No Excuses: Preparing for Reentry and Reintegration in Maryland
● Moderator: Donna Rojas, Board Member, Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform
● Speakers:
-
-
- Derrell Frazier, Reform Alliance
- Marsha Briley, Re-Entry Coordinator, Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities
- Rodney Moore, Advocate, Moore and Moore Management
- Dr. Stefan LoBuglio, Justice Innovations
-
Ms. Rojas is currently working as a consultant to help improve re-entry programs. She has heard that the system is fractured, disjointed, and in need of change. In this session she hoped to foster dialogue and inspire collaborative solutions. The moderator posed a series of questions to speakers.
What motivated you to become involved in re-entry and reintegration?
Ms. Briley is currently a re-entry coordinator for Anne Arundel County, which receives nearly 4000 returning citizens each year. Her program was previously housed within the Police Department’s community relations office but is now part of the Department of Detention Facilities. The County is creating a re-entry hub to house the various agencies that have roles to play in facilitating re-entry, facilitating access and coordination. As a former case manager as well as parole and probation officer, Ms. Briley has seen the challenges of re-entry firsthand and is motivated to address them in a well-integrated county-wide effort.
Dr. LoBuglio has been involved with corrections systems for 31 years and has had the opportunity to see many individuals’ lives transformed when they receive effective support as they transition back to their communities. He is inspired to continue that work, which he knows can be effective. Currently, he oversees a pre-release center in Montgomery County. He feels hopeful knowing that more of the voices of returning citizens are now in the conversation. Also, there are many more knowledgeable and talented providers.
As someone who has experienced incarceration, Mr. Moore knows from direct experience that the system is broken. He believes in ministry coupled with service: returning citizens need stable housing, vision, and clear minds to find work and succeed. He mentors returning citizens and believes that, through God, they can get their lives back. He counseled that if we want to change the current conditions we need to go to Annapolis and participate in state government. No one can do it alone.
As the son of incarcerated parents, Mr. Frazier knows many personal stories that show the many ways in which the correctional system needs reform. His mother had mental health and addiction issues. As a result of his experiences, he has committed his life to the work of helping people reclaim their lives. He sees policy reform initiatives around the country and is excited about emerging solutions.
What can stakeholders do to create practical re-entry solutions and not work in silos?
It is critical to coordinate services, share data, and be held accountable, Dr. LoBuglio advised. Without a re-entry system, there is chaos. People need jobs, housing, and money in the bank. Today, we have many re-entry providers created and sponsored by different agencies. Some are excellent and need to be scaled up; some are well intentioned but ineffective and need either to be helped or to go out of business. We need to “get real” about the re-entry process so people know which providers are offering real services, and we need accountability. People need to be accountable and become part of a shared mission.
How do you measure the effectiveness of reentry initiatives?
When Mr. Moore was released, he had an envelope with referrals, but with no birth certificate. He had no stable address and no housing. Today, case managers and social workers cannot possibly do their jobs because there are too few for the number of people the state has incarcerated. As a result, most people do not have the tools to live in their communities and are at risk of falling back. He suggested peer advocates would be very helpful to walk returning citizens through processes such as getting their driver’s licenses and learning to use computers.
Ms. Briley agreed, adding that it is important that specific agencies step up to the plate and own their piece of what is needed. If you specialize in housing, you own it. If you are in the health department, you own that. But still, all these agencies need to become one whole “elephant” and operate from the same organic place.
Dr. LoBuglio stressed the need for a set of metrics and data sharing to enable us to understand problems and measure effectiveness. Both government and local agencies need to communicate better. Mr. Frazier agreed. Without data sharing and coordination, we cannot ensure that people get the resources they need.
What lessons have you learned from your successes?
Everyone involved in the county initiative needs to get behind the “one re-entry initiative” and come together for a single meeting. Everyone involved in the solution needs to be at the table and know their role, Ms. Briley counseled. Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) are needed to make sure that role is clear and sustainable.
People come from the broken system, Mr. Moore said. Re-entry initiatives need to approach their task as one that involves mind, body, and soul.
Mr. Frazier stressed the importance of leveraging the lived experience of returning citizens. We need to have them on panels testifying in support of the legislation.
Ms. Rojas added that effective reentry programs must keep Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in mind so they can put first things first.
What strategies can we employ to establish sustainable statewide networks to support re-entry and reintegration?
Ms. Rojas stressed that each jurisdiction needs to build its own initiatives before it makes sense to come together as a state. We can’t use a cookie cutter approach; counties contain cultural differences. Once local programs are in place, we can learn from each other’s best practices.
Mr. Frazier agreed that people often do choose the cookie cutter approach, but in reality it’s just a band aid. Although re-entry needs to be individualized, as Ms. Rojas and Mr. Frazer suggested, there is a need for a statewide re-entry coordinator. Some programs can be replicated and tweaked to work well for others; we need to find them, spotlight them, and share them. Mr. Moore also stressed the need to take “me” and “my funding” out of the picture so that programs can unite to transform lives. Peer advocates can play an important role.
