(a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall establish the Case Management Reentry Pilot Program for offenders under the jurisdiction of the department who have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment under Section 1170 and are likely to benefit from a case management reentry strategy designed to address homelessness, joblessness, mental disorders, and developmental disabilities among offenders transitioning from prison into the community. The purpose of the pilot program is to implement promising and evidence-based practices and strategies that promote improved public safety outcomes for offenders reentering society after serving a term in state prison and while released to parole.
(b) The program shall be initiated in at least three counties over three years, supported by department employees focusing primarily on case management services for eligible parolees selected for the pilot program. Department employees shall be experienced or trained to work as social workers with a parole population. Selection of a parolee for participation in the pilot program does not guarantee the availability of services.
(c) Case management social workers shall assist offenders on parole who are assigned to the program in managing basic needs, including housing, job training and placement, medical and mental health care, and any additional programming or responsibilities attendant to the terms of the offender’s reentry requirements. Case management social workers also shall work closely with offenders to prepare, monitor, revise, and fulfill individualized offender reentry plans consistent with this section during the term of the program.
(d) Individualized offender reentry plans shall focus on connecting offenders to services for which the offender is eligible under existing federal, state, and local rules.
(e) Case management services shall be prioritized for offenders identified as potentially benefiting from assistance with the following:
(1) Food, including the immediate need and long-term planning for obtaining food.
(2) Clothing, including the immediate need to obtain appropriate clothing.
(3) Shelter, including obtaining housing consistent with the goals of the most independent, least restrictive and potentially durable housing in the local community and that are feasible for the circumstances of each reentering offender.
(4) Benefits, including, but not limited to, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program, general assistance, benefits administered by the federal Social Security Administration, Medi-Cal, and veterans benefits.
(5) Health services, including assisting parolee clients with accessing community mental health, medical, and dental treatment.
(6) Substance abuse services, including assisting parolee clients with obtaining community substance abuse treatment or related 12-step program information and locations.
(7) Income, including developing and implementing a feasible plan to obtain an income and employment reflecting the highest level of work appropriate for a reentering offender’s abilities and experience.
(8) Identification cards, including assisting reentering offenders with obtaining state identification cards.
(9) Life skills, including assisting with the development of skills concerning money management, job interviewing, resume writing, and activities of daily living.
(10) Activities, including working with reentering offenders in choosing and engaging in suitable and productive activities.
(11) Support systems, including working with reentering offenders on developing a support system, which may consist of prosocial friends, family, and community groups and activities, such as religious activities, recovery groups, and other social events.
(12) Academic and vocational programs, including assisting reentering offenders in developing and implementing a realistic plan to achieve an academic education, or vocational training, or both.
(13) Discharge planning, including developing postparole plans to sustain parolees’ achievements and goals to ensure long-term community success.
(f) The department shall contract for an evaluation of the pilot program that will assess its effectiveness in reducing recidivism among offenders transitioning from prison into the community.
(g) The department shall submit a final report of the findings from its evaluation of the pilot program to the Legislature and the Governor no later than July 31, 2017.
(h) Implementation of this article is contingent on the availability of funds and the pilot program may be limited in scope or duration based on the availability of funds.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 237. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)