A resident’s smooth transition back to the community is the mis­sion for CoreCivic’s Fort Worth Transitional Center in Fort Worth, Texas. This CoreCivic facility partners with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to provide a supportive, step-down envi­ronment for approximately 200 individuals who have been paroled.

Two of the main barriers to successful reentry are securing hous­ing and employment. As a residential reentry facility, Fort Worth helps residents overcome both barriers by providing short-term housing until residents either reconnect with family or locate other suitable accom­modations and by helping residents find gainful employment.

“Our goal is to help residents find employment, so they can find their own apartment or place to live and successfully reenter society,” said Loy Serrano, facility director at Fort Worth. “Finding and maintaining a job can make all the difference in keeping a justice-involved individual from returning to prison.”

Calvin Goode, employment placement specialist at Fort Worth, coor­dinates with Serrano to host frequent career fairs at the facility, inviting three to five employers at a time. At these career events, residents can meet with employers, submit applications, and participate in on-the-spot job interviews.

“Last year, we had four job fairs, and this year our goal is to hold a small job fair every month,” said Serrano. “In February, we held a job fair where 12 individuals received job offers in one day. That means a lot because we know that getting that first job opportunity is often the most difficult for formerly incarcerated individuals.”

When Fort Worth residents are not searching for employment or at their job, they may participate in a range of programs offered by trained professionals at the facility, including job readiness training, substance use disorder counseling, behavioral health care, and life skills programs.

Moreover, Fort Worth partners with several community organiza­tions onsite to support residents on their journey to self-sufficiency: Cornerstone Reentry Services helps residents obtain official identifica­tion records needed for employment; One Man’s Treasure provides a complete set of clothing and shoes for each resident; Texas Christian University offers case management and follow-up services for residents receiving mental health services; and the nearby Justin Boots factory donates work boots to residents who may need them for their job.

The care and support provided by staff at Fort Worth doesn’t stop once justice-involved individuals leave the facility either. Staff have cre­ated a comprehensive community resource directory to provide to resi­dents who are being released, so they have an easy-to-use reference guide with community resources listed by county.

“Every individual who comes to Fort Worth Transitional Center is unique, but they face many of the same challenges to successful reentry. We see the time they spend with us as another step toward becoming successful, contributing members of society,” said Serrano.