The Cambria County Reentry Service Center recently celebrated its three-year anniversary since opening in a special open house event attended by The Tribune-Democrat.
The center, run by GEO Reentry Services, was opened to help alleviate overcrowding and reduce recidivism rates through an intensive reentry program that focuses on evidence-based behavioral change therapy in combination with training, case management and community connections.
As noted by The Tribune-Democrat, 132 participants have graduated from the program since it opened, and have not returned to the legal system according to Stacy Miller, director of the center. In May, the program had 100 participants enrolled in it—its highest number to date. That figure, Warden John Prebish said, represents 100 fewer people who are less likely to end up in jail again.
Typically, participants at the center spend six to nine months in the program, where they undergo treatment and learn important life skills to prepare them for life back in their communities. As the article states, participants who don’t have a high school diploma are coached in earning their GED, while those who don’t have jobs undergo job training. Participants also work on communication skills, problem solving, decision making, anger management and conflict resolution.
The individualized treatment and training provides much-needed structure for the participants, who don’t always have structure in their home lives.
“To be part of the solution and see it working is pretty awesome,” Miller told the paper. “It’s definitely impacting the community.
In addition to the Cambria County RSC, GEO Reentry operates six parolee reentry centers in Pennsylvania in Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and York. To read more about our approach, click here.