What resources are available for people with disabilities who have gone through the corrections system?

mgarcia1 - Tue, 07/30/2013 - 09:21

As a person with a disability in the prison system, you are entitled to adequate care, appropriate assistive devices, and dignified treatment, according to the American Bar Association. If you are a person with a disability who is currently in the correctional system or who has recently been released, there are several resources available to help you with the transition.

Corrections, Crime, and Criminal Rehabilitation

  • Family and Corrections Network (FCN) - FCN provides information and support to those who have been incarcerated and their families. They also provide training for those working int he field. For more information, call 434/589-3036 or visit www.fcnetwork.org.
  • National Institute of Corrections (NIC) - The NIC is an agency within the US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. This agency provides training, technical assistance, information services, and policy/program development assistance to federal, state, and local corrections agencies. For more information, please call 800/995-6423 or 202/307-3106 or visit www.nicic.org.
  • National Helping Individuals with criminal records Re-enter through Employment Network (HIRE) - HIRE is a clearinghouse for information and advocate for policy change. It works toward increasing job opportunities available to people with criminal records. For more information, please call 212/243-1313 or visit www.hirenetwork.org/home.
  • The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) - NDRN represents the network of Protection and Advocacy Agencies across the US, offers additional resources and assistance for prisoners and ex-offenders with disabilities. Call 202/408-9514 or visit http://www.ndrn.org/en/ndrn-member-agencies.html to locate the nearest office.

Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation

  • Career OneStop - Career OneStop provides information about career services for employers and employees, laid-off workers, job bank databases, and resume help. For more information, please call 877/US2-JOBS (V) or 877/889-5627 (TTY) or visit www.careeronestop.org/.
  • Goodwill Industries International, Inc. - Goodwill Industries provides job seeking resources, skills training, and placement services. For more information, call 800/741-0186 or visit www.goodwill.org.
  • RRTC on Workplace Supports - VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Workplace Supports and Job Retention. This RRTC provides resources for professionals, individuals with disabilities, and their loved ones, with an emphasis on supported employment. For more information, please call 804/828-1851 (V) or 804/828-2494 (TTY) or visit www.worksupport.com.
  • State Vocational Rehabilitation Offices - The Job Accommodation Network provides a list of vocational rehabilitation offices in alphabetic order by state. To obtain this list, please call 800/526-7234 (V/TTY) or visit http://askjan.org/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?902.

Housing Assistance and Independent Living

  • Housing Assistance Council (HIC) - HIC helps improve housing conditions for those living in rural areas, offers services to the public, and maintains a special focus on high-need groups and regions. For more information, call 202/842-8600, email hac@ruralhome.org, or visit www.ruralhome.org.
  • Independent Living Centers through the RTC Rural - This is a Research and Training Center which focuses on disability in rural communities. Independent living centers offer a range of supports and services for people with disabilities from housing and benefits assistance to training and job placement services. For more information, please call 888/268-2743 or 406/243-4200 (TTY).
  • Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) - This program is a center for information, training, research, and technical assistance in independent living. For more information, call 713/520-0232 (V/TTY) or visit www.ilru.org.

For further asistance, please contact NARIC by phone, email, or chat. For information on a specific disability, please visit our Disability Resources for carefully selected agencies, organizations, and online resources.