Would you like some support in reintegrating into your community?
Our organization, Communities In Cooperation, Inc. (CIC), offers services through the S.T.A.R.T. Program that specifically caters to women impacted by the justice system throughout New Jersey.
Transitioning from a correctional facility where your daily decisions are regulated to living independently in the community can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be too much to handle. As a participant, CIC will provide you with a resource guide that offers helpful information that can motivate and direct you through the complex care systems upon release.
CIC’s Women’s Reentry
email us cicwomen@cic-nj.org
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Reentry interview with Communities In Cooperation, Inc. on News12 NJ
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The Women's Reentry Movement kick-off team, called S.T.A.R.T., assists with the recent wave of women being released from Edna Mahan. The team includes several prominent members, including First Lady Tammy Murphy, former Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Corrections Victoria L. Kuhn, Senator Weinberg, Asst. DOC Commissioner Dr. Darcella Sessomes, Council President Mildred Crump as Honorary Chair, Public Affairs Executive Jeannine LaRue, Adrienne Bonds, Esq. as Honorary Advisor, and Pamela Gaston as Honorary Advisor.
Adult Reentry Services
CIC's focus on female reentry began in 2005 and continued until 2007. Today, CIC still places a strong emphasis on meeting the unique needs of this population. We have launched a Women's Reentry initiative called START (Sisters Transitioning and Reintegrating Together). Planning for this initiative began in June 2013 and it aims to provide support, wrap-around services, and support group sessions to women both inside the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women and upon their release. CIC also provides assistance to children whose mothers are incarcerated. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for START was held in March 2014 as part of Women's Month at the Rutgers Newark Paul Robeson Center.
Under the Roselle First Workforce Initiative and The Linden First Employment Training Initiative, START participants are referred for job readiness training and job search assistance. For men connected to START participants CIC provides supportive services under family reunification. If you would like more information about Adult Reentry Services, please contact us.
Many households are headed by women, who often face challenges such as incarceration. The women at Edna Mahan Women's Correctional Facility in Clinton, New Jersey, have repeatedly shared with C.I.C.'s START program that they have experienced trauma triggered by events inside the facility. However, they feel unable to share these experiences with anyone and are hesitant to show vulnerability, as it is perceived it makes them susceptible to further harm. These women have lived through abuse, mental health issues, and stigmatization. Additionally, they face health problems due to a lack of affordable healthcare, exacerbated by a low-budget meal plan, including excessive starches. The institutional culture of the facility breeds violence and unsavory behaviors, which contributes to a negative depiction of who they are.
The START program was created to provide these women with hope and positive experiences, build family relationships, and provide a pre and post-release roadmap. The program encourages these women to take advantage of every learning opportunity, obtain certifications, and make their lives with positive experiences from inside the facility. Once released, the program helps them meet their various needs through a network of service providers, which includes higher education, trades, life skills, career exploration, family reunification, healthcare, mental health care, social services, faith services, addiction services, housing services, and pro-bono legal services.
The Women's Reentry Service Provider Network is a movement that aims to give these women a voice, restore their dignity, and provide a connection that increases faith and hope. The network is supported by First Lady Tammy Murphy, Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver (deceased 2023), Senator Weinberg, Asst. DOC Commissioner Darcella Sessomes, Honorary Chair and Council President Mildred Crump, and Public Affairs Executive Jeannine LaRue. If you would like to support this network, please register today.
C.I.C. also offers additional services, such as food and clothing donations, skill development, and employment programs for work readiness and assistance. Zoom webinars and free Google Classroom sessions are available for various learning needs. To identify funding sources, under DCA and Foundation funding, the program is entitled S.T.A.R.T. The program is entitled Leading Ladies for CIC's funding received from DOC.
CIC has partnered with Interfaith Action Movement (IAM) to establish a reentry think tank that spans across the state of New Jersey. This platform aims to unite all reentry programs and providers in the state, with the aim of breaking silos, bridging service gaps, raising awareness, and collectively developing solutions and best practices.
