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CBIRS Request 828
 
Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #828
COACH Ex-Offender Re-Entry & Survival Program
 
Requester: Willie G. Dixon Organization: COACH Foundation, Inc.
 
Project Title: COACH Ex-Offender Re-Entry & Survival Program Date Submitted 1/2/2008 9:45:49 AM
 
Sponsors: Crist
 
Statewide Interest:
Tax payers are very concerned regarding the incarceration of over 94,000 inmates within the Florida Department of Corrections at a cost of $ 2,064,537,661 for the 2005/2006 fiscal year. Each year over 8,000 of these inmates will return to Hillsborough County. Without proper assistance, over one third of these inmates will commit new crimes and return to prison within one year of their release from incarceration.
 
Recipient: Coach Foundation, Inc.   Contact: Willie G. Dixon  
  1331 W. Cass Street   Contact Phone: (813) 254-3700  
  Tampa 33606   Contact email: wdixon2558@aol.com
 
Counties: Hillsborough
 
Gov't Entity:   Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): Yes
 
Project Description:
This pilot program will collaborate with a group of concerned organizations to provide ex-offenders with employability and life skills training. The participants will be assisted with job training and placement, counseling, housing, transportation and obtaining required identification and driver�s licensing documentation. The screening process and need assessment will begin 90-180 days before the inmate is released from incarceration. Participants will be given referrals to the appropriate social service agencies. This process will enable ex-offenders to make a smooth transition back into the community and their families.
 
Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? No
 
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The COACH Program will serve 101 participants with an 80% success rate of recidivism by providing a program that outlines a smooth transition for ex-offenders to return back into the community by helping program participants to obtain viable employment, housing, counseling, a social security card and/or driver�s license and educational training. The net result will be tax payers saving 1.8 million dollars annually. The project�s success will be determined by the number of ex-offenders who successfully complete the program and remain drug and crime free.
 
Amount requested from the State for this project this year: $150,000
 
Total cost of the project: $200,000
 
Request has been made to fund: Operations
 
What type of match exists for this project? Local
  Cash Amount $25,000   In-kind Amount $25,000
 
Was this project previously funded by the state?   No
 
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?   Yes
  Amount: $125,000 To Fund: Operations
 
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?   No
 
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? No
 
Is there a documented need for this project? Yes
  Documentation: Florida Department of Correctioins Bureau of Research and Data Analysis, November 2, 2007
 
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?   Yes
  Hearing Body: Hillsborough County Delegation Meeting
 
Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida?   No