VIRGINIA CARES WINGS PROGRAM – A WOMEN’S REENTRY PROGRAM
CARES Women’s Program will be a holistic women’s program designed to empower and provide gender-responsive services to women who are re-entering their communities after incarceration. It is our belief that through the power of self-awareness, healing, and connection, our clients can build and maintain a meaningful life for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.
- Eligibility – Pre-release: Women of any age with one year (or less) of incarceration remaining. Post-release: Women of any age who have not been out of incarceration for more than 12-months.
- Program Length – Up to three years of program enrollment, including up to one year of pre-release services and two years of post-release services. Follow-up services will also be provided upon client request after post-release services have ended.
- Services – In addition to the women-specific services, participants will have access to the full VA CARES General Program (i.e. MOST/OST, Motivational Interviewing, job readiness, employment placement, and more).
Program Elements
- Monthly empowerment workshops to help diminish barriers and improve access. Workshops will include parenting, healthy living, self-care and self-love, and more.
- Supportive services, including connections to transitional housing, mental health and substance abuse treatment, transportation, and childcare. If clients need assistance obtaining their license, birth certificate, social security card or other important documentation, case management staff will assist or offer guidance.
- Employment and education opportunities in partnership with local colleges and employers to connect clients with educational and vocational training opportunities, apprenticeships, financial resources specifically for education/training, tutoring, literacy programs, and school documentation assistance. An additional aspect of the peer groups will be group study opportunities.
For more Information Contact: Shiquita Lee- Case Manager 540.283.4902
Ora Dickerson Mental Health Navigator 540.977.8356
National Reentry Week 2021: Nonprofit discusses the struggles of reentry for those who formerly were incarcerated
https://www.whsv.com/2021/04/29/national-reentry-week-2021-nonprofit-discusses-the-struggles-of-reentry-for-those-who-formerly-were-incarcerated/
ROANOKE, Va. (WHSV) — Each year, the Department of Justice along with the National Reentry Resource Center, celebrate National Reentry Week.
The seven-day celebration highlights the hardships and needs associated with reentering communities following incarceration.
Virginia Cares is a statewide offender reentry program that is dedicated to ensuring that when people are released from incarceration from Virginia correctional facilities, they have access to the tools necessary for a successful reentry.
Members of the organization define reentry as “providing services for ex-offenders that are released from being incarcerated.”
“We provide them with the tools that they need to apply to that everyday life and give them the proper resources that they need to have. As far as substance abuse, mental health whatever it is, we want to direct them to the right resources,” case manager JoAnne Carter said. “Once they are released they go to a halfway house and we deal with the halfway house here and they are recommended by their [parol officers] to enroll in the Virginia Cares program.”
The organization has helped people returning home from incarceration since 1981 with more than 70,000 participants served.
Carter listed access to identification records, continuing drug addiction and mental health as some of the main barriers ex-offenders face upon their return.
The National Reentry Resource Center found that 72 percent of the state and federal regulations placed upon those who are convicted impact employment opportunities for ex-offenders.
Studies show employment plays a major role in a successful reentry. Participants in the program gain access to peer support services and job readiness.
“It doesn’t matter what the charge may be, we’re not here to judge we are just here to get you back on your feet. The biggest thing is to make sure that they feel comfortable coming back,” Jason Hariston, a case manager for the program, explained. “I know people personally that came home from incarceration and they didn’t have this type of help. The thing about it is, being there to let them know somebody is there to help you.”
Virginia Cares is based out of Roanoke and operates a network of sites across Virginia. When there is not a site in a specific area that someone may need assistance, VA Cares works with existing organizations to expand their reach.
Read more about Virginia Cares by clicking here.
ROANOKE, Va. (WHSV) — Each year, the Department of Justice along with the National Reentry Resource Center, celebrate National Reentry Week.
The seven-day celebration highlights the hardships and needs associated with reentering communities following incarceration.
Virginia Cares is a statewide offender reentry program that is dedicated to ensuring that when people are released from incarceration from Virginia correctional facilities, they have access to the tools necessary for a successful reentry.
Members of the organization define reentry as “providing services for ex-offenders that are released from being incarcerated.”
“We provide them with the tools that they need to apply to that everyday life and give them the proper resources that they need to have. As far as substance abuse, mental health whatever it is, we want to direct them to the right resources,” case manager JoAnne Carter said. “Once they are released they go to a halfway house and we deal with the halfway house here and they are recommended by their [parol officers] to enroll in the Virginia Cares program.”
The organization has helped people returning home from incarceration since 1981 with more than 70,000 participants served.
Carter listed access to identification records, continuing drug addiction and mental health as some of the main barriers ex-offenders face upon their return.
