After Incarceration: A Guide to Helping 

Women Reenter the Community 

i AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Acknowledgments

This report was prepared for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

under contract number HHSS283201200058I/HHSS28342003T with SAMHSA, U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS). The report was guided by the vision of the HHS Office on Women’s 

Health and lessons learned from a 3-year reentry enhancement project conducted across 3 different reentry 

organizations. Nancy Kelly served as contracting officer representative. 

Disclaimer 

The views, opinions, and content of this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect 

the views, opinions, or policies of SAMHSA. Nothing in this document constitutes a direct or indirect 

endorsement by SAMHSA of any non-federal entity’s products, services, or policies, and any reference to 

non-federal entities’ products, services, or policies should not be construed as such. 

Public Domain Notice 

All material appearing in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied 

without permission from SAMHSA. Citation of the source is appreciated. However, this publication 

may not be reproduced or distributed for a fee without the specific, written authorization of the Office of 

Communications, SAMHSA, HHS.

Electronic Access and Printed Copies 

This publication may be downloaded or ordered at http://store.samhsa.gov or by calling SAMHSA at 

1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). 

Recommended Citation 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: After Incarceration: A Guide to Helping Women 

Reenter the Community. Publication No. PEP20-05-01-001. Rockville, MD: Office of Intergovernmental 

and External Affairs. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2020. 

Originating Office 

Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, Publication No. PEP20-05-01-001. Released 

2020. 

Nondiscrimination Notice 

SAMHSA complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, 

color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. SAMHSA cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles 

aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad, o sexo.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 

Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs
ii AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Contents

Acknowledgments ...............................................................................1

The Issue ............................................................................................2

1. Identify Critical Reentry Needs ........................................................4

2. Address Substance Use Disorders .................................................7

3. Connect to Mental Health Care Services ........................................9

4. Address Physical and Reproductive Health Care ...........................11

5. Provide Culturally Competent Services ...........................................13

6. Provide Trauma-informed Services .................................................15

7. Build Healthy, Trusting Relationships ..............................................17

8. Reestablish Family Relationships ...................................................19

9. Facilitate Payment of Justice System Fines and Fees ....................21

10. Increase Self-efficacy Through Certified Peer Specialists ............22

Conclusion ..........................................................................................24

Endnotes .............................................................................................25
1 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Acknowledgments

The information in this document was guided by the vision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services’ Office on Women’s Health and lessons learned from a 3-year reentry enhancement project 

conducted across 3 different reentry organizations. The participating pilot sites were the Resonance 

Center for Women, Inc., (Tulsa, Oklahoma), the College and Community Fellowship (New York, New 

York), and the Institute for Health and Recovery (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Using the information 

compiled through this project, this guide was created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation.
2 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

The Issue

As of 2016, over 1.2 million women in the United States were incarcerated in prison or jail, on probation, 

or on parole.1 Since 2000, the rate of women’s incarceration in jails rose over 26 percent, whereas the jailincarceration rate for men decreased by 5 percent.2

 When women are released from jail or prison, they 

are often ill-prepared to reencounter and address the serious problems they faced prior to incarceration, 

such as victimization, an unstable family life, difficulties in school, limited work experience, financial 

issues, poverty, substance use disorders, mental health issues, a lack of vocational skills, and parenting 

difficulties. Women also tend to face new concerns upon reentering society, such as legal issues, financial 

restitution, and new trauma or re-traumatization that they experienced while incarcerated.3,4,5

There are few randomized studies that have identified gender-responsive, evidence-based practices for 

women’s reentry. In many communities, women receive the same services that were originally designed 

to serve men being released from jail or prison. However, new findings, such as those from the Office on 

Women’s Health’s 2012–2015 Reentry Enhancement Project, are helping to identify effective approaches 

for women’s reentry. This guide provides an overview of promising practices that corrections and 

community-based service providers should consider in supporting women’s transitions from correctional 

facilities to the community.

Gender-responsive criminal justice approaches acknowledge women’s unique pathways into and out of 

the criminal justice system. These approaches address social factors such as poverty, race, class, gender 

inequality, and culture.6,7

 The promising practices presented here align with a theoretical framework, 

created by Bloom, Owens, and Covington, that explains the complex dimensions of a woman’s experience 

when reentering the community following incarceration.i This framework includes the following:

• Pathways that lead to women’s justice involvement

• Racial and ethnic disparities and the intersectionality of race and gender

• Women’s development and relational approach

• Trauma prevalence and its effects on women

• Substance use disorders and their effects on women

The steps presented in this guide align with this organizing framework to ensure a comprehensive approach 

to women’s needs during reentry. A compliment to this guide is the SAMHSA publication Principles of 

Community-based Behavioral Health Services for Justice-involved Individuals: A Research-based Guide.

This publication can provide more overarching guidance on what key principles should guide the work of 

community-based practitioners serving individuals involved with the criminal justice system.

i The organizing framework for this paper is based on the work of Bloom, Owen, and Covington. See Bloom, B., 

Owen, B., & Covington, S. (2002, November). A theoretical basis for gender-responsive strategies in criminal 

justice. Presented at the American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from https://www.

centerforgenderandjustice.org/assets/files/6.pdf
3 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

How to Use This Guide

This guide provides an overview of topics and resources for serving women who are reentering the 

community after a period of incarceration. It is intended to increase knowledge of specific issues that 

women often face during reentry and to provide relevant resources to providers who can help them 

succeed. The guide is presented in a “checklist” format to provide a brief overview of considerations 

necessary when working with women who are justice involved.

Intended Users

This guide was created for individuals who provide or coordinate reentry services for women involved 

in the criminal justice system (e.g., corrections staff, reentry organizations, substance use disorder and 

mental health treatment providers, reentry specialists, peer specialists, individuals who work with justiceinvolved women). Readers do not have to have an official “forensics” position to benefit from this guide.

