Local prison outreach program awarded grant; Hopes to help reentry into society

DAYTON — A $200,000 grant has been awarded to the Eichelberger Prison Outreach Program located in Montgomery County.

The Eichelberger Prison Outreach Program hopes to increase community connection and reentry planning for incarcerated people who are within three to six months of release from state or local prisons, according to a release.

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Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman said in a release that the programs coordinators meet returning citizens before their release and build a plan for after they are released.

Liberman said the plans address housing, employment, family relationships, license reinstatement, substance abuse issues and more.

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The program also helps guide those recently released to the Reentry Career Alliance Academy, which offers a career and job readiness curriculum for returning citizens.

According to a release, 95 percent of RCAA graduates are successful in avoiding prison incarceration after the program.

The grant is awarded by the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation.

The program was previously awarded $300,000 in the first cycle of the grant, bringing the total awarded to $500,000.

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