The Tennessee Institute of Public Health (TNIPH) at the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health has selected organizations in three Appalachian Tennessee counties to participate in the next round of the Correctional Career Pathways program.
The first of its kind in the state, and possibly nationally, the Correctional Career Pathways program began in Greene County, Tennessee workhouse in 2015. The program gives non-violent offenders in local jails the opportunity to break the cycle of arrest and incarceration and transition into the workforce. The program has since been replicated in Grundy, Roane, Scott and Sullivan Counties.
With the support of the Appalachian Regional Commission, the program will now be expanded into Campbell, Hamblen and Union County. The partners in each county will be led by STAND, the McNabb Center and ICare Union County.
“The Correctional Career Pathways program is based on a formula to empower inmates through education, job opportunities and a broad range of interventions to provide increasingly important recovery support services to assist inmates and their families,” said TNIPH Executive Director, Ginny Kidwell. “After instruction in life skills and special training, selected inmates go to work while still incarcerated. A percentage of their earnings are set aside to pay court-ordered costs, and the remainder is placed in individual accounts for optional use before and after release.”
This round of funding will include comprehensive peer recovery components in partnership with Ballad Health, the McNabb Center and anti-drug coalitions to address substance use disorder and mental health issues among participating inmates.
In addition to the ARC, partners supporting the CCP program include Ballad Health, the Center for Rural Health and Research, the East Tennessee Foundation, the ETSU College of Public Health, and the Niswonger Foundation.
“Congratulations to community and business leaders in Campbell, Hamblen and Union counties. They are to be commended for striving to reintegrate inmates as contributing members of society, which will positively impact the social and economic well-being of these communities by redirecting money and social capital and by strengthening families,” said Kidwell.
She added that this year’s CCP program will feature an on-line CCP replication model that includes a virtual CCP implementation tool-kit, on-line training modules, videos, testimonials and related materials to be launched on the Tennessee Public Health Training Center platform.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local governments. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the United States President.
The Tennessee Institute of Public Health in the ETSU College of Public Health is a lead statewide convener of organizations, agencies and groups designed to build and foster the collaborations necessary to improve population health. For further information about TNIPH or this project, please contact Ginny Kidwell at kidwell@etsu.edu .