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Strong Families =
Successful Children

INITIATIVE:
Promoting Family Behavioral Health in the Prison Re-Entry Population
There are few people in our community who face a harder road to travel than those returning from prison. Ohio incarcerates more people than many other states, and this large prison population translates into a large prison re-entry population. Approximately 20 percent of the Ohio prison population returns to Cuyahoga County, and 79 percent of those individuals return to Cleveland. Formerly incarcerated people often need additional support as they rejoin the community. During incarceration, they've lost financial, emotional and social support, and not much happens in prison to change behavioral health issues.

The impact of incarceration has a huge effect on the person's family as well. Children with an incarcerated parent are at high risk of becoming offenders themselves. Strengthening family support of re-entry individuals helps keep them out of prison and find employment. And close attachment to their families decreases the likelihood of substance abuse. All these factors make it crucial to develop services that promote behavioral health and strengthen families within the criminal justice re-entry population.

PROGRESS TO DATE:
Cuyahoga County government will integrate their long-planned comprehensive re-entry pilot project with this CVC initiative, creating a unified plan for the community with a single lead agency to head the combined project plan, which will address issues related to housing and employment as well as family behavioral health and community attitudes toward ex-offenders. CVC committee members will oversee this public-private partnership.

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For more than 95 years, United Way of Greater Cleveland has been focused on programs that improve the lives of those around us – but we can’t do it without your help. Whether you are a new donor or you’ve been a loyal contributor, your support can help strengthen our community at this critical time.

Click here to donate to United Way of Greater Cleveland

How I Live United

When we reach out a hand
to one, we influence the
condition of all. That's what
it means to LIVE UNITED.

We want to know how you
LIVE UNITED. How do you get involved? What organizations, causes and communities are close to your heart? How do you "Give. Advocate. Volunteer."?

Send us your story.

Upcoming Events

September 2, 2010
Enjoy a pancake breakfast for only $5 and help our community when United Way kicks off its 2010 Campaign. Join us on Public Square from 7 to 10 a.m. More info

September 14, 2010
Enjoy a day on the links with Browns alumni at United Way's 13th Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament at Hemlock Springs Golf Club in Geneva. More info

Friday, September 24, 2010
Come One, Come All to the Rock United Benefit Concert at the Barley House on Sept. 24. The concert is presented by Oswald Companies and featuers popular Ohio natives and concert headliners Red Wanting Blue. More info

Our Mission

United Way of Greater Cleveland is a leader in addressing health and human service needs through convening partnerships, funding programs, generating resources, and advocating for public policy to support our community's priorities.

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