WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Delaware County Workforce Development Board is among 18 organizations in 14 states to receive Pathway Home Grants totaling $50,643,113. The grants announced last week are designed to provide pre-release job training and services to incarcerated people, with the goal of reducing recidivism and improving long-term employment outcomes. The Delaware County WDB will use its nearly $1.5 Million grant to provide workforce development services to adults reentering the community from state correctional facilities or jails.
“Leaders across all industries recognize that providing incarcerated people with quality job training creates opportunities for them to reunite with their families, enter the workforce and attain stable, quality employment upon release,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “The Department of Labor supports the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to empowering Americans who have paid their debt to society by providing them a pathway to a seamless transition to employment and reentry support.”
The Pathway Home grants, administered by the Employment and Training Administration, will allow organizations to provide training and employment services to incarcerated people who are scheduled for release. They also seek to improve coordination between key partners in the reentry process, including workforce development agencies, community and state corrections agencies, jails, local health and human service providers, employers and unions. This will help reduce recidivism rates and improve public safety. The Pathway Home program is designed to be an important step in helping those who have paid their debt to society to reenter the workforce and become productive citizens.
On March 7, 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of grants to improve employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, while meeting the needs of the local labor market. The reentry grants will provide eligible individuals with access to education and training, job placement services, and other support services proven to reduce recidivism and increase employment opportunities.
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