The transition from prison life to life beyond prison is a challenging one for many men and women on parole. The struggle to find success is not easy and those who find success deserve special recognition.
On January 22, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, the Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC) Awards Gala Celebration honored nearly 200 Sacramento County parolees and their families. They are committed to making a successful reentry into their communities and improving their lives, as well as the lives of their families.
SCBC is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) specifically designed for men and women reentering the community from state prison.
"We know transition and reentry are difficult and not something people can easily accomplish alone," Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the honorees. "By taking part in SCBC, you have proven that you are willing to make enormous changes in your lives."
The program is designed to help people transition back into their local communities and families, resume their educations, and find and start successful careers. During the 2013 program year, 15% of the total Sacramento County parole population was referred to the SCBC program. During that time span, only 3.8% of SCBC's clients were returned to custody while active in the program.
Sacramento County Board of Education President Jackie Levy and Trustees Thomaysa Glover and Greg Geeting joined Superintendent Gordon, Assistant Superintendent Matt Perry, Ed.D., and SCBC Director Marc Nigel in recognizing the clients' accomplishments.
"Our goal is to give our clients the skills they need to make better choices," said SCBC Director Marc Nigel. "While we cannot control the choices our clients make, we can help influence the choices that they have."
Program participants are eligible to receive educational services that include literacy skills, GED and high school diplomas, math skills, vocational training referrals, and substance abuse education. Participants include men and women on parole in Sacramento County who have been referred by their Parole Agent.
SCBC applies SCOE's LINKS career technical education model, aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.
Collaborative program partners include: Bridges, Inc.; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR); California WrapAround; Caltrans; Center for Fathers and Families; House of Integrity; Northern California Construction Training (NCCT); Richer and Associates; River City Recovery; Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services; and Safety Center.