General Resource Directories
Massachusetts Resource Directory: Use this directory to find local resources across the state. This list of resources is not exhaustive. Do not rely on it as your only list of services.
Coming Home Directory Greater Boston: A Directory of Reentry Services Available to People Returning from Incarceration to Greater Boston.
Coming Home Worcester: Coming Home Central, Metrowest and Western Massachusetts is an online directory of services available to ex-offenders returning to, or currently living in the Central, Metrowest and Western Massachusetts area. The directory is a resource that presents important information for ex-offenders about the services available in our community. Download PDF: Coming Home Worcester_Western and Southest MA_2020
Reentry Supports & Organizations
MassHealth Behavioral Health Supports for Justice Involved Individuals (BH-JI): BH-JI is a statewide program that helps people leaving jail or prison within 6 months, people who have recently left jail or prison, people on parole, and people on probation to connect with behavioral health services and social supports in the community. Individuals needs to be eligible for MassHealth (not required to have active MassHealth), and have a substance use disorder and/or mental health support need. To find the BHJI vendor in your area, go here.
Office of Returning Citizens, Boston: 30 Dimock Street, 2nd floor, Roxbury, MA 02119, Phone: 617-541-3887, Email: [email protected]. Our office supports those who return to Boston after being released from state, federal, and county facilities each year. We envision a Boston where returning citizens can return to their families, flourish in their communities, and regain their sense of dignity. Go here to complete the online registration form.
H.O.P.E. Center: 2015 Washington Street, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184, Phone: 781-751-3393, Email: [email protected]. The H.O.P.E. Center is a program of the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office. The center’s services are free and available to anyone who is looking for assistance and guidance regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, gender, age, economic status or background. This is a welcoming environment where anyone can find help and hope for their future. Working with our staff, each client will receive a personalized plan for success and the support to achieve their goals. From assistance in obtaining basic needs to peer support groups to education and employment assistance, the H.O.P.E. Center is here to guide you.
All-Inclusive Support Services (AISS): 736 State Street, Springfield, MA 01109, Phone: (413) 781-2050. AISS assists formerly incarcerated people in all aspects of their lives as they transition from incarceration into the community. Many face a range of issues such as addiction, mental health problems, lack of identifying documents, employment obstacles, financial concerns, limited education, poor housing situations (or lack of housing), etc. AISS is the bridge that carries the positive momentum begun during incarceration forward and assists individuals in the reentry process. For more information on the range of services offered, go here.
Open Sky Community Compass:454 Grove Street, Worcester, MA 01605, Phone: 508-318-7700, Email: [email protected]. The Community Compass at Open Sky in Worcester is a free, walk-in service, providing supports for successful re-entry to anyone with an incarceration history (Department of Corrections or House of Corrections) in Massachusetts, including those who were awaiting trial or a section 35 commitment at MASAC. The Community Compass provides a judgement-free environment, staffed by people with lived experience. You are a person first and we are here to help you move beyond limitations you may perceive due to your history. Services include assistance accessing Food and Nutrition supports, Education, Employment, Housing, Health Care and Addiction Treatment, obtaining Identification Cards and other documents, in addition to other supports.
Transformational Prison Project (TPP): TPP’s mission is to provide spaces where those who have been harmed and those who have done the harming can come together and engage in dialogue—to build understanding and empathy toward those who have been victims of violent crime. TPP is committed to understanding individual harms and the systemic harms that affect communities, more specifically communities of color. TPP is led by four formerly-incarcerated individuals who personally benefited from TPP’s programs while incarcerated.
Employment
MassHire: Whether you’re in between jobs, seeking a new opportunity, or aiming for career growth, we’ve got you covered. Our comprehensive services include personalized career guidance, informative workshops, specialized training programs, valuable job referrals, expert resume assistance, and access to a wide array of job listings. Our 25 MassHire Career Centers connect jobseekers and businesses for employment opportunities, and our 16 MassHire Workforce Boards engage business in building long-term talent solutions across the Commonwealth. Register for MassHire JobQuest here.
