Delaware’s first Women’s Reentry Program opens at Wilmington’s Saint Francis Hospital.
“There are a lot of reentry programs that are exclusive to men. But re-entry is not exclusive to men,” explained Keyanna White, the Women’s Reentry Coordinator. “Women also need these services. So our goal is to connect justice-involved women, and women of the community, with the resources and tools they need to be successful and become productive members of society.”
This is the Wilmington HOPE Commission’s second reentry program. The community-based non-profit launched their men’s reentry program in 2014.
Working with the Delaware Department of Correction, which refers women to voluntarily participate, the program takes a needs-based approach to help participants stay healthy and avoid recidivism.
“It's been something that we've identified as needing for quite some time. We've had a strong partnership with the Hope Commission with the male population, so having them available for the female population as well is just outstanding,” said Delaware Department of Correction Commissioner Terra Taylor.
Services include case management, workforce training, trauma-informed reentry services, and cognitive behavioral intervention.
White says many women who are reentering society after incarceration don’t have a support system.
“So that's really what we do with reentry is implement that support system that's missing and give them a chance to receive help,” said White. “Sometimes people know like ‘hey, I need food stamps’ but they can't fill out the paperwork or they won't schedule the appointment. So if you come I will do those things with you. I'll set you up with someone from social services. So just helping them take that extra step can really transform their lives.”
Janae, a participant in the program, says it’s changed how she approaches life.
“I communicate more,” she said. “So when I talk I don’t take my anger out on certain people anymore. Because she has helped me with my communication I talk about it now instead of just reacting.”
White says there are many barriers that women face when they leave prison. One of those is transportation.
To help combat that, participants receive bus passes every time they come to the program.
It’s the little things like that that show participants that they are being heard. The program has received positive feedback so far.
“The bus passes - I’ve never heard of anyone being mad about getting a bus pass,” White said, with a laugh. “And with everything else, they just say ‘thank you.’”