CHECKLIST AT A GLANCE

 Identify Critical Reentry Needs

 Address Substance Use Disorders

 Build Links to Mental Health Care

 Address Physical and Reproductive Health Care

 Provide Culturally Competent Services

 Provide Trauma-informed Services

 Build Healthy, Trusting Relationships

 Reestablish Family Relationships

 Facilitate Payment of Justice System Fines 

and Fees

 Increase Self-efficacy Through Certified 

Peer Specialists
4 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

1. Identify Critical Reentry Needs

Women’s needs during reentry can be different from men’s due to differing experiences and relative access 

to critical resources (e.g., history of abuse, poverty, substance use, family support, dependent children). 

Prior to a woman’s release from prison or jail, individuals working with her should assess her needs and 

develop a reentry plan to ensure that the following are identified and ready to assist with the transition: 

community-based mental health and substance use treatment providers, healthcare coverage providers 

(e.g., Medicaid), housing and other social supports, and advocacy organizations. An effective reentry plan 

should be strengths-based, trauma-informed, and individualized.8,9

Many of the available needs assessment tools are “gender-neutral,” but needs assessments for women are more 

comprehensive and accurate when they are gender-responsive. Several commonly used tools that address 

women’s needs are described in the publication Risk-needs Assessments Appropriate for Women Offenders. 

Effective reentry services for women should address needs based on the gender-specific issues involved 

when women interface with the justice system. Based on the guiding framework set forth for this document, 

the following critical needs should be discussed and included in the reentry planning process:

Pathways:

• Housing providing distance from prior abusive relationships

• Transportation

• Clothing

• Income and employment, often to support children/single-parent households

• Identification (e.g., Social Security card, birth certificate, government ID)

• Education10

Racial and Ethnic Factors:

• Past and potentially present systemic barriers or disparate treatment of women based on racial or 

ethnic differences should be considered when providing assistance across all critical areas of need

• Programming that meets the needs of women of a specific race, ethnicity, or culture can lead to 

improved outcomes compared to programs created for the general population or the dominant 

culture of that community; for example, the Diane Wade House provides Afrocentric transitional 

programming for women reentering the community, increasing their participants’ access to culturally 

specific treatment and services
5 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Relational:

• Legal support, including obtaining or maintaining child custody11

• Family reunification, including parenting education and planning to resume custody and care of 

minor children

• Domestic violence or intimate partner violence interventions12

• Childcare13

Trauma and Addiction:

• Mental health care or trauma-related symptomology

• Substance use disorder treatment14

• History of sex work/trafficking15

• Primary health concerns,16 including pregnancy, gynecologic health, and weight gain associated 

with incarceration

• Reproductive health care, prenatal care, and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases17

Safe and stable housing is particularly important for women to ensure their physical and emotional safety 

immediately following release. Having a secure place to live can minimize the risk of women returning 

to sex work or relying on unhealthy relationships to meet basic needs. Safe and stable housing should 

be located away from prior abusive or unhealthy relationships with space for the woman to make her 

transition back into the community a positive and productive experience. A woman’s criminal history 

can make it difficult to find appropriate housing, as many communities lack sufficient housing options for 

people with a criminal conviction. Some communities may have transitional housing or halfway houses 

for women; however, not all jurisdictions certify or regulate these programs. Housing programs should 

be vetted to ensure they do not engage in predatory practices, such as requiring significant portions of a 

woman’s disability check (if she receives disability benefits) or paycheck, or forcing program participants 

to engage in inappropriate or illegal behaviors or labor (e.g., panhandling, prostitution) to generate income 

for the program.

Employment is crucial for women in meeting their needs and building their independence. Making 

a livable wage is critical to ensuring that temptations to resume unhealthy relationships for financial 

reasons or engaging in unhealthy or illegal behaviors to earn income are minimized. However, having 

a criminal history can be a major barrier to employment. Women should be supported in finding and 

retaining employment. This may include providing women help finding organizations that are receptive 

to hiring individuals with criminal histories; overcoming barriers to obtaining an interview; accessing 

clothes that are appropriate for interviews; securing transportation to interviews and employment when 

hired; arranging childcare during working hours; reconciling work schedules with requirements for any 

criminal justice oversight, such as probation visits; and addressing other needs that arise. 
6 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

More Information and Resources:

Treatment locators

• SAMHSA’s treatment access page contains links to multiple treatment locators. 

○The federal Substance Use Treatment Locator is searchable by city, zip code, region, program, 

payment option, and treatment type to identify mental and substance use treatment providers. 

○SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator is searchable by address, city, or zip 

code to identify treatment facilities for mental and substance use disorders. 

○SAMHSA’s Buprenorphine Practitioner & Treatment Program Locator is searchable by state, 

city, or zip code to identify buprenorphine providers for the treatment of opioid use disorder. 

○SAMHSA’s Early Serious Mental Illness Treatment Locator is searchable by state to identify 

treatment facilities for recent onset of serious mental illness.

○SAMHSA’s Opioid Treatment Program Directory contains directories of opioid treatment 

programs in each state. 

• Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federally Qualified Health Center locator is 

searchable by city, zip code, or street address to identify Health Resources and Services Administration 

(HRSA)-funded health centers. 

Other resources

• National Resource Center on Justice Involved Women

• National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated

• Directory of programs for women with criminal justice involvement

• Reentry Considerations for Justice Involved Women

• “Reentry Resources: When Victims of Battering Return to the Community after Jail or Prison”

• Reentry Tipsheets for Women (includes fillable worksheets)

• The Jewish Vocational Services Women Offender Reentry Collaborative: A Practitioner’s “Blueprint” 

for Replication
7 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

2. Address Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are common among incarcerated women.18 Though current national rates 

of SUDs are higher in men than they are in women, this gap is decreasing.19 In addition, women’s substance 

use patterns and outcomes differ from those of men.20 For example, managing SUDs during pregnancy 

is a medical concern unique to women; women are also more likely to have a co-occurring mental health 

diagnosis than men are.21 Further, women face considerable gender-specific barriers to accessing addiction 

treatment compared to men, including pregnancy, the need for childcare, and sexual harassment.22

Opioid misuse is currently a major concern in the United States, and in recent years there has been an 

increase in the number of females using opiates.23 Between 2000 and 2014, the number of deaths due to 

opioid overdose in the United States increased by 200 percent.24 The opioid epidemic has impacted the 

criminal justice system, with a higher rate of opioid use among incarcerated individuals than among the 

general population. This fact has particularly serious implications for women, who are more likely than 

men to experience overdose and death related to opioid use after release.25

It is important to connect clients with substance use treatment and services during and after incarceration 

and to support their continued engagement. If women are engaged in substance use treatment programs 

while incarcerated, efforts should be made to help them continue utilizing these services when they 

reenter the community. This might include having contact with the same treatment provider post-release, 

receiving services within 24 to 72 hours after release, and receiving long-term follow-up.26,27,28 A number 

of treatment approaches have been found to be effective or promising among justice-involved women:

• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based practice for treating opioid and alcohol 

use disorders.29 MAT is considered a best practice for treating pregnant women.30

• A range of cognitive-behavioral therapies show effectiveness—rated between promising and 

proven—in reducing substance use disorders. These therapies include motivational interviewing 

and contingency management, among others.31

• Harm reduction is not a specific treatment but a general approach to substance use intervention. 

Harm reduction focuses on reducing the consequences of substance use and recognizing the nonlinear process of recovery during substance use treatment.32

Other potential barriers should be addressed for reentering women with substance use disorders. For 

instance, providing childcare and transportation options can increase participation and retention in 

substance use treatment programs.33 Assessing the woman’s relationships with loved ones who are also 

experiencing substance use disorders is key to understanding who is available in the woman’s network 

to support recovery and what relationships may need to be considered with caution or severed during the 

transition back into the community. Understanding the woman’s ability to pay for treatment is also critical. 

Women reentering the community may be eligible for Medicaid coverage, particularly if they are mothers 
8 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

with custody of their children. If they are not eligible for Medicaid, it will be important to help women 

navigate options for obtaining health insurance or conversations with her treatment providers to see if they 

are able to charge for services using a sliding scale, arrange an achievable payment plan, or provide some 

other subsidized means for accessing treatment at a manageable rate.

More Information and Resources:

Publications

• SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocol, No. 51, Substance Abuse Treatment: Addressing the 

Specific Needs of Women

• Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women with Opioid Use Disorder and Their 

Infants

• A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorders

Treatment locators

Please refer to page 6 for information about SAMHSA’s treatment locators and the Health Resources and 

Services Administration’s Federally Qualified Health Center locator.
9 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

3. Connect to Mental Health Care Services

Incarcerated women have higher rates of mental disorders than non-incarcerated women and incarcerated 

men do,34 and they often have complex treatment needs due to co-occurring mental or substance use 

disorders or other types of chronic health disorders.35 Trauma is common among women in the criminal 

justice system (see Section 6, “Provide Trauma-informed Services”). Traumatic events can have significant 

consequences for an individual’s mental and behavioral health. For example, experiences of trauma have 

been associated with depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.36

Reentry is a stressful time and can be especially difficult for women with mental health needs.37One study 

showed that they may experience poorer health conditions, more frequent hospitalizations, and a greater 

frequency of suicidal thoughts compared to reentering women without mental illness.38 The following 

information provides helpful ways to increase support during this period of transition.

Screenings and Assessments:

Women with mental disorders may have received assessments, services, or treatment during previous 

phases of their justice involvement. If at all possible, previous assessments and records should be obtained 

and worked into the reentry planning process to ensure continuity of care as the woman moves from 

the justice system setting back into the community. If no assessments or treatment have been provided, 

the reentry planning process should include screenings to ensure further assessments are not merited. 

If screening tools are needed, SAMHSA’s Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders in the 

Justice System provides a number of recommendations for screenings that can provide insight into possible 

mental illness, substance use disorders, and trauma.

Reentry Planning:

If the woman has a previously identified mental disorder, her optimal reentry plan would include a 

scheduled appointment at a mental health treatment provider occurring as soon as possible after release. In 

addition, be sure that medical records from the correctional facility are shared with the community-based 

provider. This can ensure that critical services and medications are provided accurately and in a timely 

manner. Having a scheduled appointment is proven to be more effective than simply referring a person to 

an agency. If transportation supports are available, leverage those services to ensure the woman is able to 

reach the provider agency.

Women reentering the community should be involved in determining the most appropriate treatment 

provider for follow-up services. Research shows that people of color may have difficulty obtaining 

appointments39 or finding a provider that delivers culturally-responsive mental health treatment.40 There 

may be religious or cultural considerations that the woman wants to take into account when choosing a 

provider. Involving the reentering woman in the decision-making process enables her to begin taking 

ownership of her own healing and recovery.
10 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Women with mental illness are found to have greater difficulties meeting their critical needs during the 

year following their release compared to women without mental illness, including significant challenges in 

obtaining housing, employment, and financial support from families.41 This should be taken into account 

when helping a woman consider and address her critical reentry needs (see Section 1 for more guidance). 

Extra effort may be needed to identify transitional housing that is supportive of women with mental illness 

as well as supported employment programs that focus on helping people with mental illness become 

gainfully employed. Women with mental illness may benefit from additional guidance in developing 

healthy connections with formal and informal supports as part of a recovery-oriented community.

Other Critical Supports:

If an appointment with a mental health provider is not immediately available after release, ensure the 

woman is able to obtain sufficient amounts of any prescribed medications to last until the scheduled 

appointment. Ideally, the correctional facility will provide medications upon release; however, it may still 

be necessary to obtain a written prescription refill if the amount of medication provided might not last until 

the scheduled appointment. If a written prescription refill is not provided, it may be necessary to contact 

the correctional facility for that paperwork to maintain medication access until the woman is able to see a 

community-based provider. 

Where possible, link reentering women with peer support specialists who have lived experience of mental 

illness and justice involvement and who can provide another level of support and guidance as the woman 

begins work on her reentry plan and transitions into the community. See Section 9, “Increase Self-efficacy 

Through Certified Peer Specialists,” for more guidance.

More Information and Resources:

• To find local mental health providers, refer to SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Treatment Services 

Locator on page 6.

• For information on suicide prevention, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
11 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

4. Address Physical and Reproductive 

Health Care

Incarcerated individuals have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than non-incarcerated 

individuals do, and the prevalence of hepatitis C among currently or formerly incarcerated individuals is 

high.42,43 Incarcerated women are at an especially high risk of STDs and HIV,44 often due to engagement 

in transactional sex.45

Pregnancy should also be addressed during and after incarceration. About 75 percent of women in jails 

and prisons are of childbearing age.46 Although a comprehensive national count of incarcerated pregnant 

women does not exist, estimates indicate that over 3 percent of women entering prisons are pregnant,47 and 

about 6 to10 percent of women in local jails are pregnant.48,49 

Women’s access to health care within jails and prisons varies and is often limited.50 Many individuals do 

not receive adequate health care while they are incarcerated,51 and upon reentry, women often experience 

additional barriers to quality health care.52 One study showed that women leaving jail or prison under 

community corrections supervision were more likely to use the emergency department or experience 

hospitalization than were men under community corrections supervision and the general population.53

This points to the critical need to link women with healthcare coverage or insurance:

• If working with a woman who may qualify for Medicaid, begin the necessary paperwork to initiate 

or reinstate enrollment in the state Medicaid program prior to her release whenever possible. The 

paperwork should be started prior to release so that it may be submitted and coverage initiated as 

promptly as practicable following release.

• Women with custody upon release of children who are minors should be considered for Medicaid 

eligibility. If the woman has disabilities and qualifies for Social Security Disability Insurance, check 

to see if she is automatically eligible for Medicaid coverage as well. 

• If working with a woman who may not qualify for Medicaid, federally funded health centers or 

community-based centers that charge fees based on a sliding scale may provide affordable services 

to address a number of different health needs.

The reentry process is an opportunity to provide women with essential healthcare services. Their needs 

will likely differ depending on a woman’s health conditions or childbearing status. Providing long-acting, 

reversible contraceptive services to incarcerated women prior to reentry helps them avoid common barriers to 

contraceptive care in the community. This can allow them to focus on other aspects of reentry without having 

to worry about an unintended pregnancy.54 Recommendations for contraceptive services are as follows:

• Offer contraception, in a non-coercive manner, prior to reentry to help women avoid 

unintended pregnancies55

• Ensure women understand their choice to receive or not receive contraception
12 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

• Provide education on contraception methods and services56

• Consider long-acting, reversible contraceptives such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, 

which can last several years without follow-up57

Pregnant women reentering the community might face additional stressors related to reproductive health 

care.Recommendations for working with pregnant women during reentry include the following:

• Identify, educate about, and link to agencies providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare services

• Link to substance use disorder treatment; provide education on the safe use of pharmacotherapy for 

substance use treatment during pregnancy

• Link to mental health treatment, with particular attention paid to anxiety and perinatal depression 

disorders; provide education on the safe use of pharmacotherapy for mental illness during pregnancy

• Engage client in parent or maternity counseling and classes

Additional Resource:

Please refer to page 6 for information on locating a federally funded healthcare center, such as a Federally 

Qualified Health Center.
13 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

5. Provide Culturally Competent Services

Individual or Community Culture:

There are many racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequalities that affect justice-involved people throughout 

the United States.58 Consequently, culturally competent practices are critical when working with formerly 

incarcerated women. “Cultural competence” refers to “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies 

that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural 

situations.”59 Culturally competent behavior is respectful and responsive to the different beliefs, practices, 

and needs of diverse populations. Both individuals and organizations might need to tailor services to 

respond to the specific cultures of their clients.

The culture of an individual or community may be defined by factors such as race, ethnicity, gender 

identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, income level, education level, etc. It is important to consider 

the language, thoughts, customs, beliefs, and values associated with different groups and to keep in mind 

that people with the same cultural identities will not share all of the same beliefs and values. It is also 

worth noting that cultural identities—and the customs, beliefs, and values that inform those identities—

can change over time.60

Individuals who are part of more than one group, such as being both African American and female, may 

experience amplified effects of disparate treatment or systemic inequity; this phenomenon is formally 

known as intersectionality.61 This combination of negative effects can seriously hinder a woman in her 

efforts to successfully transition back to the community. Intersectionality should be taken into consideration 

when providing culturally competent services to ensure that all of the barriers faced by a reentering woman 

are understood and that sufficient supports are put into place to enable her successful reentry. 

Institutional Culture:

Research suggests that the culture associated with incarceration can influence clients’ general functioning 

during and after incarceration.62 Jail and prison environments and staff, institutional and community-led 

programs, security concerns, rigid schedules, and the use of solitary confinement all shape the culture of 

correctional facilities and can have a lasting impact on a woman’s perceptions of safety, time management, 

and relationships with authority figures. Some researchers recommend that prison culture be included 

in a culturally competent framework for addressing reentry and other needs of individuals who have 

experienced incarceration.63,64

Culturally Competent Practices:

Research has found that culturally competent practices are associated with improved provider-patient 

communication, better treatment adherence, and better patient ratings of care.65,66 For these reasons, 
14 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

individuals and organizations who work with formerly incarcerated women should take steps to ensure 

they are engaging in culturally competent practices. SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocol No. 

59, Improving Cultural Competence, provides helpful guidance on how to shape services to be more 

culturally competent.

More Information and Resources:

Providing culturally competent services: 

• National standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services

• Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence

Working with Native American populations:

• “Care of Native American Women: Strategies for Practice, Education, and Research”

• “Culturally Competent Treatment of Native Americans”

Working with Veteran populations:

• Responding to the Needs of Women Veterans Involved in the Criminal Justice System

Working with LGBT populations:

• Enhanced cultural competency resources for working with LGBT people

Working with Latina populations:

• Developing Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Materials for Latina Survivors of 

Domestic Violence
15 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

6. Provide Trauma-informed Services

Trauma-informed services recognize that trauma plays a role in justice involvement. Trauma is common 

among women in the criminal justice system, with an estimated 96 percent of women reporting at least 1 

traumatic event in their lifetime,67 and many have experienced, on average, 6 different traumatic events. 

68 Although traumatic experiences can affect both men and women involved in the justice system, women 

experience trauma at a higher rate than men do and also more often experience negative consequences of 

trauma (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder).69

Trauma may be experienced through events such as abuse or neglect, natural disasters, and war, and 

historical events, such as the Holocaust and slavery, among others. Traumatic events, particularly 

exposure to repeated events, can impact the structure and function of the brain70—especially in younger 

individuals71—and influence subsequent coping responses to stress and everyday life events. This may 

result in unhealthy, detrimental responses to stressful situations. Reentry services must include traumainformed practices to effectively address each woman’s experiences. Trauma-informed service providers 

should do the following:72

Be Knowledgeable:

• Provide training and education on trauma and women

• Promote trauma awareness and understanding

• Recognize that trauma-related symptoms and behaviors originate from adapting to 

traumatic experiences

• Foster trauma-resistant skills

Shape Services Accordingly:

• Minimize the risk of re-traumatization or replicating prior trauma dynamics 

• Create a safe physical environment 

• Incorporate universal routine screenings for trauma

• Familiarize client with trauma-informed services

• Identify recovery from trauma as a primary goal

Establish Healthy Relationships:

• Understand trauma in the context of individuals’ environments

• View trauma through a sociocultural lens

• Create collaborative relationships and participation opportunities
16 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

• Use a strengths-focused perspective and promote resilience

• Support control, choice, and autonomy

• Provide hope and emphasize that recovery is possible

Addressing triggers is another important component of providing trauma-informed services. A “trigger” 

is a stimulus (e.g., situation, person, object, or circumstance) that reminds an individual of past trauma. 

Triggers can cause uncomfortable memories, feelings, or physical symptoms. These memories can also 

result in “flashbacks,” or feelings of re-experiencing a past traumatic event.73 Because these and other 

symptoms of trauma may be barriers to the successful navigation of everyday tasks and situations, learning 

to cope with trauma is particularly important for individuals who are managing challenges of reentry.74

For a better understanding of how to apply the principles of trauma-informed care into interactions with 

women reentering their communities, find a local trainer to provide trauma training for criminal justice 

professionals or request a training session.

Physical Settings:

Trauma-informed, gender-responsive programs use spaces that are designed to create a warm and inviting 

physical setting where a woman can feel safe. Ways to ensure that a space is trauma-responsive include 

the following:

• Keep doors open

• Use adequate lighting

• Offer various seating options, so that women can face the door if preferred

• Have a female provider and/or women-only groups available

• Offer childcare options when possible

• Provide access to a certified peer specialist

More Information and Resources:

Individuals who provide women with reentry services should ensure that trauma-informed and 

gender-responsive approaches are used. For more information about intervention strategies, see the 

following resources:

• SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-informed Approach

• “Becoming Trauma-informed: A Core Element in Women’s Treatment,” available on the U.S. 

Department of Justice National Institute of Corrections’ website
17 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

7. Build Healthy, Trusting Relationships

Common Relational Risks and Needs:

It is important for providers who work with formerly incarcerated women to build healthy, trusting 

relationships with them and encourage honest communication. Many women reentering the community 

benefit from positive parental and peer relationships.75 However, recently incarcerated women commonly 

reconnect with partners who provide social or financial support but may also enable risky behaviors, such 

as using substances.76 This dynamic can make women particularly vulnerable when attempting to follow a 

reentry plan and succeed in their transition from incarceration back into the community.

Education and treatment addressing personal and family relationships may be a critical piece of a woman’s 

reentry plan, particularly if the unhealthy dynamics of a previous relationship with peers, family, or a 

loved one played a part in her criminal justice involvement. Local social service agencies or behavioral 

health providers may be able to provide recommendations for effective family or personal therapy and 

educational opportunities.

Professional Relationships to Build Trust:

Through a professional relationship with the client, it may also be possible to model and build skills. 

Trusting relationships encourage women to ask for help when they need it.77 Unfortunately, many formerly 

incarcerated women have difficulty trusting others due to experiences of incarceration, trauma, and 

dysfunctional relationships. A general lack of trust among women who have experienced incarceration 

can make it difficult for their providers to establish effective therapeutic relationships with them.78 Service 

providers should focus on developing rapport with their clients to ensure clients feel comfortable in the 

professional relationship. Rapport often helps build trust in newly formed professional relationships.79

It is also important that providers set boundaries with their clients. Clients might ask for help beyond the 

scope of an individual’s professional responsibilities, or providers might personally identify with their 

clients and overstep their boundaries or professional duties to help. Violating boundaries, even if done with 

good intentions, will negatively affect the professional provider-client relationship. Appropriate training 

should be provided to individuals who work with justice-involved women to support professionals’ efforts 

to maintain appropriate and supportive relationships with their clients.80

One method for helping to keep women engaged in the provider-client relationship is motivational 

interviewing.81 Motivational interviewing performed in a trauma-informed manner can promote 

collaboration, allow clients to make their own choices about care, and foster self-efficacy.82 Motivational 

interviewing can be an effective trust-building tool for individuals who work with incarcerated or formerly 

incarcerated women.
18 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

More Information:

For more information on the principles of motivational interviewing, see the chapter “Motivational 

Interviewing as a Counseling Style” from SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocol Number 35. 
19 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

8. Reestablish Family Relationships

Reestablishing family relationships is an important factor to address in the reentry process. 

