The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration recently announced the awarding of $90,992,062 in reentry funding through the administration of two new grants — Pathways Home (adult focused) and Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP). These targeted reintegration programs are focused on assisting justice-involved individuals in gaining meaningful employment and in becoming productive members of society.

OIC of South Florida (OIC-SFL) is proud to be one of the twenty (20) Pathways Home grant recipients and one of six (6) YARP reentry awardees, respectively throughout the country.  “These grants support proactive and comprehensive approaches to engage justice-involved individuals seeking a second chance and a path to rewarding and sustainable careers,” said John Pallasch, Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. “Research shows early and frequent engagement prior to release from incarceration reduces the risk of recidivism, so these grants are vital to stopping the revolving door of prison from turning.”

$64M Invested in Adult Workforce

The $4M Pathways Home award allows OIC-SFL to continue its nineteen (19) years of proven success in serving over 8,500 justice-involved participants and in placing these career-inspired individuals into demand-driven industries and/or apprenticeship programs. With an average starting wage rate of $12 (per hour), OIC-SFL’s reentry participants to date have contributed to over $100 million (approx. $9 million annually) in household income and bottom-line economic value. The Pathways Home program will allow OIC-SFL to effectively train and educate an additional 500 men and women (living in Broward or Miami-Dade County) enter South Florida’s job market.

“CareerSource South Florida’s partnership with OIC of South Florida ensures that individuals looking to reenter society following incarceration receive the necessary training and job placement required to become contributing members of the community. The Pathways Home program, through OIC of South Florida, will play an essential role in assisting men and women in successfully transitioning and reestablishing their lives after incarceration. In addition, the program is a vital piece in helping to improve public safety and reducing the recidivism rate here in Miami-Dade County,” Rick Beasley, Executive Director of CareerSource South Florida. The Pathways Home program enrollment will begin January 2021.

$27M Invested in Young-Adult Workforce

In partnership with OIC of America (OIC of South Florida’s corporate office), OIC-SFL will also be enrolling 188 young adults (living in Broward County) into its Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) program during the fall of 2020. “As we work together to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that this grant will allow OIC to continue serving young adults and justice-involved individuals as they reenter society. We congratulate OIC on receiving this award,” said Mason Jackson, President Emeritus of CareerSource Broward. The overall $4.5M award will allow both OIC of America and OIC of South Florida the opportunity to provide its communities viable resources that empower reentry residents to become economically self-sufficient and to advance in their careers.

“While the OIC of South Florida ReEntry team is excited and busy developing their outreach-engagement strategies, I’m even more thrilled about our collective recidivism rate ranging from 0% to 6% (avg. of 3%) across our programs. Thanks to our collective partnerships with Legal & Support Service organizations, Industry/Trade associations, and local Colleges and Technical High Schools, our participant recidivism rate remains significantly lower than the state rate of 9%,” said Mr. Newton B. Sanon, President & CEO of OIC-SFL.