In April, GEO Reentry’s Pleasantville Community Resource Center facilitated its first Resource Fair for justice-involved individuals, including CRC participants, an event that helped close out “National Second Chance Month” for the center.
Two vendors, Ernest Trucking School of Atlantic City and Atlantic County Department of Health, were on hand to share information with guests. Participants were able to experience asking questions in an intimate setting versus traditional resource fairs with large crowds. This experience was relevant to ensure participants are continuously making positive changes in their lives. Frances Maldanado, the center’s Employment/Education Specialist, was instrumental in connecting with the vendors on hand for the fair, and collaborating with others during the year, to help participants find employment.
The Pleasantville CRC is part of the New Jersey State Parole Board’s Division of Community Programs, a group of reentry programs developed by the state to provide quality treatment and services to individuals under parole supervision. The CRC provides services to individuals on parole, a multi-phase program that is designed to change criminal behavior and reduce recidivism and the parole revocation rate. The program includes regular reporting to the center, intensive treatment and training and ongoing testing for drug and alcohol use. Participants are required to take part in cognitive behavioral therapy as well as life skills courses and job-readiness preparation. Participants also take part in prescribed individual, group and family interventions, including parenting classes, substance abuse prevention, employment and education, budgeting and financial management, and male and female trauma groups.
