Boca Raton, Fla. – The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has selected GEO Reentry Services, a national leader in community-based correctional treatment programs, to open day reporting centers in Lake Charles and Alexandria, La. These new programs complement six other DRCs GEO Reentry operates in Louisiana.
Designed to reduce recidivism and lessen prison crowding, these new centers join GEO Reentry programs in Baton Rouge, Covington, Harvey, Monroe, Shreveport and Thibodaux in delivering quality reentry services for probationers and parolees released to community supervision.
“Our staff have worked hard to open these new centers, which will offer evidence-based reentry services to help our participants reintegrate into society,” said Timithia Hall, Area Manager for GEO Reentry Services in Louisiana. “We are looking forward to effectively providing participants with skills they can use in real-life situations. By engaging and participating in the program and taking advantage of role-playing while in groups, when participants are faced with a difficult situation, they will be able to react in a positive way instead of reverting to the risky behaviors that led them to the criminal justice system.”
The cognitive-based program is performance driven and may be completed within 90 days. The program includes three phases of treatment plus Aftercare, where participants keep in touch with the center to report progress on their reentry efforts. Measures to ensure participants remain accountable include frequent check-ins, drug and alcohol testing, and case management, as participants undergo treatment and training to reduce criminogenic risk. Groups include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Employment Readiness, which will soon include an on-site employment specialist from the Louisiana Workforce Commission
- Community Connections, including links to local service providers
- Educational services, such as HiSET via ATLO
- Substance abuse education
- Anger management
- Parenting
- Life skills and social skills
Probation and Parole officers along with sentencing judges may refer individuals to the day reporting centers, which can serve up to 50 individuals at a time. GEO Reentry has provided correctional and reentry centers in the Louisiana since 2007.
About GEO Reentry Services (www.georeentry.com)