ReMerge of Oklahoma County

PROJECT PURPOSE

For over two decades, Oklahoma has had one of the highest rates of female incarceration in the country. In response to this crisis, two programs were initiated in Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties to address the devastation incarceration has on women, children, the fabric of our community, and the well-being of our economy. Over a decade ago, ReMerge and Family & Children?s Services? Women in Recovery (WIR) program separately launched evidence-based diversion programs that provide holistic care to high-risk, high-need women who have been further impacted by the pandemic. These innovative programs have proven that treatment works to reduce recidivism and restore women to our communities and the workforce. Our efforts should no longer be limited to families living in Oklahoma?s two metropolitan areas where resources have been most plentiful. Both ReMerge and F&CS? Women?s Justice Programs (WJP) are separately seeking funding to build on successful programming and launch a pilot program to expand to contiguous counties. ReMerge's pilot program will serve 45 additional women from rural communities throughout the life of the project as well as 210 Oklahoma County ReMerge participants for a total of 280 women and their combined 700 children, with an expected economic impact of $3,852,249.00 Additionally, the project will support the development of a Community Center that will serve our 154 graduate families. This expansion will transform lives in rural communities, allow ReMerge to further strengthen current programming, and also provide data to Oklahoma?s legislators to inform future efforts to scale diversion across the state.

EVIDENCE

The work of ReMerge and WJP is rooted in evidence-based practices focusing on trauma, addiction, and mental health treatment for women who are ineligible for other diversion programs and facing long-term prison sentences. This holistic approach is less of a tax burden on the State of Oklahoma and provides far more positive outcomes for women including employment training and placement, reunification with children and families reducing foster care and OKDHS involvement, stable housing, and long-term recovery. Additionally, both programs provide continuing care services that help women maintain economic and social stability, resulting in low recidivism rates and transformed lives.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

This joint pilot program will serve justice-involved women in rural counties surrounding Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Two out of every three women who are in prison in Oklahoma have had a history of poverty, abuse, homelessness, undiagnosed and untreated mental illness ? all of which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of women in the justice system have experienced physical or sexual abuse as a child. Seventy percent have been the victim of intimate partner violence. During this pandemic access to jails and courthouses was limited, contributing to soaring rates of isolation, depression, prolonged stress, and the complexities around congregate housing, childcare needs, school closures, transportation limitations, and workforce interruptions. Experts predict the pandemic will continue to have far-reaching, generational impacts. Support for ReMerge and WJP equals support for the highest risk, highest need women in our communities who have also faced compounding adverse COVID effects impacting reliable employment, wages, and women?s intensified responsibilities to meet childcare, school needs, and family demands. With ARPA funding, we can expand opportunities for more Oklahomans to experience social and economic stability, while also helping to meet our state?s workforce needs. Currently, Oklahoma has the 12th largest workforce shortage in the country.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Both ReMerge and Women?s Justice Programs (WJP) operate sophisticated data platforms to oversee program quality, performance, and outcomes in all program areas (e.g., treatment, employment, child reunification, and health and wellness). Data is collected on an ongoing basis and reviewed quarterly. With ARPA support, both programs will secure an external evaluator to conduct a joint annual evaluation to inform program decision-making, identify resource scarcities in rural communities that will demand creative solutions, and make recommendations to the legislature for scaling diversion opportunities across the state of Oklahoma.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding