At the intersection of incarceration, poverty, homelessness, and trauma, there is much work to be done, so CFLS addresses the needs of recently released individuals and their families, with a special focus on women. Short-term crisis assistance (food and clothing) provides an emergency safety net, while long-term assistance (housing support, employment services, mentoring and parenting programs, legal aid, financial literacy training) gives families the opportunity to transform their lives. For women returning home after incarceration (many of whom are single mothers), intensive case management begins three to four months before release and continues as they rejoin the community – meeting basic needs, helping them secure employment and housing, and offering parenting classes, mentoring, and medical case management, including substance abuse treatment. Some arrive at CFLS with a single plastic bag holding their possessions – and leave with a new beginning.
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