Reintegration Services
About the program
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario’s Reintegration Program is dedicated to offering comprehensive services to probation and parole clients, with a primary focus on women+ incarcerated at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre (TBCC). The program aims to facilitate a seamless reintegration process by providing essential support services such as release planning, assistance with securing housing, financial aid applications, referrals to mental health and addiction programs, and provision of necessary clothing. The Reintegration Worker conducts one-to-one visits at the Thunder Bay Correctional Centre, developing personalized release plans to address specific needs. The impact of the project includes successful transitional housing placements, support in accessing treatment programs, assistance with RGI housing applications, and expedited access to housing. Additional services, such as transportation assistance, communication with lawyers, and letters of support for reunification, contribute to clients’ successful reintegration and the prevention of recidivism.
Release Planning and Support:
The Reintegration Navigator conducts one-to-one visits with inmates at the TBCC to develop personalized release plans. These plans focus on addressing their specific needs and challenges to enhance their chances of successful reintegration.
Essential Support Services:
The project provides a range of support services, including assistance with securing housing, financial aid applications, referrals to mental health and addiction programs, and providing necessary clothing for court appearances and post-release.
Documentation and Identification Assistance:
Incarcerated individuals face a lack of access to community ID clinics, resulting in systemic barriers to treatment and other social services. The Reintegration Navigator helps individuals obtain crucial ID’s such as health cards, birth certificates, and status cards to enable them to access essential services and benefits.
Training and Collaboration:
As part of this project, the Reintegration Navigator completed SPDAT training to improve assessment skills for prioritizing housing needs. Additionally, biweekly group presentations at the TBCC inform individuals about the services available to them and the support offered during their reintegration journey.
Regional Services
We encounter individuals who transfer between institutions due to various legal processes like remanding and sentencing. At any given time, we offer release planning and advocacy to numerous local community members while they are in institutions outside Thunder Bay. We also assist individuals not originally from our community but who have been transferred to the TBCC and intend to be released into the city rather than their home community.
We extend our services beyond Thunder Bay, to institutions such as Kenora Jail, Monteith Correctional Complex, Sudbury Jail, Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre (Sioux St. Marie), and Fort Frances Jail. We also provide services to individuals experiencing incarceration in institutions such as Grand Valley Institution for Women and Vanier Centre for Women. Regional services are conducted primarily over the phone.
Our regional services allow us to support individuals at multiple stages: in the community, in local or remote prisons, and back in the community post-release. This continuous contact empowers our Circle of Care to establish trust and rapport. After release, individuals frequently maintain contact, and the services we provide play a crucial role in averting further criminalization and reducing recidivism.
Photo credit: Robyn Saxberg, PMCP | EFSNWO
Additional Services and Support
The Reintegration Navigator goes beyond the mentioned activities by providing transportation assistance for appointments, facilitating communication with lawyers, and offering letters of support for clients seeking reunification with their children. These additional services play a crucial role in supporting clients’ successful reintegration and preventing recidivism.
The Reintegration Program has proven instrumental in providing essential support and services to probation and parole clients, particularly those incarcerated at the TBCC. We have made considerable progress in empowering individuals to successfully reintegrate into the community after their release from custody.
Contact Information:
Jen Baxter
EFSNWO Reintegration Navigator
807-631-7363
jen.baxter@efsnwo.com
Generously funded by:
