FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE How Does the National Reentry Resource Center Support My Second Chance Act Grant Activities? How do I find out about technical assistance opportunities available through the NRRC? Will representatives of the NRRC be visiting my site? When will I receive information about the national training event I’m required to attend? What resources are available to support the success of my grant? What resources specifically related to reentry are available on the NRRC website? Who can I call with questions or requests for technical assistance?
How Does the National Reentry Resource Center Support My Second Chance Act Grant Activities? The National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC) provides technical assistance to help grantees make the most of their federal grant dollars to support sustainable, successful, and evidence-based reentry initiatives. Since the NRRC was launched in 2009, it has provided support to each of the more than 600 Second Chance Act (SCA) grantees—a variety of state, local, and tribal government agencies, as well as Despite differences among programs, the technical assistance available from the NRRC focuses on four key 1. The formation of strong, collaborative relationships at the state and local level, across all branches of government, and among service systems to plan and implement comprehensive approaches to improving reentry policies and practices. 2. o measure progress on reducing recidivism rates and improving other reentry outcomes; o o share essential information with policymakers and practitioners; and o use data to guide reentry policy, practice, and resource allocation. 3. The adoption and effective implementation of core principles and practices demonstrated by research to reduce recidivism and improve other reentry outcomes, including an emphasis on the principles of Risk, Need, and Responsivity.
4. The development of reentry programs, policies, and practices that are sustainable, replicable, and foster long-term improvements to reentry recidivism rates and other reentry outcomes. Each grantee is assigned to a member of the NRRC reentry program staff (i.e., a technical assistance provider) who will provide support throughout the course of the grant. Your NRRC contact will provide through the NRRC.
The NRR Can ...
By Providing ...
… connect grantees to research and materials, learning opportunities, and outside expertise …
• a library of publications, tools, and news items on reentry, whether overall or specifically on reentry • regular distance learning opportunities (e.g., webinars) with national practitioners and academic experts • individual consultation with subject matter experts and experienced practitioners
… support your team’s planning and implementation through on-and off-site technical assistance …
• a Planning and Implementation Guide that details the elements needed for a successful reentry initiative and offers a roadmap for assessing and improving your reentry policies and practices • insights on roadblocks that past SCA grantees have encountered and strategies used to work around them • advice, templates, checklists, and tools for assessing your system, and developing a strategic plan to prioritize, implement, and sustain your efforts
… link to your peers …
• hosted peer learning forums as well as referrals to peers and past SCA recipients with similar programs and objectives. • forums to publicize your programs’ work and to learn from the work of your peers. • a national technical assistance and training conference dedicated to reentry during the first year of your grant
Your NRRC contact will reach out to you soon to schedule a preliminary phone call to discuss your grant activities and orient you to the NRRC. He or she will regularly provide information about training, distance learning, and funding opportunities. In addition to the information you receive from your NRRC contact, the NRRC also distributes a monthly newsletter that provides information about the latest reentry news and research, as well as information about other reentry initiatives from around the country. We encourage the staff and partners associated with each SCA grant to sign up for the NRRC newsletter at .
Representatives from the NRRC conduct site visits on a case-by-case basis. Though most grantees receive at least one visit, more intensive system-reform planning grantees may receive more than one visit. Through site visits, the NRRC staff are able to conduct an in-depth review of programs, provide training and facilitation to help grantees
The NRRC is planning a national conference, tentatively scheduled (pending approval from the U.S. Department of Justice) to take place March 9–11, 2015. Please keep this date available. This event will provide keynote addresses from leading national policymakers, researchers, and practitioners; breakout sessions that address a wide variety of working opportunities for grantees. More information about this national training event will be distributed soon.
As the designated technical assistance provider for the SCA program, NRRC staff work with a network of partners 1. The federal agency that awarded your grant. Each grantee has a dedicated grant program manager at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Your grant manager—a is available to help you navigate the grant management process, including award acceptance, budget o o o 2. The federal partner that manages BJA’s performance measurement system. You will soon Tool (PMT). As a BJA grantee, you will be required to provide performance data and other updates on your progress regularly throughout your grant. More information about the PMT, including sample performance measures for your grant program, is available at A representative at the PMT Helpdesk, available at or 1-866-252-6867, o o o
The NRRC website is a clearinghouse of information related to reentry strategies. It promotes a variety of distance-learning opportunities, such as webinars, podcasts, and written documents. 1. Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery. This 2012 report provides a practical framework to assist corrections, mental health, and substance use policymakers and professionals to work collaboratively report is available at
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2. Integrated Reentry and Employment Strategies: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Job Readiness. This 2013 white paper addresses the challenges corrections, workforce, and reentry administrators and practitioners face in serving the employment needs of adults who are on probation
. 3. The NRRC’s homepage books, and tools available on what works to improve reentry outcomes.
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4. The NRRC’s What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse provides easy access to rigorous and important research on the effectiveness of a variety of reentry interventions, programs and practices.
1. Core Principles for Reducing Recidivism and Improving Other Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System. This 2014 report from the Council of State Governments Justice Center (CSG Justice Center) recidivism and improve other youth outcomes. It also provides practice- and research-based insights on . 2. Measuring and Using Juvenile Recidivism Data to Inform Policy, Practice, and Resource Allocation. This CSG Justice Center report, also from 2014, provides key recommendations and report is available at
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3. The NRRC’s Juvenile Reentry resources, guidebooks, and tools available on what works to improve youth reentry outcomes. 4. The CSG Justice Center’s Youth Program Page
You have been assigned to a NRRC technical assistance provider. Your NRRC contact is available at any time to answer questions, and will reach out regularly to assist you in completing your Planning and Implementation in the initial email you received from the CSG Justice Center. If you are uncertain who is your NRRC contact, please contact Angela Tolosa, deputy program director for reentry at Council of State Governments Justice Center, at or at 646-383-5744.