What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Attorney General to give grants to community nonprofits so they can operate one-stop reentry centers. These centers help people who have been incarcerated or convicted get back into their communities by offering job help, housing assistance, education support and other services all in one place. The bill also creates a separate program to fund hotlines that give people information about reentry services.
##
Who It Affects
- Community-based nonprofit organizations in areas with high numbers of formerly incarcerated people
- People who have been convicted of crimes or released from prison
- Families of people returning from incarceration
- States, Indian Tribes and local governments that run hotlines
- The Attorney General and the federal government
##
Key Provisions
- The Attorney General can award grants to nonprofits to create community reentry centers that provide job training, housing help, education support, legal aid, mental health services and other assistance (Sec. 2(a))
- Grant applications must show plans to work with community leaders and survey what services people need most after release (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- Centers must help people access the specific services they need, track how many people find jobs or housing, and measure whether fewer people return to prison (Sec. 2(b)(5) and (7))
- The Attorney General should favor grant applicants who hire formerly incarcerated people for jobs (Sec. 2(c))
- The Attorney General can fund hotlines operated by states, tribes or local governments that are free, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and help people find local reentry services (Sec. 3(a))
##
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, nonprofits in areas with high incarceration rates can apply for federal grants to open reentry centers. These centers will coordinate services like job training, housing help and legal aid. The Attorney General will report annually to Congress on how many people use these centers and whether they find jobs, housing or avoid returning to prison. Additionally, states and tribes can apply for grants to run free helplines about reentry services that operate around the clock.
##
Important Definitions
- **Community Reentry Center**: A center offering intake assessments, case management and referrals to help people after conviction or release from prison (Sec. 2(e)(2))
- **Reentry Services**: Comprehensive help including job assistance, housing, education support, legal aid, mental health services, substance use treatment and 25 other types of support listed in the bill (Sec. 2(e)(4))
- **Eligible Entity**: A nonprofit with expertise in reentry services located in an area with high numbers of arrested or convicted residents (Sec. 2(e)(3))
- **Community Stakeholder**: People who serve the community including school officials, faith leaders, social service workers, public safety representatives and government employees (Sec. 2(e)(1))
- **Success Rate**: How many people avoid returning to prison, get jobs, find permanent housing or complete education programs (Sec. 2(e)(5))
##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 981
To authorize implementation grants to community-based nonprofits to operate
one-stop reentry centers.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 10, 2023
Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE (for herself and Ms. BROWN) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To authorize implementation grants to community-based
nonprofits to operate one-stop reentry centers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘One Stop Shop Com-
4
munity Reentry Program Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. COMMUNITY REENTRY CENTER GRANT PROGRAM.
6
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Attorney General
7
is authorized to carry out a grant program to make grants
8
to eligible entities for the purpose of creating community
9
reentry centers.
10
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•HR 981 IH
(b) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—Each applica-
1
tion for a grant under this section shall—
2
(1) demonstrate a plan to work with community
3
stakeholders who interact with formerly incarcerated
4
people or individuals with a conviction record and
5
their families to—
6
(A) identify specific strategies and ap-
7
proaches to providing reentry services;
8
(B) develop a needs assessment tool to sur-
9
vey or conduct focus groups with community
10
members in order to identify—
11
(i) the needs of individuals after con-
12
viction or incarceration, and the barriers
13
such individuals face; and
14
(ii) the needs of the families and com-
15
munities to which such individuals belong;
16
and
17
(C) use the information gathered pursuant
18
to subparagraph (B) to determine the reentry
19
services to be provided by the community re-
20
entry center;
21
(2) identify the institutions from which individ-
22
uals who are released from incarceration are likely
23
to reenter the community served by the community
24
reentry center, and develop a plan, if feasible, to
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•HR 981 IH
provide transportation for such released individuals
1
to the community reentry center, to the individual’s
2
residence, or to a location where the individual is or-
3
dered by a court to report;
4
(3) demonstrate a plan to provide accessible no-
5
tice of the location of the reentry intake and coordi-
6
nation center and the services that it will provide
7
(either directly or on a referral basis), including,
8
where feasible, within and outside of institutions
9
identified under paragraph (1);
10
