VOAMASS offers programs that help those involved in the criminal legal system access the skills and supports they need to return to the community successfully.
Utilizing a whole-person approach, we take the time to learn each individual’s unique needs and create a comprehensive plan to serve them best.
In collaboration with local sheriffs’ departments, VOAMASS offers services including substance use and mental health treatment, job and life skills coaching, vocational and career training, and help accessing community resources such as legal assistance. Some of these programs work with individuals who are currently incarcerated and help them return to society, while others meet individuals’ needs upon release.
VOAMASS has a robust partnership with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, operating programs at the Middleton House of Correction, Essex County Pre-Release and Re-Entry Center, and the Women in Transition facility. We also serve individuals in Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable counties through our Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP).
Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) is designed to divert individuals with mental health and co-occurring disorders out of correctional facilities and into community treatment programs.
Individualized, comprehensive plans may include placement in residential programs, sober living, and/or outpatient behavioral health treatment, among other supports. The overall goal of JMHCP is to positively and successfully integrate individuals back into their communities and decrease the risk of recidivism.
Essex Medication Re-Entry Grant Expansion
The Essex Medication Re-Entry Grant Expansion (EMRGE) program, formerly known as the Essex Medication-Assisted Treatment (EMAT) program, is a six-month wraparound services program for individuals with an opioid use disorder (OUD).
EMRGE utilizes trauma-informed behavioral health treatment, therapeutic counseling, and medication to help individuals recover from OUD. The program also connects participants to community-based resources to help with the transition from incarceration back into society after release and reduce recidivism.
Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program
The Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP), which is a part of the Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment Training and Service (VETS) initiative, helps prepare veterans who are currently incarcerated and recently released to find employment.
Currently serving Plymouth, Bristol, and Barnstable counties, IVTP provides job and life skills coaching, health care referrals, and personalized case management that focuses on the unique issues experienced by veterans.
If you or someone you know can use re-entry support from VOAMASS, contact us at [email protected] today.