• Approximately 65,600 women in federal and state custody (62 percent) reported being the mothers 

of 147,400 minor-age children, by the most recent estimate.83

○ Of these mothers, 77 percent stated that they provided most of the daily care for their children 

before incarceration.84

○ Eleven percent of incarcerated women reported that their children were placed in foster care, 

compared to only 2 percent of incarcerated fathers.85

○ About 42 percent of mothers in state prisons identified as being in a single-parent household in 

the month prior to arrest, compared to 17 percent of fathers.86

• In 2017, incarceration accounted for 7 percent of all parental-rights termination circumstances.87

The Effects of Maternal Incarceration on Children:

Parental incarceration can have a significant impact on a child’s physical and emotional well-being. 

Children might experience behavioral and mental health issues, poor school performance, and financial 

hardship while their mother is incarcerated, although these effects vary.88,89 Helping families repair and 

maintain mother-child relationships during and after incarceration is important for children regardless of 

their living situation (e.g., foster care, living with another parent, living with grandparents or other family 

members, and kinship care).

Women who give birth while incarcerated have additional family-reunification needs, particularly if the 

jail or prison does not have programs in place to allow the child to remain with the mother after birth. 

In most states, women are separated from their babies within 48 to 72 hours and have limited time to 

bond and establish a relationship with the child during incarceration. The mother-infant relationship is 

a critical part of healthy child development.90 When this relationship is disrupted, the infant is at risk of 

developing insecure and/or disorganized attachment styles, both of which are linked to poor developmental 

outcomes.91,92 Facilitating reunification has benefits for the child, the mother, and the entire family.

Certain state and federal policies may separate mothers from their children due to incarceration. For 

example, the Adoption and Safe Families Act calls for states to terminate parental rights for children who 

have been in foster care 15 of the last 22 months. Accordingly, if a child is in foster care for more than 15 

months while their mother is incarcerated, their mother may lose parental rights. Although incarceration 

is not explicitly listed as a cause for termination, it is a risk that can make the reunification process more 

complex.93 This is an obstacle women might face during the reentry processes.
20 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Strategies to Reestablish Family Relationships: 

Women who stay engaged with their families during incarceration generally see more positive outcomes 

than those who do not, such as increased resiliency among children, reduced family justice involvement, 

and lowered risk of substance use and other risky behaviors.94 In some cases, it might not be appropriate 

for reentering mothers and their children to live together after release. In these situations, the proper 

agencies should work with the mothers to plan for visits and take steps toward reunification, as appropriate. 

Regardless of the living situation, agencies and individuals working with reentering mothers should ensure 

they are linked with evidence-based parenting classes and family reunification supports.

Individuals who work with incarcerated mothers should do the following:

• Ensure mothers have appropriate social support to effectively parent

• Provide legal support regarding child custody concerns

• Engage mothers in family therapy and parenting education, if needed

• Facilitate family reunification upon reentry

Parenting Skills and Education:

An effective reentry plan for mothers should facilitate participation in parenting classes. Parenting class 

content and formats vary depending on the focus of each class. Programs that emphasize emotional 

communication, positive interactions, and disciplinary consistency have been shown to improve both 

parental outcomes and children’s behavioral outcomes.95,96

More Information and Resources:

For more information on supporting mothers and families affected by maternal incarceration, visit the 

following: 

• Child Welfare Information Gateway

• SAMHSA’s National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network
21 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

9. Facilitate Payment of Justice System 

Fines and Fees

Incarcerated individuals are often required to pay fines and fees related to their crimes, pretrial detention 

fees, court filing fees, and costs associated with the conviction process (e.g., fingerprinting, public 

defender fees, and probation or parole fees). Failure to pay fines or restitution, no matter how small in 

dollar amount, can result in re-incarceration.

Women in particular are at risk for financial instability prior to incarceration and post-release.97 Regardless 

of incarceration status, women often have less financial literacy than men have.98 Additionally, justiceinvolved women have very high rates of domestic violence exposure, which can affect their access to 

important financial information (e.g., their partner did not allow them access to this information). Finally, 

there is evidence that women often engage in criminal behavior that is directly related to generating 

income (e.g., prostitution or drug offenses).99 Helping women navigate justice system costs can reduce the 

likelihood of financially driven recidivism.

Family members of incarcerated women might also be financially burdened. In addition to legal fees, 

family members face costs related to prison phone calls, video or in-person visitations, and commissary 

purchases. This can be a hardship, especially if a woman’s incarceration led to the loss of a household 

income. Reentry costs for the family members of incarcerated women can also be significant financial 

burdens (e.g., sharing or providing housing, covering utility or cell phone expenses, and more). 

Several concrete strategies can help previously incarcerated women manage these debts:

• Ask the debtor to provide information about the fines/fees

• Ask the courts to help develop a repayment plan

• Ask courts to consider waiving fines, fees, and costs for indigent women and families

• Obtain written documentation of the debt

• Help write out a payment plan to provide a sense of control over the repayment process

Individuals who assist women with crime-related debt should also be aware of local initiatives and advocacy 

groups working to reduce the financial burden and consequences associated with crime-related debt.
22 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

10. Increase Self-efficacy Through Certified 

Peer Specialists

“Self-efficacy” refers to an individual’s belief that they can effectively complete tasks to produce desired 

outcomes.100 People with higher levels of self-efficacy manage challenges more effectively than those 

with lower levels.101 Low self-efficacy is associated with negative outcomes such as criminal activity 

and recidivism.102 Helping clients build self-efficacy upon reentry is important. Unfortunately, many 

incarcerated women have had negative experiences (e.g., trauma or financial barriers) that reduce their 

sense of self-efficacy. The correctional system can also trigger feelings of inadequacy among justiceinvolved women, given their lack of power and control.103

That said, when administered effectively, the reentry process provides an opportunity for women to 

increase their self-efficacy and empowerment. Trauma-informed systems of care have been shown to 

increase self-efficacy in justice-involved women.104 Women might find it especially helpful to engage in 

psychotherapy to increase their feelings of self-confidence and efficacy.

