADV
and political figures, and have been
successful in thwarting the cycle of
re-offending

 Trends: in 2017, grant doubled to

expand efforts, I believe there will be
a continual upward movement for
program, and other re-entry services

 Challenges: population is difficult to

work with, low motivation (at times)
to change maladaptive ways of
thinking, transient population
My Role

 Assist the Treatment Director

 Ensure treatment staff is performing job functions properly

 Staff is compliant with VOADV’s policies and procedures

 Staff is using appropriate therapeutic techniques

 Educate outside agencies and community about program

 Expand community resources for client referrals

 Research for expanded grant funding in re-entry services

 Run treatment team meetings

 Supervise three interns who are interested in this field

References

 Adcock, E. & Parker, J. (2018, May). Monthly Report.

Camden Safe Return May Monthly Report.

 McKernan, P. (2016, March 16). Testimony of Patricia

McKernan COO VOADV Assembly Budget Committee. New
Jersey Legislation. Retrieved from
www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/budget_2017/031616/M
cKernan-P.pdf

 Volunteers of America Delaware Valley. (2018). About Us.

Retrieved from www.voadv.org

 Volunteers of America Delaware Valley. (2018). Safe

Return. Retrieved from www.voadv.org/safereturn
Questions?