GEO Reentry Services recently celebrated its 40th anniversary of GEO Reality House, a residential program in Brownsville, Texas.
The anniversary was commemorated by a celebratory luncheon, featured in The Brownsville Herald. At the celebration, Maria Mancha, director of Reality House, reflected on the program which helps to reintegrate former inmates back into their communities.
“We help them get into colleges,” Mancha said, at the luncheon. “Some go to vocational schools. They get their General Education Diplomas. We provide them with resources, and we also have classes there at the facility.”
Reality House is a transitional residence for inmates and oversees approximately 300 former inmates each year. Typically, residents stay at the facility for approximately three to six months.
The goal of GEO Reentry’s residential programs is to return responsible and productive men and woman to their families and communities through a structured approach that minimizes recidivism and maximizes offenders’ chances of successful reentry.
At the residential programs, former inmates are offered services including substance abuse counseling, transitional skills training, employment assistance and educational assessment and placement.
Residents are also involved in risk and needs assessments, using objective assessment tools to maximize resident potential while in the program, and a monthly community forum that connects the residents to local community based organizations.
All programs are founded on evidence-based practices designed to provide positive reinforcement while supporting resident self-efficacy.
Read more about GEO Reentry’s approach to residential reentry.