Virginia Department of Corrections Building Family Bridges

This program promotes and expands services in detention and correctional facilities to incarcerated individuals who have children younger than age 18, and provides states and localities with funding to implement positive family engagement strategies and activities that address the needs of incarcerated parents with minor children. This program is authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-141.

The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) will use funding to support parents and their minor children by implementing a number of pre/post release strategies and activities to foster positive parent-child engagement, thereby strengthening relationships and reducing recidivism. The Building Family Bridges project will include reentry and transitional services that focus on incorporating parental responsibility and addressing safety and security in facilities for minor children and families. The project will include two levels of facility involvement. One level will pilot a comprehensive wrap around approach in at least three VADOC facilities. The second level will provide training designed to reach all facilities to benefit all offenders with minor children and visiting families. CA/NCF