“The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was passed in 2014, promotes a job-driven integrated system of workforce solutions that connect every type of job seeker with the employers in need of skilled workers. Through this announcement, ETA seeks to enhance both adult and young adult reentry strategies through collaboration with the field to identify, define, and respond to emerging or chronic reentry challenges and issues by improving employment outcomes for these populations. ETA is seeking proposed strategies to address these issues, including trying new approaches, addressing gaps in services, building or translating research knowledge, or building capacity. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) provides an opportunity to propose projects that bring fresh perspectives and ideas to improve the employment outcomes for adults and young adults involved in the justice system.
This FOA provides the opportunity for organizations to build customized projects from evidence-based and informed interventions or from promising practices. These projects will serve either young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 who have been involved in the juvenile or adult justice system or adults ages 25 or older who have been incarcerated in the adult criminal justice system and released from prison or jail within 180 days. All projects must be located in high-poverty, high-crime communities.
We have learned from previous REO programs that individuals who exit the correctional system are faced with a myriad of challenges that include a lack of education and employment skills, antisocial attitudes and values, mental health and substance abuse problems, medical issues, lack of housing, and family issues.
The focus of this initiative is to assist communities in planning and implementing comprehensive “reentry” programs to address the full range of challenges involved in helping formerly incarcerated adults and young adults who have been involved in the juvenile or adult justice system make successful transitions back to the community. The intent of this initiative is to protect community safety by ensuring that these individuals:
• become productive, responsible, and law-abiding members of society;
• are provided with positive opportunities to engage in pro-social activities such as employment and/or education;
• maintain long-term employment;
• sustain a stable residence; and
• successfully address their substance abuse issues and mental health needs, as applicable, through partnerships with local programs.”
Excerpted from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR: REENTRY PROJECTS (RP)