(4) demonstrate a plan to provide intake and
11
reentry needs assessment that is trauma-informed
12
and gender-responsive after an individual is released
13
from an institution, or, in the case of an individual
14
who is convicted of an offense and not sentenced to
15
a term of imprisonment, after such conviction, and
16
where feasible, before release, to ensure that the in-
17
dividuals served by the center are referred to appro-
18
priate reentry services based on the individual’s
19
needs immediately upon release from an institution
20
or after conviction, and continuously thereafter as
21
needed;
22
(5) demonstrate a plan to provide the reentry
23
services identified in paragraph (1)(C);
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4
•HR 981 IH
(6) demonstrate a plan to continue to provide
1
services (including through referral) for individuals
2
served by the center who move to a different geo-
3
graphic area to ensure appropriate case manage-
4
ment, case planning, and access to continuous or
5
new services, where necessary, and based on con-
6
sistent reevaluation of needs;
7
(7) identify specific methods that the commu-
8
nity reentry center will employ to achieve perform-
9
ance objectives among the individuals served by the
10
center, including—
11
(A) increased access to and participation
12
in reentry services;
13
(B) reduction in recidivism rates;
14
(C) increased numbers of individuals ob-
15
taining and retaining employment;
16
(D) increased enrollment in and degrees
17
earned from educational programs, including
18
high school or the equivalent thereof, and insti-
19
tutions of higher education, and receipt of pro-
20
fessional or occupational licenses;
21
(E) increased enrollment in vocational re-
22
habilitation, technical schools, or vocational
23
training;
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5
•HR 981 IH
(F) increased numbers of individuals ob-
1
taining and maintaining permanent and stable
2
housing; and
3
(G) increased self-reports of successful
4
community living, including stability of living
5
situation and positive family relationships; and
6
(8) to the extent practicable, identify State,
7
local, and private funds available to supplement the
8
funds received under this section.
9
(c) PREFERENCE.—The Attorney General shall give
10
preference to applicants that demonstrate that they seek
11
to employ individuals who have been convicted of an of-
12
fense, or served a term of imprisonment and have com-
13
pleted any court-ordered supervision, or that, to the extent
14
allowable by law, employ such formerly incarcerated indi-
15
viduals in positions of responsibility.
16
(d) EVALUATION AND REPORT.—
17
(1) EVALUATION.—The Attorney General shall
18
enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organiza-
19
tion with expertise in analyzing data related to re-
20
entry services and recidivism to monitor and evalu-
21
ate each recipient of funds under this section.
22
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the
23
date on which grants are initially made under this
24
section, and annually thereafter, the Attorney Gen-
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6
•HR 981 IH
eral shall submit to Congress a report on the pro-
1
gram, which shall include—
2
(A) the number of grants made, the num-
3
ber of eligible entities receiving such grants,
4
and the amount of funding distributed to each
5
eligible entity pursuant to this section;
6
(B) the location of each eligible entity re-
7
ceiving such a grant, and the population served
8
by the community reentry center;
9
(C) the number of persons who have par-
10
ticipated in reentry services offered by a com-
11
munity reentry center, disaggregated by type of
12
services, and success rates of participants in
13
each service to the extent possible;
14
(D) the number of persons who have par-
15
ticipated in reentry services for which they re-
16
ceived a referral from a community reentry cen-
17
ter, disaggregated by type of services, and suc-
18
cess rates of participants in each service;
19
(E) recidivism rates within the population
20
served by each community reentry center, both
21
before and after receiving a grant under this
22
section;
23
(F) the numbers of individuals obtaining
24
and retaining employment within the population
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7
•HR 981 IH
served by each community reentry center, both
1
before and after receiving a grant under this
2
section;
3
(G) the number of individuals obtaining
4
and maintaining housing within the population
5
served by each community reentry center, both
6
before and after receiving a grant under this
7
section;
8
(H) the number of individuals enrolled in
9
an educational program, including high school,
10
or the equivalent thereof, and institutions of
11
higher education, both before and after receiv-
12
ing a grant under this section;
13
(I) the number of individuals enrolled in
14
vocational rehabilitation, technical schools, or
15
vocational training, both before and after re-
16
ceiving a grant under this section;
17
(J) for each eligible entity receiving a
18
grant under this section, the number of individ-
19
uals employed who have been convicted of an
20
offense, or served a term of imprisonment and
21
have completed any court-ordered supervision,
22
to include the number of formerly incarcerated
23
individuals in positions of responsibility; and
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
8
•HR 981 IH
(K) other relevant information, which may
1
include recommendations, if any, to improve the
2
effectiveness and efficiency of the grant pro-
3
gram under this section, and to address bar-
4
riers faced by individuals receiving reentry serv-
5
ices from community reentry centers.
