Prisoner Reintegration Program Grant

The Prisoner Reintegration Program, managed by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, aims to assist individuals transitioning from incarceration in Milwaukee County. This initiative addresses critical behavioral, social, and economic challenges faced by participants, including mental health issues, substance use, and unemployment. Funding will support qualified staff who provide personalized assistance, ensuring collaboration with correctional facilities for effective reentry. The program promotes community adjustment and reduces recidivism through comprehensive support and resource connections.

Division of Care and Treatment Services
The Division of Care and Treatment Services (DCTS) manages and supports seven care and treatment facilities for people living with psychiatric disorders and intellectual disabilities, community mental health and substance use services, community mental health and substance use treatment services for people in the criminal justice system, and the protection of client rights for people receiving services for intellectual disabilities, mental health, and substance use.
The Division of Care and Treatment Services is seeking applications for funding to support individuals from Milwaukee County transitioning from prison or jail who face a range of behavioral, social, and economic challenges. Specifically, some of these challenges include but are not limited to substance use, mental health, physical health, social isolation, complex trauma, unemployment, and environmental factors.
The Prisoner Reintegration Program is under Wis. Stat. § 46.48(8). Under this authorization, DHS developed an application process to award funds to organizations to assist individuals reentering Milwaukee County.
Recipients of this funding will provide qualified staff, such as a case manager, certified peer specialist, or both, offering program participants individualized support and assistance with referral to community services. This could include but is not limited to housing, substance use/mental health counseling, employment assistance, transportation, educational, community engagement, health care, and family reunification. The reentry plan may consist of goals and objectives and challenges or barriers to achieve the goals and objectives.
Recipients of this funding must collaborate with prisons and jails to coordinate release dates and meet with program participants within 48 hours of release. The coordination of care with community partners from pre- to post-release increases the likelihood of achieving successful community adjustment, creating prosocial relationships, minimizing substance use, and reducing recidivism.