TNIPH Selects Correctional Career Pathways Participants
The Tennessee Institute of Public Health (TNIPH) at the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health has selected organizations in three Appalachian Tennessee counties to participate in the Correctional Career Pathways Project with funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission. Communities participating in this second round to further expand this model workforce development program for inmates in county jails are Hancock County, Roane County and Sullivan County.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition, and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office will lead their respective new local CCP projects. The first of its kind in the state, and possibly nationally, the Correctional Career Pathways program began in Greene County, Tennessee in 2015. The program gives non-violent offenders in local jails the opportunity to break the cycle of arrest and incarceration and transition into the workforce. TNIPH was successful during 2018-2019 in developing a well-defined roadmap, along with funding and technical assistance, to replicate the program in Grundy and Scott counties in Tennessee.
“The Correctional Career Pathways program is based on a compassionate formula to empower inmates through education, job opportunities and a broad range of interventions to provide increasingly important recovery support services to assist inmates and their families. After instruction in life skills and special training, selected inmates go to work while still incarcerated. A percentage of their earnings are set aside to pay court-ordered costs, and the remainder is placed in individual accounts for optional use before and after release,” said TNIPH executive director Ginny Kidwell.
The new project will provide funding, leadership, training, and infrastructure in 2021-2022 to replicate the CCP program. The new projects were awarded through a region-wide competitive process to eligible communities with adaptations to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new comprehensive PEERhelp recovery component was added to the model this cycle in partnership with Ballad Health to address substance use disorder and mental health issues among participating inmates. In addition to the ARC, partners supporting this program are Ballad Health, the Center for Rural Health Research, the East Tennessee Foundation, the ETSU College of Public Health, and the Niswonger Foundation.
“Congratulations to community and business leaders in Hancock, Roane and Sullivan counties. They are to be commended for striving to reintegrate inmates as contributing members of society, which will positively impact the social and economic well-being of these communities by redirecting money and social capital and by strengthening families,” said Kidwell.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local governments. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president.
The Tennessee Institute of Public Health in the ETSU College of Public Health is a lead statewide convener of organizations, agencies and groups designed to build and foster the collaborations necessary to improve population health. For further information about TNIPH or this project, please contact Ginny Kidwell at kidwell@etsu.edu.