The Delaware County Workforce Development Board has been awarded a $1.5M Pathway Home Program grant to provide training and employment services to adults reentering the workforce following incarceration at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.
Pathway Home Program grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, are provided to improve employment opportunities, and reduce recidivism, helping residents become productive members of the community and labor force.
The Delaware County Workforce Development Board is one of only 18 organizations nationally to be awarded a grant this year.
“County Council is thrilled to learn that this grant money will be coming to Delaware County,” said Councilman Kevin Madden. “Reducing the barriers to employment and providing fresh opportunities to these residents is critical to reducing recidivism, and the targeted pre-release and post-release services that will be provided as a result of this grant will make a real difference here in Delaware County.”
Pre-release services include needs assessment, individual development plans, comprehensive case management, career exploration and planning, job preparation, counseling, and assistance with linking inmates to the social services required to help them transition back to the community.
Post-release activities include linking participants to employers (including apprenticeship opportunities), external service providers, and skill-building services, and providing access to occupational training for in-demand jobs, pathways to earn industry-recognized credentials, and follow-up career support and services.
Laura K. Williams, named the new warden of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in February, welcomed the grant award.
“The timing of this grant is exciting for the institution as the facility continues to enhance existing programs and introduce additional opportunities to break the cycle of criminogenic behavior,” Williams said. “The Pathway Home Program grant will allow us to significantly improve support of our population and the community towards this goal.”
The grant money — which funds the program from 2022 through 2025 — will also be used to improve coordination between key partners in the reentry process, including community and state corrections agencies, local health and human service providers, employers, unions, and PA CareerLink Delaware County.
The Pathway Home Program in Delaware County is funded by the US Department of Labor. 100% of the $1,499,999 grant allocation is federally funded.
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