Professionals should consider using peer support services to assist in building their clients’ self-efficacy. 

Peer-based recovery support services use the knowledge and skills of individuals with lived experience 

(e.g., substance use, mental illness, and incarceration) to help initiate, support, and maintain the recovery 

of others. Although there are many models of peer support, “certified peer specialists” are individuals 

with lived experience who have completed a formal training and certification process to provide peersupport services.105 In accordance with best practices, women peer support specialists should be assigned 

to women reentering the community to avoid potential trauma triggers, support healthy relationships, and 

provide an effective peer-to-peer experience.

The role of peer specialists varies considerably depending on the situation. Roles can include providing 

social support, encouragement, addressing hopelessness, communicating with providers, managing illness, 

addressing stigma in the community, transportation, support navigating the reentry processes, etc.106

In addition to providing support, peer support services often help reduce individual- and system-level 

barriers to treatment including a lack of professional resources, stigma, lack of treatment engagement, 

social isolation, and difficulty navigating complex systems (e.g., health care or criminal justice).107

The use of peer specialists has been linked with a variety of positive outcomes, including the following:

• Increased engagement in treatment108

• Increased stability

• Fewer psychiatric hospitalizations109

• Improved quality of life110

• Increased hope for recovery111

• Improved substance use disorder outcomes112
23 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

These outcomes can be connected to the theoretical framework of women-specific reentry needs. 

Traditionally, peer-based support services have focused on individuals with mental or substance use 

disorders, but more recently peer support services have been extended to people with justice involvement. 

Although this approach is relatively new, there is evidence that peer specialists with justice experience 

improve quality of life ratings for their clients, specifically among formerly incarcerated women.113

Additionally, forensic peers are viewed as prosocial role models by their clients.114 Finally, there is 

evidence that peer specialists themselves enjoy higher levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem in their 

helping role, and that they utilize their role to form new, prosocial identities.115

More Information:

More information about peer services specifically for women can be found in the publication Engaging 

Women in Trauma-informed Peer Support: A Guidebook.
24 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Conclusion

As the prevalence of reentry services and programs increases across the United States, it is important 

that these efforts be shaped to maximize the investment of funds, staff time, and resources and ensure 

optimal results for women returning to their communities. By comprehensively addressing issues that 

emerge from a woman’s pathway into the criminal justice system, racial and ethnic disparities, relational 

approaches, trauma, and substance use disorders, individuals providing reentry services may be confident 

that their work will positively impact the women they serve along with their children and families.
25 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

Endnotes

1  Carson, E. A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016 (Report No. NCJ 251149). Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/index.

cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6187; Kaeble, D. (2018). Bureau of Justice Statistic special report: Probation and 

parole in the United States, 2016 (Report No. NCJ 251148). Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/index.

cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6188; Zeng, Z. (2018). Jail inmates in 2016 (Report No. NCJ 251210). Retrieved from http://

www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6186. 

2  Zeng, Z. (2018). Jail inmates in 2016 (Report No. NCJ 251210). Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/index.

cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6186

3  Cross, C. (2016). Reentering survivors: Invisible at the intersection of the criminal legal system and the domestic 

violence movement. Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice, 31(1), 60–120. https://doi.org/10.15779/

Z38X921J5B

4  Scroggins, J. R., & Malley, S. (2010). Reentry and the (unmet) needs of women. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 49, 146–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509670903546864

5  Covington, S. S. (2002, January). A woman’s journey home: Challenges for female offenders and their children. Presented at the National Policy Conference: “From Prison to Home: The Effect of Incarceration and Reentry 

on Children, Families, and Communities,” a conference of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Retrieved from https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/pdf/75011/Covington.pdf

6 Ibid. 

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46  Carson, E. A. (2018). Prisoners in 2016 (Publication No. NCJ 251149). Retrieved from Bureau of Justice Statistics: 

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47  Sulfrin, C., Beal, L., Clarke, J., Jones, R., & Mosher, W. D. (2019). Pregnancy outcomes in U.S. prisons, 2016–2017. 

American Journal of Public Health, 109(5), 799–805. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305006

48  Clarke, J. G., Hebert, M. R., Rosengard, C., Rose, J. S., DaSilva, K. M., & Stein, M. D. (2006). Reproductive health 

care and family planning needs among incarcerated women. American Journal of Public Health, 96, 834–839. 

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49  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2011). Committee opinion no. 511: Health care for pregnant and 

postpartum incarcerated women and adolescent females. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 118(5), 1198–1202. https://doi.

org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e31823b17e3

50  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2012). Reproductive health care for incarcerated women and 

adolescent females (Committee Opinion No. 535). Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-andPublications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Health-Care-for-Underserved-Women/Reproductive-Health-Carefor-Incarcerated-Women-and-Adolescent-Females

51  Delgado, M., & Humm-Delgado, D. (2009). Health and health care in the nation’s prisons: Issues, challenges, and 

policies. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
28 AFTER INCARCERATION: A GUIDE TO HELPING WOMEN REENTER THE COMMUNITY

52  Hammett, T. M., Roberts, C., & Kennedy, S. (2001). Health-related issues in prisoner reentry. Crime & Delinquency, 

47(3), 390–409. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1177/0011128701047003006