The National Reentry Resource Center found that 72 percent of the state and federal regulations placed upon those who are convicted impact employment opportunities for ex-offenders.
Studies show employment plays a major role in a successful reentry. Participants in the program gain access to peer support services and job readiness.
“It doesn’t matter what the charge may be, we’re not here to judge we are just here to get you back on your feet. The biggest thing is to make sure that they feel comfortable coming back,” Jason Hariston, a case manager for the program, explained. “I know people personally that came home from incarceration and they didn’t have this type of help. The thing about it is, being there to let them know somebody is there to help you.”
Virginia Cares is based out of Roanoke and operates a network of sites across Virginia. When there is not a site in a specific area that someone may need assistance, VA Cares works with existing organizations to expand their reach.
Read more about Virginia Cares by clicking here.
Roanoke Valley Gives
Beginning on March 9th (Early Giving) and running through March 19th you can go to Roanoke Valley Gives at www.rvgives.org and make a donation to the Virginia CARES program.
A winner will be randomly selected and announced at the Roanoke Valley Gives Awards Luncheon.
You can also find this information posted on our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/com/virginiacaresreentry
Please give the donation information to anyone you think might be interested in supporting our program. If they need to know more about us, Please see information below: “Talking Points” that summarizes our program.
Virginia CARES (Community Action Re-Entry System) is a heralded, statewide network of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) originally formed in 1981 to address the successful reentry and deinstitutionalization of returning citizens in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The agency presently provides pre-release services in 14 prisons and 9 city/county jails and 6 regional jails, as well as post-release programs in 26 cities/towns and 32 counties in Virginia. Since 1981 Virginia CARES has worked with more than 104,000 returning citizens. In FY 2018-2019, Virginia CARES:
Virginia CARES is part of a Virginia coalition of re-entry services providers known as the Pre- and Post-Incarceration Services (PAPIS) Coalition, which is funded by the Virginia General Assembly through the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). PAPIS consists of:
Virginia CARES, like the other PAPIS organizations, works to reduce recidivism and to provide education, job training and other support services to released individuals, an important part of the last three Governors’ enhanced emphasis on re-entry initiatives. In order to improve public safety outcomes Virginia CARES, in partnership with the other PAPIS providers and DCJS, has worked hard over the past several years to implement evidence-based practices. As a result, CARES can focus on data-driven results to reduce re-offending and further victimization, thus improving the public safety of Virginia’s communities. Virginia CARES’ staff are trained in the Carey Guides, a proven, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy program used to provide alternative thinking processes and reactions to everyday living situations and issues in order to deter criminal behaviors.
Virginia CARES’ Case Managers and Employment Specialists work on building resource banks of landlords and employers willing to house and employ Virginia’s returning citizens. They collaborate with their local health care providers, probation and parole offices, law enforcement agencies, courts, educational facilities, places of worship and other local non-profits to provide a safety net of services to assist their program participants. The short-term goal is to stabilize each returning individual and provide them the assistance they need to achieve their long-term goals of become successful, productive members of their communities.
Additionally, Virginia CARES mounted a strong push for the successful “Ban the Box” effort to remove the question concerning a felony conviction from job applications in Virginia. Virginia CARES staff also assists those returning citizens who qualify in navigating the application process for restoration of their rights.
Currently, Virginia CARES has put together a program outline and funding request for a Women’s Program specifically designed to deal with the reentry needs of women returning to their communities.
A winner will be randomly selected and announced at the Roanoke Valley Gives Awards Luncheon.
You can also find this information posted on our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/com/virginiacaresreentry
Please give the donation information to anyone you think might be interested in supporting our program. If they need to know more about us, Please see information below: “Talking Points” that summarizes our program.
Virginia CARES (Community Action Re-Entry System) is a heralded, statewide network of Community Action Agencies (CAAs) originally formed in 1981 to address the successful reentry and deinstitutionalization of returning citizens in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The agency presently provides pre-release services in 14 prisons and 9 city/county jails and 6 regional jails, as well as post-release programs in 26 cities/towns and 32 counties in Virginia. Since 1981 Virginia CARES has worked with more than 104,000 returning citizens. In FY 2018-2019, Virginia CARES:
- Provided pre-release services to 567 individuals;
- Provided post-release services to 925 returning citizens;
- Assisted 409 individuals find employment;
- Provided 1,400 instances of career counseling;
- Provided 1,381 instances of family counseling;
- Provided financial assistance to 987 returning citizens;
- Provided 1,101 individuals with substance abuse referrals;
- Provided housing referrals to 1,135 individuals;
- Provided 1,278 financial referrals;
- Conducted 497 Peer/Educational Workshops; and
- Conducted 262 3-hour Job Readiness Workshops.
