Sheriff's Reentry Services honored

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is being recognized by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) for giving men and women in county jails a second chance to successfully prepare for their return to their communities.

During the SDCTA's Golden Watchdog and Fleece Awards on Nov. 16, the Sheriff's Department received the "Public-Private Partnership Award" for the groundbreaking work being done by Sheriff's Reentry Services. Accepting the award were Sheriff Kelly Martinez, Assistant Sheriff Theresa Adams-Hydar and Sheriff's Reentry Services Manager Patricia Ceballos.

With more than three dozen reentry programs ranging from gardening to construction trades to culinary arts, Sheriff's Reentry Services gives incarcerated men and women the opportunity to learn valuable skills.

The Sheriff's Department partners with more than 40 organizations to connect incarcerated individuals with various resources for a successful transition back into society.

"This award represents the Sheriff's Reentry Services Division's (RSD) dedication to helping individuals achieve positive change and highlights the meaningful partnerships we have built to reinforce the positive impact we make each day," said Ceballos.

Sheriff's Reentry Services also collaborates with its partners to provide wellness classes. For example, the Old Globe Theater brings its performances right to the participants through their Arts Engagement tours. The Old Globe Theater also offers a reentry group the participants can attend upon their release from custody. This has helped many of them stay connected to one another and the theater.

Another successful collaboration has been with San Diego Workforce Partnership. There are career centers at both the East Mesa Reentry Facility in Otay Mesa, as well as the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee.

The team from San Diego Workforce Partnership conducts workshops to support the participants with resumes, skills such as mock job interviews and connections to employers both during and post-incarceration. Employers are brought into county jails for a job fair, offering participants the opportunity to find a job prior to their release from custody.

Community partnerships are key to providing additional education, skills, linkage to services in the community and assist in creating a pathway to sustainable employment and increased self-sufficiency.

These programs empower individuals by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Participants acquire the knowledge and abilities necessary to find gainful employment. Ultimately, these individuals achieve a greater level of independence, confidence and long-term success.

Sheriff's Reentry Services has created programs that are essential to reducing recidivism by giving participants opportunities to better their lives once they are released from Sheriff's custody.

Participants are also provided services ranging from obtaining identification cards, birth certificates and enrolling in medical insurance prior to their release. Reentry programs are proven to help reduce rates of return to custody, increasing public safety and supporting successful reentry to the community.