2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 15:827.1 — Reentry preparation program; establishment

§827.1.  Reentry preparation program; establishment

A.  It is the intent of the legislature to provide persons released from incarceration with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections with certain fundamental resources in the areas of employment, life skills training, and job placement and with access to as many support services as possible in order to appreciably increase the likelihood of successful reentry into free society and to reduce recidivism.

B.  In compliance with the requirements of R.S. 15:827(A)(5), the department shall identify a transition specialist at each of the state correctional facilities who shall not necessarily be a corrections officer and whose duties shall include but not be limited to:

(1)  Coordination of the delivery of transition assistance programs services at the institution.

(2)  Assistance in the development of each offender's post-release plan.

(3)  Development of job placement information.

(4)  Development of a written medical discharge plan and referral to an appropriate parish health unit for an offender prior to his release.

(5)  Placement in a private transition housing program, if requested by any eligible offender.  When an offender who is nearing his date of release requests placement in a transition housing program, the transition assistance specialist shall inform the offender of program availability and assess the offender's needs and suitability for transition housing assistance.  If an offender is approved for placement, the specialist shall assist the offender and coordinate the release of the offender with the selected program.

(6)  Furnishing a photo identification card to an offender prior to his release.

C.(1)  Not more than six months prior to an offender's anticipated date of release, he shall begin a one hundred hour standardized pre-release orientation program which shall be completed prior to his release.

(2)  The program instruction shall include but not be limited to:

(a)(i)  Employment skills, including but not limited to job seeking skills, interview skills, and appropriate workplace interaction skills.

(ii)  Job placement assistance to an offender who has earned General Educational Development Certification or vocational certification while incarcerated providing him with job referrals or job placement.

(b)  Money management skills.

(c)  Values clarification and goal setting and achieving.

(d)  Problem solving and decisionmaking.

(e)  Personal development and planning, including but not limited to social situations and emotional control, sexual responsibility, parenting skills, domestic violence and family issues, and drug treatment and counseling where appropriate.

(f)  Counseling on individual community reentry concerns.

(g)  Information on and availability of reentry support organizations including faith-based organizations.

(h)  Anger management.

(i)  Victim awareness and restitution.

D.(1)  The department may utilize volunteers, including faith-based service groups, for the provisions of any or all of the reentry preparation program.

(2)  The department shall investigate the possibility of providing the transitional program through distance learning programs as a cost-effective method of program delivery to reach a larger audience at a reduced expense.

E.  The department shall adopt and promulgate rules and guidelines as it deems necessary for the administration and implementation of the reentry preparation program.

Acts 2003, No. 822, §1.