When GEO Reentry Day Reporting Centers host transition celebrations – aka graduations – for participants who have successfully completed the curriculum, they do so in style. It’s a big milestone for participants, staff and others connected with the participant so they invite families, probation or parole officials, community-based providers, even members of the judiciary or local politicians to participate.
During the pandemic, program and services have been modified to accommodate stay-at-home orders in many jurisdictions, shifting to telephonic check-ins, case management, even videoconferencing groups to keep participants engaged in their reentry process.
While some programs have begun to reintroduce in-person services after adjusting offices and schedules to allow for social distancing and more, most programs are running a hybrid of in-person and at-home services. Feedback from staff and participants is that it is working.
Now, to commemorate when a cohort group of participants has successfully completed the program, it only seemed wise to adjust how successful program completion is celebrated.
In Merced, Calif., the Merced County Probation Department and GEO Reentry Services hosted two transition celebrations in Merced and Los Banos in a way to fit the time. Staff gathered certificates of completion, recognition documents from California Assemblyman Adam Gray’s office, a commemorative trophy, and a boxed meal to go for the participant.
“While we typically host a fun celebration for families, participants, probation officials and others who support these individuals, we believe it is important to host a transition celebration that marks this milestone in a safe and fun way,” said Mai Yang, program manager, GEO Reentry.
The Merced County DRC, operated by GEO Reentry, provides community supervision for adult probationers who report to the center to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy designed to change criminal thinking, as well as training and ongoing substance abuse testing. The in-jail program initiates reentry programming, including cognitive behavioral therapy, life skills, anger management and employment readiness, among other classes, to jail inmates, preparing them for successful reentry. The county has been recognized statewide for offering an innovative approach for probation reentry services.
GEO Reentry operates non-residential programs such as day reporting centers, in-prison treatment services, and residential reentry centers for federal, state and local correctional agencies. By combining research-based treatment and counseling services for incarcerated offenders, parolees, probationers and pretrial service defendants, GEO Reentry assists community correctional agencies with important public safety efforts.