MontCo Seeks Grant for Inmate Re-Entry Program

Montgomery County Commissioners are seeking a grant to fund a 12-month pilot program for the Montgomery County Correctional Facility to help inmates find gainful employment after being released.

According to a press release from Montgomery County, 62 percent of inmates in Montgomery County return to prison.

“The recidivism rate, while better than the national average, is too high,” said Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “And we need to do something about it.”

This week, the commissioners approved the application for a $185,000 federal grant that would supplement $270,00 in state workforce development funds.

The program will include job readiness, classroom instruction, individual career counseling, assessment and training, job placement and employment retention support, according to Warden Julio Algarin.

“The more we can do to help the people be successful when they leave prison, to be able to reacclimatize to life, to get a job, to be able to care for their families and to avoid having to go back to prison, that’s the goal of this initiative,” Shapiro said.

The program will begin with 15 prescreened participants, and will add participants every quarter going forward.