ST. LEONARD'S MINISTRIES (IL)

Program Description
St. Leonard's House opened in 1954 as a product of the work of Father James Jones, Episcopal chaplain at the Cook County Jail. In 2000, the agency name was changed to St. Leonard's Ministries. The organization provides housing and case management services for former offenders who are transitioning back to the community. St. Leonard's Ministries manages St. Leonard's House (emergency services for 40 men), Grace House (emergency services for 16 women), and St. Andrew's Court (second-stage housing for 42 men who have completed programs at St. Leonard's House). Residents learn about the program when they are in prison from field service counselors or from their parole officers.

St. Leonard's Ministries acts as a transition center for former offenders and provides the following services: ongoing addictions counseling; counseling related to life skills and coping skills; job counseling and employment referrals services; adult educational programs and educational referrals; aftercare/ mentoring services; community networking opportunities; and recreational activities. About 350 men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 use the services.

Program Goals
The goal of St. Leonard's Ministries is to offer services and programs so that men and women who were formerly incarcerated can successfully transition back to the community and have productive and independent lives.

Networking, Partnering, and Collaboration
St. Leonard's Ministries works closely with the Illinois Department of Corrections, Chicago Department of Human Services, Illinois Department of Human Services, United Way, and other social service providers in the Chicago area. Several collaborators are important to the effectiveness of St. Leonard's Ministries, such as the Cathedral Shelter of Chicago, which provides drug counseling and tutoring. Lakefront SRO helps provide post-program housing. Chicago Legal Assistance to Incarcerated Women provides counseling and support. The Alder School of Professional Psychology, through a contract funded by the Chicago Department of Human Service, provides psychological assessment and counseling services.

Outcomes
St. Leonard's Ministries tracks former clients and reports that the recidivism rate for those who completed the program is lower than 20 percent.

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