By Mike Pettinella
Added to the list of programs offered by Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse last September, the UConnectCare Reentry Program continues to provide support to men and women seeking to find their place in the community after being incarcerated.
“The main goal of this program is to help reduce or remove some of the barriers that are associated with reentry,” said Christopher Budzinack, program coordinator. “As a former offender myself, I know how difficult this can be and we just want make sure our clients have an opportunity to get all the support they need in order to be successful.”
Simply put, the UConnectCare Reentry Program provides case management and peer recovery services to those who have been in jail or prison by connecting them to the following necessities:
Substance use disorder treatment;
Mental health treatment;
Housing, food and clothing;
Employment and/or job training;
Childcare;
Transportation;
Medical care.
Eligible individuals are those who have a history of substance use, who were sentenced to jail or prison for a minimum of three months and who are returning to communities in Genesee County or Orleans County.
For more information about the UConnectCare Reentry Program, call (585) 813-6570 or send an email to cbudzinack@gcasa.org.