Lansing Office
Capitol National Bank Building
200 N. Washington Square Suite 250
Lansing, MI 48913
Phone: 517-334-6069
Website: http://www.sado.org
SADO’s Project Reentry Delivers Pre- and Post-Release Reentry Assistance::
SADO launched Project Reentry (PR) in 2016 in response to the unique and immediate needs of Michi-
gan’s juvenile lifers. PR is staffed by one part-time Reentry Coordinator, Allison Gorine, a dedicated
group of graduate MSW student interns and undergraduate interns. The PR team works in coordination
with SADO attorneys and staff.
PR’s primary goal is to help achieve positive outcomes for clients:
PR uses four primary tools toward goal achievement: the development of Comprehensive Re-entry Plans (CRPs), the facilitation of monthly Re-entry Workshops, the production of a Reentry Guidebook, and the publication of a monthly Reentry Newsletter (The Drum).
1.
CRPs prepare and assist clients for their return to the community.
They are also used at various stages of litigation: in negotiations with prosecutors, at resentencing hearings before judges, at parole board hearings, and post-release. Each CRP contains personalized and individual information on support networks, detailed housing and resource investigation reports, resumes, employment and/or schooling prospects, and more. When preparing CRPs, PR works closely with clients
to tailor plans to each client’s needs and to help clients create a plan to ensure their success. PR follows
up on each client’s support network, often preparing housing investigation reports, researching community reentry service providers, and obtaining verbal and/or written agreements of support.
2.
Reentry Workshops are focused on teaching necessary real-world life skills on topics not covered by traditional MDOC reentry programming, such as building credit, applying for jobs and preparing for interviews,
building healthy relationships, and how to use a smart phone or computer.
These workshops are open to all returning citizens, regardless of whether they were SADO clients.
3.
The Reentry Guidebook will help all individuals—attorneys, reentering citizens, and members of the public—
with navigating the sometimes complicated bureaucratic processes necessary for obtaining housing, public assistance, medical and mental health treatment and more. This resource will soon be available to all returning citizens, regardless of whether they were SADO clients.
4.
The Reentry Newsletter, The Drum, is prepared with the help of returning citizens in an effort to create a sense
of community amongst reentering citizens and to encourage pro-social interactions. The newsletter frequently provides returning citizens with information about dealing with the challenges they face, as well as practical information, such as job opportunities.