Senate Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2016 Bridges of America
Requester:	Lori Costantino-Brown		Organization:		Bridges of America
Project Title:	Bridges of America		Date Submitted:		01/31/2000 5:18:10 PM
District Member:	Daniel Webster		Service Area:		Statewide
Counties Affected:	{Statewide}
Recipient:	Bridges of America		Contact:		Lori Constantino-Brown
	2055 Mercy Drive		Contact Phone:		(407) 291-1500
	Orlando 32808
Project Description:
Bridges of America?s 100 Bed Post-Release Housing Program provides therapeutic support, affordable housing, job placement assistance, and additional substance abuse treatment through referrals when needed. The program links services to offenders and inmates who are released from community and prison substance abuse programs. They also provide and link services to offenders who are currently on community supervision or has been released from prison or community supervision within ninety days and are assessed to need transitional housing services. The program is designed to meet the various needs of offenders and inmates when they attempt to re-enter their communities. The case managers at each program location are responsible for the initial intake and assessment to determine what services are essential for the resident reintegration back into their communities. The overall mission of the Post-Release Transitional Housing Program is to assist post-released offenders by providing transitional housing and other such support services to assist them in maintaining a drug-free, independent living, crime-free life style in order to help make a successful re-entry into the community.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The program cost includes housing, food (two meals per day), electricity, local phone, job placement services, and transitional services. The transitional services include orientation, intake and assessment, financial management assistance and transportation assistance, post-secondary education, employment/vocational skills, domestic violence counseling. This program will benefit the state by reducing the current recidivism rate. The program will address the number one problem for released inmates: a poor transition. Inmates being released back into the community are given a better chance for making a positive contribution to the society. The cost of the service is $10.00 per day per client. A client is required to pay $75.00 per day once they become gainfully employed.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The measurable outcome is based on three variables. 1) Gainful employment at the termination of the program, 2) Suitable housing at termination, 3) Satisfactory completion of goal agreed upon by Client and Case Manager. We have maintanied a 65-75% success rate for all eligible clients.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$365,000
Total cost of the project:		$365,000

Request has been made to fund:			Operations
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						No
Was this project previously funded by the State?						Yes
	Fiscal Year:	1999		Amount:		$365,000
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$365,000
	Purpose for future year funding:				Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?					Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	The proposal will be sent to Criminal Justice Appropriations
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						Yes
	Hearing Body:	House Justice Appropriations
	Meeting Date:	02/18/1999