New program helps those leaving jail with services to rejoin the community

NEWS RELEASE

The Kansas City Municipal Court is looking to help people leaving jail who have both substance abuse and mental illness challenges successfully return to the community with its new KC Second Chance Reentry program.

April also is national Second Chance Month, and Reentry week is April 26 through April 30. During this time, KC Second Chance program is asking the public to answer the question, 'What does reentry mean to you?' using City and Municipal Court social media.

People returning to their communities after jail have complex challenges and needs that contribute to the likelihood of them being re-incarcerated, but successful reentry means so much more than not returning to jail. To the KC Second Chance program it means making rehabilitation and reentry a core responsibility of corrections. The program's vision is to reduce recidivism, homelessness, and unemployment by improving access to and delivery of services prior to offenders leaving jail.

'A second chance is an opportunity not present in many parts of the world outside of our nation,' said Municipal Court Judge Corey Carter, who presides over the KC Second Chance program. 'As such, within our system of justice, we should take care to afford those that have been incarcerated a meaningful opportunity to make the most of a second chance upon release should they decide it is time for a change.'

The KC Second Chance program is funded by a $750,000 grant from the U.S Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and is for individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health challenges. The KC Second Chance program has partnered with Truman Medical Center to provide integrated treatment services and its goals are to improve the mental health of ex-offenders by keeping them engaged in services, to provide transitional housing and assist with employment opportunities and applying for available and needed community resources.

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For more information, contact Benita Jones, public information officer for the Municipal Court, at 816-513-6711.