TOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly today announced a $996,679 grant for the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDCO) that will expand substance abuse programming and case management for 150 residents in restrictive housing at El Dorado and Lansing correctional facilities. The grant was awarded in October by the Department of Justice through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

“These grants are all about providing incarcerated persons with tools they need to get back on their feet so that they can be productive members of our state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Education, job skills, and mental health and substance abuse programs are the keys to reducing recidivism in our criminal justice system.”

The four-year grant partners KDOC with the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute (UCCI) in an intensive adult reentry program called Innovations in Reentry Initiative: Building System Capacity and Testing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism.

“One of our greatest priorities is to help our residents gain the skills they need to remain successful once they leave us,” Kansas Department of Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda said.

The grant will also support data collection and evaluation by UCCI on the impact of reentry programs at both facilities.

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