New Reentry Pilot Seeks to Ease Transition After Prison

For people leaving prison, the moment of release is often described as freedom. Yet for many, it is also one of the most destabilizing moments of their lives. Returning citizens are expected to secure housing, find work, comply with parole conditions, address child support obligations, and access transportation – often without coordinated support. When these needs go unmet, the risk of failure increases, not because of unwillingness, but because the system is fragmented and the demands are immediate.

A new reentry pilot led by the Arkansas Department of Correction, in partnership with Restore Hope, is testing a different approach – one that begins before release and centers on preparation, coordination, and accountability.

Under the pilot, cohorts of 20 non-violent offenders will be connected to county-based services and supports in the community where they will be released. To strengthen stability upon reentry, Restore Hope will begin working with participants approximately 30 days prior to release from the Arkansas Department of Corrections. This early engagement ensures time to identify needs, align expectations, coordinate services, and build a realistic reentry plan before challenges escalate.

Beginning services prior to release allows time to understand each participant’s background, requirements, risks, and immediate needs. Before returning to the community, each participant will meet with a local family advocate, ensuring parolees do not reenter alone or unsure of where to turn for support.

Once released, participants will be supported through HopeHub, Restore Hope’s secure case-management platform that allows multiple service providers and community partners to coordinate around a single individual.

HopeHub enables a county alliance to track progress, share updates, and provide unified support as the participant addresses interconnected needs, including:

• Employment and vocational placement

• Educational opportunities

• Housing stability

• Transportation and driver’s license requirements

• Food security

• Substance-use treatment and recovery supports

• Behavioral health care

• Legal and administrative barriers

Importantly, a participant’s parole officer can be assigned to their HopeHub care team. This allows supervision and support to operate in alignment, ensures expectations remain clear, and provides shared visibility into progress. With coordinated communication and real-time updates, small issues can be addressed early before they escalate into parole violations.

The pilot also focuses on practical barriers that frequently derail successful reentry. Many participants return to the community with outstanding legal obligations, such as active warrants, unresolved fines and fees, and additional open court cases. These legal barriers impact security, parole compliance, and a participant’s ability to move forward in the reentry process. Local county alliances will work with participants to identify outstanding legal issues early and develop a realistic, achievable plan to resolve them.

In addition, the pilot cohort is anchored by workforce development. All pilot participants have earned a GED while incarcerated and are enrolled in a mechanical equipment training program through Pulaski Technical College. Partners, including Arkansas Workforce Services, are playing a major role both inside the correctional setting and post-release – reinforcing the importance of embedding workforce preparation directly into reentry planning.

By aligning corrections, education, workforce partners, and community-based support, the pilot aims to reduce the gap between training and employment and to strengthen long-term outcomes.

This reentry pilot will evaluate whether coordinated support through HopeHub and county alliances leads to better outcomes than those traditionally seen without this level of preparation and collaboration. Key questions include:

• Do participants stabilize housing and employment more quickly?

• Are parole requirements met more consistently?

• Does early coordination reduce violations?

• Are participants better positioned to reconnect with their community?

The goal is not simply to provide services, but to demonstrate that stronger coordination and earlier engagement produce more successful reentry outcomes, safer communities, and stronger second chances.

This pilot reflects a growing recognition that reentry is not solely the responsibility of corrections. It is a community challenge that requires community solutions.