St. Louis County, Minnesota Jail Reentry Support Project

St. Louis County proposes to implement the St. Louis County, MN, Jail Reentry Support Project. The purpose is to coordinate wrap around behavioral health (mental health and substance use/misuse) services for individuals incarcerated in St. Louis County Jail and in the community to improve re-entry outcomes and reduce recidivism in St. Louis County, MN. Project activities include managing scheduling for behavioral health and programs’ diagnostics and services, coordinating interdepartmental teams, providing insurance navigation, and developing reentry packets by the proposed Jail Conductor. Expected outcomes include increased access to mental health treatment and substance use services, both inside the jail and on reentry, increased access to health insurance, increased coordination across systems of care, increased participation in planning and implementation from BIPOC community members, and reduced recidivism. As a subrecipient, Recovery Alliance Duluth’s Community Coordinator will build relationships among stakeholders serving justice involved individuals to improve access across the continuum of care and create a sustainability plan for jail reentry efforts. As a subrecipient, St. Luke’s Regional Healthcare System’s activities (through a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) include conducting mental health diagnostic assessments and offering group therapy to people in the jail and upon reentry. People incarcerated in the St. Louis County Jail flagged on booking for further mental health, substance use, or programs assessments and/or services are the intended beneficiaries of the project.

   The project will focus of making a concerted effort to reach out to St. Louis County Employee Resource Groups like the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) Leadership Team and representative organizations like the American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) to solicit feedback on the project team’s protocols and communications and modify them for cultural sensitivity.

    St. Louis County’s proposed Community Coordinator, Jail Conductor, and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) will fill critical gaps in St. Louis County Jail’s reentry program. While the LICSW will add a much-needed diagnostic tool within the jail, the Community Coordinator and Jail Conductor will strengthen communication internally and externally to increase the likelihood that inmates leaving the Jail will have the resources and relationships with community care providers needed to be successful upon their release.