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LA BODEGA DE LA FAMILIA (NY)
Program
Description In 1996, the Vera Institute of Justice set out to test the idea that engaging the families of substance abusers under criminal justice supervision in their recovery could enhance drug treatment outcomes, reduce the use of jail time to punish relapse, and reduce the harm addiction causes within families. The idea took form in the development of a direct- service storefront called La Bodega de la Familia, located in a low-income Latino community on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Family Justice, Inc., was formed in 2001 when the La Bodega program spun off from the Vera Institute of Justice. Family Justice combines the direct-service component of La Bodega with work on training and technical assistance as well as research and clinical development on the issues of families, reentry, and substance abuse. Its mission is to identify, apply, and disseminate best practices in using family supports to improve the success of individuals under justice system supervision and enhance the well-being of their families. La Bodega was founded on the premise that strong, supported families can form the first line of defense against drug abuse, criminal behavior, and criminal justice system involvement in the lives of poor families. The program works exclusively with substance- abusing individuals who were formerly incarcerated and who live in the 7th and 9th police precincts in Lower Manhattan. Participants are referred to the program by parole, probation, and police officers and by community agencies, residents, and family members. Families served by the program present a range of needs: 43 percent of the families report more than one substance-abusing family member; 65 percent report multigenerational substance abuse; 35 percent report multigenerational involvement in the criminal justice system; 30 percent report histories of domestic violence; and 50 percent of the families have school-aged children. La Bodega offers a range of support services, including family case management, referral and prevention services, 24-hour crisis support for drug-related emergencies, support groups, and cultural activities. Family case management services are at the heart of La Bodega. Case managers help the family develop an action plan that draws on a number of community-based services, helps the family negotiate the myriad social service agencies with which they may be dealing, and advocates with parole officers to promote the use of alternatives to incarceration when drug users violate their parole by relapsing.
Networking,
Partnering & Collaboration La Bodega has created unique partnerships with police, parole, and probation departments to demonstrate that involving the families of offenders can change drug treatment and community supervision outcomes. The program has received funding from a number of its government partners, including the New York City Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services; New York City Department of Probation; New York City Council; New York State Department of Criminal Justice Service; and New York State Division of Parole. Outcomes
Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Ford Foundation awarded La Bodega with the prestigious Innovations in American Government Award in 2003. Additional
Readings
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