Mass Rehab Commission (MRC): The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) helps individuals with disabilities to live and work independently. MRC is responsible for Vocational Rehabilitation, Community Living and eligibility determination for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefits programs. Apply for services here.
Project Place:1145 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02118, 617-542-3740
Project Place promotes a community of hope and opportunity for homeless and low-income individuals by providing the skills, education and resources needed to obtain and sustain employment and housing.
St. Francis House, 39 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, 617-542-4211
St. Francis established services for formerly incarcerated individuals returning to the community including individuals classified as Level 3 sex offenders. The Moving Ahead Program (MAP), which is a 14-week job and life skills training program. It is designed specifically to assist those who have experienced mental illness, homelessness, addiction, and/or incarceration.
Workforce Career Central, 340 Main Street, Suite 400, Worcester MA, 508-799-1600
Offer classes specific to the job challenges for ex-offenders including the New Leaf Workshop designed to provide strategies for managing the barriers to employment caused by having a CORI. Clients must take the introductory 2-hour Career Center Seminar first and then are able to attend the New Leaf Workshops along with any other seminars or workshops offered.
Training Resources of America Incorporated (TRA): TRA’s mission is to help educationally and economically disadvantaged youth and adults improve the quality of their lives by learning new skills, developing self-confidence and finding pathways to self-sufficiency. Our clients have been successful in increasing their basic reading, language and math levels, improving their English speaking/comprehension capabilities, obtaining a High School Equivalency Credential, learning new skills, developing self-confidence, finding and retaining gainful employment, improving opportunities for increased earnings and job advancement, and becoming active and productive members of their communities. Training sites are in Brockton, New Bedford, Quincy, and Worcester.
Housing
Justice 4 Housing (J4H): 23 Bradston St., Fourth Floor, Boston, MA 02118, Phone: (857) 300-3009. J4H is a grassroots organization that provides housing and family reunification for Justice-Impacted Individuals (JIIs) through policy, advocacy and service. They believe in a Housing First model because a safe and stable home is crucial for a successful reentry. The Hands On Defense (HOD) Program provides legal advocacy support for Justice-Impacted Individuals (JIIs) who face barriers to obtaining permanent housing. Our advocates and Peer Leaders support constituents who are excluded from accessing permanent housing stemming from archaic discriminatory policies. The Hands On Defense Model disrupts the discriminatory process that public housing authorities use to deny Justice-Impacted Individuals access to public housing and housing vouchers at the appellate level. J4H also offers reentry housing and housing supports. Brie’s House addresses the housing needs of Formerly Incarcerated People (FIP) by providing safe and stable temporary housing for 12 individuals and no less than six months of wrap-around stabilization services. The Brie’s House program paves the way to permanent housing by providing housing search support, financial empowerment resources and a safe place for clients to begin rebuilding their lives.
New Beginnings Reentry Services (NBRS)’s Empowerment Home: 6 Roxbury, St Roxbury, Ma 02119, Phone: 781-807-1741, Email: [email protected]. Our mission is to reduce recidivism by advocating for and providing services to women who are reentering local neighborhoods and communities. Through our Community Engagement Center, we work to build alliances, collaborations, and networks to create positive changes in policies that negatively impact men & women involved in the criminal justice system. Clients learn to express feelings appropriately, improving their social skills and relationships while strengthening the innumerable roles they play in their personal and professional lives. Here are links to addition Housing Resources.
Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc. (P.A.A.C.A.): 360 Coggeshall St, New Bedford, MA 02746, Phone: (508) 997-9051. PAACA operates numerous scattered units of permanent supportive housing throughout New Bedford. The housing programs are for people in recovery who are transitioning from homelessness and are working or engaged in a training program. PAACA provides rental subsidies to individuals and families in the program as well as supportive services designed to assist clients stabilize the emotional and financial dimensions of their lives.
Please note that the information provided on this page is not an endorsement of services nor is it a substitute for due diligence. While every effort is made to keep the information updated, there is no guarantee of its accuracy.
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