Project In-Reach

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2019

Project In-Reach is an outreach and engagement program designed to help incarcerated individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) and co-occurring disorders as they prepare for re-entry into the community. Program goals include educating clients about mental health, substance dependence and coping mechanisms, decreasing instances of relapse, diminishing the impact of untreated health, mental health and/or substance use issues, and reducing recidivism.Services primarily target African-American and Latino Transition Age Youth ages 18-24 (TAY) and adults who have been historically unserved or underserved in traditional environments. Services are coordinated, integrated, and linked with County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health Services (AOA/BHS). There is collaboration with fee-for-service providers and other mental health providers, HHSA Aging & Independence Services (AIS), HHSA Family Resource Centers, housing and homeless providers, the Aging Network, physical health providers, regional collaboratives, and other organizations and groups serving clients experiencing SMI. Project In-Reach also assists in the successful linkage to community resources and services pre- and post-release, helping guide the transition process and assisting in a positive new beginning.