Virginia CARES is part of a Virginia coalition of re-entry services providers known as the Pre- and Post-Incarceration Services (PAPIS) Coalition, which is funded by the Virginia General Assembly through the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). PAPIS consists of:
- Nine community-based non-profit organizations across Virginia that have been providing transition and reentry services since the early 1970s.
- 47 full-time and 22 part-time staff, with almost 700 volunteers.
- PAPIS serves 96 jurisdictions throughout the Commonwealth, covering 94% of Virginia’s population.
Virginia CARES, like the other PAPIS organizations, works to reduce recidivism and to provide education, job training and other support services to released individuals, an important part of the last three Governors’ enhanced emphasis on re-entry initiatives. In order to improve public safety outcomes Virginia CARES, in partnership with the other PAPIS providers and DCJS, has worked hard over the past several years to implement evidence-based practices. As a result, CARES can focus on data-driven results to reduce re-offending and further victimization, thus improving the public safety of Virginia’s communities. Virginia CARES’ staff are trained in the Carey Guides, a proven, evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy program used to provide alternative thinking processes and reactions to everyday living situations and issues in order to deter criminal behaviors.
Virginia CARES’ Case Managers and Employment Specialists work on building resource banks of landlords and employers willing to house and employ Virginia’s returning citizens. They collaborate with their local health care providers, probation and parole offices, law enforcement agencies, courts, educational facilities, places of worship and other local non-profits to provide a safety net of services to assist their program participants. The short-term goal is to stabilize each returning individual and provide them the assistance they need to achieve their long-term goals of become successful, productive members of their communities.
Additionally, Virginia CARES mounted a strong push for the successful “Ban the Box” effort to remove the question concerning a felony conviction from job applications in Virginia. Virginia CARES staff also assists those returning citizens who qualify in navigating the application process for restoration of their rights.
Currently, Virginia CARES has put together a program outline and funding request for a Women’s Program specifically designed to deal with the reentry needs of women returning to their communities.
We are excited to welcome Pittsylvania County Community Action (PCCA) back as a provider of the Virginia CARES program in Danville, Virginia, effective October 1, 2018.
Ms. Everlena Ross is the Executive Director of PCCA. The current staff for this program are:
Please join the Central Staff in extending a warm welcome to the Directors and staff of this program.
Ms. Everlena Ross is the Executive Director of PCCA. The current staff for this program are:
- Ms. Sonji Webb as the Program Director
- Ms. Stephanie Callands as the Case Manager.
Please join the Central Staff in extending a warm welcome to the Directors and staff of this program.
“To lead a state-wide network of reentry programs that reduces recidivism, promotes public safety and provides supportive services to assist returning citizens lead successful lives.”
‘Conversations with Andre Whitehead’
Case Worker Sam Coles with the TAP/VA CARES Program in Roanoke Virginia. Will be televised tomorrow, Sunday October 29th @ 9am on CW5. Led by COO Anthony West, VA Cares is a State Wide Program which assist Ex-Offenders in their Re-Entry into Society.
Tuesday, July 2nd DMV Drive Connect will be set up at the City of Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority (2624 Salem Turnpike, Roanoke, VA 24012) to assist residents with the reinstatement of drivers licenses that have been suspended for failure to pay court fines and fees.
To raise awareness for this policy, there will be a press event on at 2:00PM. The event will include remarks from Governor Northam and other stakeholders.
If you know of any residents who have been affected or who require DMV assistance, please be sure to invite them as well. DMV Drive Connect will be on site from 9:00AM – 4:00PM.
Mr. Benjamin Lomax, a former CARES participant and member of the Virginia CARES Board, passed away from a heart attack early on the morning of June 18, 2020. Lomax, as he was known to members of the Board and staff, was on the CARES Board from January 2012 through January 2017. He was an avid supporter of sentencing and prison reform, as well as educational and social programming for returning citizens. His spirit and energy will be greatly missed.
To raise awareness for this policy, there will be a press event on at 2:00PM. The event will include remarks from Governor Northam and other stakeholders.
If you know of any residents who have been affected or who require DMV assistance, please be sure to invite them as well. DMV Drive Connect will be on site from 9:00AM – 4:00PM.
Mr. Benjamin Lomax, a former CARES participant and member of the Virginia CARES Board, passed away from a heart attack early on the morning of June 18, 2020. Lomax, as he was known to members of the Board and staff, was on the CARES Board from January 2012 through January 2017. He was an avid supporter of sentencing and prison reform, as well as educational and social programming for returning citizens. His spirit and energy will be greatly missed.