U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)/Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Programs 1

 Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice 

 & Delinquency Prevention Report

MISSION

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 

Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) 

Program, formerly RExO, continues to 

provide critical and focused funding for 

reentry. In support of positive youth 

development, the Department’s mission is to 

inform and provide the public workforce 

system with strategies that best support 

youth/young adult programs serving 

individuals ranging from 14 to 24 years of 

age who have been involved in the juvenile 

or adult justice systems. Funded adult 

reentry programs focus on service to 

individuals 18 years and older who have 

been convicted as an adult, imprisoned and are within 180 days of being released from supervision. 

These projects are designed to test the long-term effectiveness of models and practices found in local and state 

government systems as well as in community and faith-based environments. Through rigorous examination, the 

Department of Labor is committed to developing strategies and partnerships that will facilitate the 

implementation of successful programs at state and local levels that in turn will improve the workforce outcomes 

for this targeted population. 

What is an example of a significant program that has been implemented in coordination and 

collaboration with other Federal agencies?

CLEARINGHOUSE DEVELOPMENT STEPS 

DOL, in collaboration with the Department of Justice (DOJ), are developing a National Clean Slate 

Clearinghouse (NCSC) to provide online information and resources for the mitigation of criminal records.

The contract to develop this portal was competitively awarded to the Council of State Government Justice 

Center. Over the course of the next year, the Justice Center will:

 Convene a Technical Work Group (TWG) 

 Gather content, launch and set-up hosting for the portal, develop a national website that 

provides, state-by-state information on sealing, expungement, and other related legal services 

that lessen the negative impact of having juvenile and criminal records

 Develop tools and provide technical assistance resources to reentry service providers.

 Develop additional services to assist legal aid organizations in uncovering more information 

about how to use and expand access to sealing, expungement, and other legal services via reentry 

mitigation workshops, legal aid conferences/forums

What initial steps has the Department taken to sustain this program and the coordination and 

collaboration with partnering agencies?

HOW

The partnership team recognizes the need for a holistic approach to record mitigation as well as 

effective wrap around strategies as a precursor to successful reentry. The team recognizes the need to 

diminish the lifelong economic and social consequences associated with having a juvenile or criminal 

record.
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)/Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) Programs 2

WHEN 

DOL and DOJ have jointly funded the Clearinghouse under a contract that is expected to cover a period 

of up to three years. The first year is expected to include all necessary planning, implementation and 

start-up activities. In years two and three, the Justice Center will be expected to provide ongoing

website maintenance and resource development as directed by DOL/DOJ staff. 

DOL has developed many innovative approaches to sustain relationships with other federal agencies. 

Below is a brief summary of those innovations:

DOL was one of the early members of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council (FIRC), a White House 

initiative comprised of more than 20 federal agencies that have been working together since 2011. The 

FIRC focuses on reducing recidivism and improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals related to 

employment, education, housing, health, and child welfare this partnership has paved the way to 

greater success and impact at all levels of service to the targeted population. The Council was 

recognized in a 2014 GAO report as one of four model interagency collaborations. On April 29, 2016, 

President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum that formally established the Reentry Council to 

help ensure the Federal government continues this important work. This strategic collaborative is proof 

that more federal programs can partner across agencies to impact our youth, families and communities 

at large.

Just to name a few of DOL collaborative efforts through the FIRC, DOL has:

 Collaborated with DOJ to develop the Face Forward Youth Reentry grants which 

mandate grantees provide expungement services and/or serve as a diversion program;

 Worked with the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to design the Training to Work (T2W) grants 

that serve formerly incarcerated adults in work release centers;

 Allowed REO grantees to attend DOJ Second Chance Act conference for training;

 Collaborated with the Small Business Administration to roll-out the microloan lenders 

program to REO grantees; and

 The development of the National Clean Slate Clearinghouse.

Are there strategies or approaches that you would recommend to other Federal agencies?

Collaboration and partnerships are key to the success of programs that serve the reentry population. No agency 

can do this work alone. We must break down silos and come out of our comfort zones to develop new and 

innovative ways to serve this population.