High Risk Youth Offender Reentry Initiative

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) will expand the Alaska Re-Entry Initiative model of Anchorage to the communities of Fairbanks and Juneau. The program utilizes the Intensive Aftercare Program Model and overarching case management as the foundation of the program, which has allowed for community collaboration and program sustainability.

The expansion of the re-entry program and continued development of community-based partners will assist Alaska's juvenile offenders to return to their communities as engaged and productive citizens. This project will assist the DJJ in its continued effort to develop statewide standards for re-entry services that will help ensure quality services for juvenile offenders, their victims, and communities across Alaska.

It is critical that Alaska continue with the efforts to expand these re-entry services statewide and continue to implement activities that will fill the gaps that remain for transitional services statewide. Alaska plans to standardize transitional services statewide, increase family counseling services to youth receiving re-entry services, develop and improve transitional housing arrangements for these youth, expand community partnerships, develop community advisory boards, and provide opportunities for job training and independent living skills. It is the goal of Alaska's DJJ to deliver the most effective re-entry services in both rural and urban communities statewide. Whether youth are re-entering the smallest rural village or the largest urban center, they will have the supervision, services, and support necessary to prevent them from re-offending.CA/NCF