RE-LINK combines one-on-one support with referrals to community partners that can provide support and access to healthcare, healthcare coverage, behavioral health, substance use, housing, employment, and education services.
Through this collaborative support system, our goal is to improve the health outcomes for minority re-entrants in transition from jail to communities and reduce the risk of these young adults returning to jail.
“If I didn’t join the RE-LINK program, I wouldn’t be on the path to greatness. From the physical help to motivation, the community health workers and the rest of the IHN staff have been a great help.”
— RE-LINK Client
How It Works
The program relies on community health workers (CHWs) who are trained to provide cultural mediation between health and social services and members of their communities.
CHWs serve as trusted coaches, mediators, and systems navigators, and through RE-LINK, they help support reentrants as they connect with service providers to address social determinants of health.
Before release, our CHWs connect with individuals in jail to identify potential clients, enroll eligible individuals in the program, and provide multifaceted support in preparing clients for their transition.
In addition to emotional support and courtroom advocacy, services include Release Readiness classes that cover topics like:
- Accountability
- Community Resources
- Employment
- Empowerment
- Substance Abuse
- Trauma
Upon release, community health workers empower clients’ successful reentry by providing referrals, health education, and training.
CHWs host workshops to help identify clients’ needs and connect them with community-based partners that provide services in job training, social and family supports, mental health, substance use, education, and housing.
Our goal is to ensure that every individual we work with has the resources and support they need to successfully reintegrate into their community and build a healthier future.
Eligibility Requirements
The RE-LINK program is designed to support minority and economically and environmentally disadvantaged reentrants who are discharged from St. Louis County jail back to their communities.
To be eligible for RE-LINK, participants must:
- Have had justice involvement within the last 90 days of the referral date
- Be between the ages of 18 and 45 years old
- Be currently incarcerated in the local jail and have a court settlement date scheduled within 30 days from the referral date, or currently incarcerated in a Missouri State Corrections facility
- Have felony or misdemeanor charges
- Currently or plan to reside in St. Louis City / County
Impact
When the criminal justice, health, and social service systems work together, we save costs and improve community safety.
97%
of program participants have not returned to jail
72%
of referral appointments made are kept
63%
increase in employment from baseline
57%
of clients had health insurance coverage
Explore RE-LINK’s role in increasing community health and safety in “Addressing Community Violence in St. Louis County.”
This comprehensive report from the Giffords Center for Violence Prevention highlights RE-LINK’s role in supporting individuals transitioning from incarceration, as well as strategies and necessary resources for successful intervention.