53  Frank, J. W., Linder, J. A., Becker, W. C., Fiellin, D. A., & Wang, E. A. (2014). Increased hospital and emergency 

department utilization by individuals with recent criminal justice involvement: Results of a national survey. Journal 

of General Internal Medicine, 29(9), 1226–1233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-014-2877-y

54  Sufrin, C., Oxnard, T., Goldenson, J., Simonson, K., & Jackson, A. (2015). Long-acting reversible contraceptives for 

incarcerated women: Feasibility and safety of on-site provision. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 

47(4), 203–211. https://doi.org/10.1363/47e5915

55  Ibid.

56  Ramaswamy, M., Upadhyayula, S., Chan, K. Y. C., Rhodes, K., & Leonardo, A. (2015). Health priorities among women 

recently released from jail. American Journal of Health Behavior, 39(2), 222–231. https://dx.doi.org/10.5993/

AJHB.39.2.9

57  Sufrin, C., Oxnard, T., Goldenson, J., Simonson, K., & Jackson, A. (2015). Long-acting reversible contraceptives for 

incarcerated women: Feasibility and safety of on-site provision. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 

47(4), 203–211. https://doi.org/10.1363/47e5915

58  Hetey, R. C., & Eberhardt, J. L. (2018). The numbers don’t speak for themselves: Racial disparities and the persistence 

of inequality in the criminal justice system. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(3), 183–187. https://

doi.org/10.1177/0963721418763931

59  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Improving cultural competence. Treatment 

Improvement Protocol Series No. 59. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4849. Rockville, MD. Retrieved from https://

store.samhsa.gov/product/TIP-59-Improving-Cultural-Competence/SMA15-4849

60  Ibid.

61  Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination 

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64  Kapoor, R., Dike, C., Burns, C., Carvalho, V., & Griffith, E. E. (2013). Cultural competence in correctional mental 

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72  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma-informed care in behavioral health 

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73  Weathers, F. W., Bovin, M. J., Lee, D. J., Sloan, D. M., Schnurr, P. P., Kaloupek, D. G., . . . Marx, B. P. (2018). The 

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75  Staton-Tindall, M., Frisman, L., Lin, H., Leukefeld, C., Oser, C., Havens, J., . . . Clarke, J. (2011). Relationship 

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76  Falkin, G., & Strauss, S. M. (2003). Social supporters and drug use enables: A dilemma for women in recovery. 

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77  Bloom, B., Owen, B., & Covington, S. (2005). A summary of research, practice, and guiding principles for women 

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78  Christian, S. (2009). Children of incarcerated parents. Washington, DC: National Conference of State Legislatures. 

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80  Villanueva, C. (2008). Mentoring women in reentry: A WPA practice brief. New York, NY: Women’s Prison Association 

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84  Ibid.

85  Ibid.

86  Ibid.
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87  Children’s Bureau. (2018). The adoption and foster care analysis and reporting system report: Preliminary FY 2017 

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88  Dallaire, D. H. (2007). Children with incarcerated mothers: Developmental outcomes, special challenges, and 

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89  Wildeman, C., & Turney, K. (2014). Positive, negative, or null? The effects of maternal incarceration on children’s 

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90  Christian, S. (2009). Children of incarcerated parents. Washington, DC: National Conference of State Legislatures. 

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91  Belsky, J., Booth-LaForce, C. L., Bradley, R., Brownell, C. A., Burchinal, M., Campbell, S. B., . . . Kelly, J. F. (2006). 

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92  Shaw, D. S., & Vondra, J. I. (1995). Infant attachment security and maternal predictors of early behavior problems: A 

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93  Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2017). Grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights. Washington, DC: 

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94  Luke, K. P. (2002). Mitigating the ill effects of maternal incarceration on women in prison and their children. Child 

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95  Sandifer, J. L. (2008). Evaluating the efficacy of a parenting program for incarcerated mothers. The Prison Journal, 

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96  Armstrong, E., Eggins, E., Reid, N., Harnett, P., & Dawe, S. (2018). Parenting interventions for incarcerated parents 

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97  Sanders, C. K. (2016). Promoting financial capability of incarcerated women for community reentry: A call to social 

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98  Bucher-Koenen, T., Lusardi, A., Alessie, M., & van Rooij, M. (2017). How financially literate are women? An overview 

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99  Alemagno, S., & Dickie, J. (2005). Employment issues of women in jail. Journal of Employment Counseling, 42(2), 

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100  Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman & Company.

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104  Saxena, P., Grella, C. E., & Messina, N. P. (2016). Continuing care and trauma in women offenders’ substance use, 

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105  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). Peer providers. Retrieved from https://www.

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106  Miller, N. A., & Najavits, L. M. (2012). Creating trauma-informed correctional care: A balance of goals and 

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107  Davidson, L., Chinman, M., Sells, D., & Rowe, M. (2006). Peer support among adults with serious mental illness: A 

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108  Simon, G. E., Ludman, E. J., Goodale, L. C., Dykstra, D. M., Stone, E., Cutsogeorge, D., . . . Pabiniak, C. (2011). 

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111  Ibid.

112  Rowe, M., Bellamy, C., Baranoski, M., Wieland, M., O’Connell, M. J., Benedict, P., . . . Sells, D. (2007). A peersupport, group intervention to reduce substance use and criminality among persons with severe mental illness. 

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113  Heidemann, G., Cederbaum, J. A., & Martinez, S. (2014). “We walk through it together”: The importance of peer 

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114  Portillo, S., Goldberg, V., & Taxman, F. S. (2017). Mental health peer navigators: Working with criminal justiceinvolved populations. The Prison Journal, 97(3), 318–341. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885517704001

115  LeBel, T. P., Richie, M., & Maruna, S. (2015). Helping others as a response to reconcile a criminal past: The role of 

the wounded healer in prisoner reentry programs. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 42(1), 108–120. https://dx.doi.

org/10.1177/0093854814550029

Publication No. PEP20-05-01-001. 

Released 2020.