6
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
7
(1) COMMUNITY
STAKEHOLDER.—The term
8
‘‘community stakeholder’’—
9
(A) means an individual who serves the
10
community; and
11
(B) includes—
12
(i) a school official;
13
(ii) a faith leader;
14
(iii) a social service provider;
15
(iv) a leader of a neighborhood asso-
16
ciation;
17
(v) a public safety representative;
18
(vi) an employee of an organization
19
that provides reentry services;
20
(vii) a member of a civic or volunteer
21
group related to the provision of reentry
22
services;
23
(viii) a health care professional; and
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
9
•HR 981 IH
(ix) an employee of a State, local, or
1
tribal government agency with expertise in
2
the provision of reentry services.
3
(2) COMMUNITY REENTRY CENTER.—The term
4
‘‘community reentry center’’ means a center that—
5
(A) offers intake, reentry needs assess-
6
ments, case management, and case planning for
7
reentry services for individuals after conviction
8
or incarceration;
9
(B) provides the reentry services identified
10
under subsection (b)(1)(C) at a single location;
11
and
12
(C) provides referrals to appropriate serv-
13
ice providers based on the assessment of needs
14
of the individuals.
15
(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
16
ty’’ means a community-based nonprofit organiza-
17
tion that—
18
(A) has expertise in the provision of re-
19
entry services; and
20
(B) is located in a geographic area that
21
has disproportionately high numbers of resi-
22
dents, when compared to the local community,
23
who—
24
(i) have been arrested;
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
10
•HR 981 IH
(ii) have been convicted of a criminal
1
offense; and
2
(iii) return to such geographic area
3
after incarceration.
4
(4) REENTRY
SERVICES.—The term ‘‘reentry
5
services’’—
6
(A) means comprehensive and holistic serv-
7
ices that improve outcomes for individuals after
8
conviction or incarceration; and
9
(B) includes—
10
(i) seeking and maintaining employ-
11
ment, including—
12
(I) assistance with drafting re-
13
sumes, establishing emails accounts,
14
locating job solicitations, submitting
15
of job applications, and preparing for
16
interviews; and
17
(II) securing any licenses, certifi-
18
cations, government-issued identifica-
19
tions, or other documentation nec-
20
essary to obtain employment;
21
(ii) placement in job placement pro-
22
grams that partner with private employers;
23
(iii) obtaining free and low-cost job
24
skills classes, including computer skills,
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
11
•HR 981 IH
technical skills, vocational skills, and any
1
other job-related or other necessary skills;
2
(iv) supporting preparation for post-
3
secondary education, including academic
4
counseling, peer mentoring, and commu-
5
nity support;
6
(v) locating and maintaining housing,
7
which may include housing counseling, as-
8
sisting with finding and securing afford-
9
able housing including in areas of oppor-
10
tunity, assisting with applications for sub-
11
sidized housing and housing-related bene-
12
fits, locating and identifying temporary
13
shelter when housing cannot be found im-
14
mediately, and applying for home energy
15
and utility assistance programs;
16
(vi) obtaining identification cards,
17
driver’s licenses, replacement Social Secu-
18
rity cards, birth certificates, and citizen-
19
ship or immigration documentation;
20
(vii) registering to vote, and applying
21
for voting rights to be restored, where per-
22
mitted by law;
23
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
12
•HR 981 IH
(viii) applying for or accessing high
1
school equivalency classes, vocational reha-
2
bilitation, or technical courses;
3
(ix) applying for loans for and admis-
4
sion to institutions of higher education;
5
(x) financial counseling planning, em-
6
powerment, or coaching;
7
(xi) legal assistance or referrals for
8
record sealing or expungement, forfeiture
9
of property or assets, family law and cus-
10
tody matters, legal aid services (including
11
other civil legal aid services), and relevant
12
civil matters including housing and other
13
issues;
14
(xii) retrieving property or funds re-
15
tained by the arresting agency or facility of
16
incarceration, or retrieving property or
17
funds obtained while incarcerated;
18
(xiii)
transportation,
including
19
through provision of transit fare;
20
(xiv) individual and familial coun-
21
seling;
22
(xv) problem-solving, in coordination
23
with counsel where necessary, any difficul-
24
ties in compliance with court-ordered su-
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
05:52 Mar 07, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H981.IH
H981
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
13
•HR 981 IH
pervision requirements, including restric-
1
tions on living with certain family mem-
2
bers, contact with certain friends, bond re-
3
quirements, location and residency restric-
4
tions, electronic monitoring compliance,
5
court-ordered substance use disorder treat-
6
ment, and other court-ordered require-
7
ments;
8
(xvi) communication needs, including
9
providing a mobile phone, mobile phone
10
service or access, or internet access;
11
(xvii) applying for State or Federal
12
government benefits, where eligible, an
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]