Program is Offered to Residents at the Westchester County Department of Correction
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins welcomed the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) Associate Commissioner Rabiah Gaynor to the Westchester County Jail. The Associate Commissioner and colleagues from her OASAS Team joined a training session of the County’s unique Lives Forward program, which is delivered to residents in the Westchester County Jail. Gaynor then joined Jenkins to meet with the Commissioners and Senior Leadership of the Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) and Department of Correction (DOC) for a round table discussion, relative to the development and implementation of the Lives Forward program.
Lives Forward, now in its second year, was created to address the recognized lack of peers with lived criminal justice experience available to the co-occurring system of care. DCMH Deputy Commissioner Joseph Glazer worked with his team to develop the Program, which will provide training and employment opportunities for people with mental health and/or addiction needs who are also currently involved in the criminal justice system.
Coordinating with the DOC and local agencies, Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), trainers go into the jail to identify interested individuals who will participate in the 6-week course. Following their release, they are eligible to take the state tests to achieve dual certification as a “Peer Specialist” and a “Certified Recovery Peer Advocate.”
Jenkins said: “Once again, Westchester County is at the forefront of making a difference. I could not be prouder of the efforts of our Departments to create a program that works for the people of our County on so many levels. In Lives Forward, we are addressing the lack of peers and taking individuals who are serving time in our jail and putting them on a path to obtain skills that will lead to productive futures in the peer workforce, and increased hope for those in recovery. I want to thank Associate Commissioner Gaynor for joining us today and allowing us to display the creative and new approaches we are taking here in Westchester. When it comes to addiction and mental health needs, Westchester County is consistently stepping up to meet our obligations to helping people.”
Gaynor said: “Peer support allows individuals to build strong connections and creates a sense of belonging on the journey of recovery. In the power of shared experiences and mutual support there is the strength to overcome challenges. In the journey of recovery, peer support can be the guiding light that helps a person seeking, recovery curious or in recovery find a way out of the darkest moments. At OASAS, we recognize that recovery, peer support and reentry go hand in hand. Training programs like Lives Forward show what’s possible when we invest in people’s potential and create real pathways to employment, healing, and hope. We are proud to partner in initiatives that break down barriers and build up lives.”
Commissioner of the Department of Community Mental Health Michael Orth said: “I want to thank DC Glazer and the team at DCMH for identifying the problem that has come from a lack of certified peers and working to find a solution to not just the peer crisis, but in an innovative way provide opportunities for those with criminal justice experience. These are the types of unique and creative programs being developed all the time at our department. I am pleased that AC Gaynor gets to see firsthand how we are making funding work in ways that truly make the most impact.”
DOC Commissioner Joseph K. Spano said: “A special thanks to Associate Commissioner Gaynor and the members of her OASAS Team for their in-person visit, which speaks volumes about their commitment to helping individuals with significant addiction and mental health challenges. Their meaningful support and collaboration with multiple Westchester County agencies will likely enhance our “Lives Forward” program and hopefully lead to the replication of similar programming at other New York Jails. As always, the collaboration between DCMH, WDOC Correction Officers and Program personnel, and course instructors is deserving of special recognition. Their combined expertise and commitment to helping those in need is what brings this unique program to life and offers program participants a path for positive change upon return to their communities.”
Glazer said: “Support and validation are an important part of recovery, and the peer model serves to provide that through connection to individuals who have similar lived experience. By growing the number of peers with a commonality of lived experience, we do two things – increase the employment pool for individuals with criminal justice involvement and behavioral health needs, and add a layer of support for those who may need it the most. I am so appreciative that our leaders from the state want to see how we do this.”