Summary/Abstract

Second Chance Act - Contact your Members of Congress today. Click thru on the hyperlink above. Enter your zip code. A letter is provided. It will take 15 seconds. We need your help!

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Second Chance Act - Contact your Members of Congress today. Click thru on the hyperlink above. Enter your zip code. A letter is provided. It will take 15 seconds. We need your help! ========================================================================= Take Action! Ask Congress to fund the Second Chance Act The Second Chance Act passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law in April 2008. It is a common-sense, evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails. This first-of-its-kind legislation authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism. The majority of people in prison and jail have a substance abuse disorder. Unfortunately, just a fraction of the people who need services receive it. Connecting people incarcerated to treatment programs proven to be effective, and engaging them in community-based aftercare will improve outcomes for people released from prisons and jails, and ultimately result in safer neighborhoods for the communities to which they return. Throughout the country, Second Chance programs are providing crucial services. Second Chance funds Substance Abuse Collaboration grants, which focus on co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders, the Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment grants, and additional treatment initiatives through the State and Local Reentry Demonstration projects The Second Chance Act is critical to supporting effective substance abuse treatment programs throughout the country. Please support the Second Chance Act as an investment in treatment for offenders working towards a safe and successful reentry into their communities. The Senate and House are working on fiscal year 2012 funding now, so it is imperative that you contact your Members of Congress immediately.