Restorations Ministries, Inc.
Managing Educational & Training Programs for Returning Citizens
Program Services
Restorations Ministries, Inc. is primed to meet the demands of reentry head-on and the challenges of an overwhelming influx of returning citizens into their communities. Our mandate is to help others find their life’s purpose. The knowledge of purpose is essential to a successful reentry. The focus of this program is to restore persons to a successful life, an abundant life, a purpose-driven life. The primary program components are explained more thoroughly in the acronym R.E.S.T.O.R.E.:
RECOVERY – Narcotics-, Alcoholic Anonymous, and Relapse Prevention Meetings – Recovery from substance abuse addiction is paramount for successful reentry. Clients are mandated to participate in six hours of NA and/or AA recovery group meetings per week. The meetings provide a recovery process and support network to address the disease of addiction. NA and AA meetings are held onsite, Tues, Wed, and Thurs nights of the week. In addition to the NA and AA meetings, clients are required to participate in one session of Relapse Prevention per week. Individuals recovering from drug addiction need to identify the warning signals that may lead to a relapse. Relapse Prevention meetings are held every Monday night, facilitated by a cognitive behavioral psychotherapist.
EDUCATION – Several educational courses are designed to help clients become well-adjusted, self-sufficient, and academically and financially literate. These programs are: The Adult Financial Education Program; the GED Program; and the High School Diploma Program.
At intake, clients are assessed for enrollment in these adult education programs. The Adult Financial Education Program is a 12-week curriculum developed to help individuals, particularly those on low-incomes, to build their skills, knowledge, and confidence. In this program, money management, personal banking, and debt recovery are highlighted, among other topics. In the GED program, clients are tutored to prepare for the GED exam. Math and reading skills are strengthened for each phase of the testing. Clients learn from a highly trained instructors on an advanced education learning curriculum. The High School Diploma program is an offsite resource for clients who intend to further their studies in secondary education institutions.
SPIRITUALITY – For many, spirituality is a key component to recovery from addiction and mental disorders. Relapse is a very real and present danger on the road to recovery that can be, and often is, devastating. At the heart of this devastation is a need for change, a deep-rooted desire for something other and more powerful than oneself. It is believed that without a strong and growing spirituality this change cannot take place[1]. This program, as Christian faith-based, focuses spiritual studies on biblical principles, the origin of man, and his relationship to his Creator, God, as revealed in His Son, Jesus the Christ. Volunteers will facilitate weekly biblical studies and Sunday worship services. In addition, a series of special workshops and seminars will be presented to study topics exploring the purpose of man, his relationship to God, and his relationship to others.
THERAPY – Various therapeutic sessions are provided for clients to give a holistic approach as they endeavor to overcome their addictions to substance abuse and recover from mental illness. Therapy sessions are provided to produce a therapeutic effect. The clients discover answers and examine thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Clients learn new skills to help them communicate better, decrease difficulties in their lives, and increase the benefits through cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.
OVERSIGHT – Extensive supervision is given to map the client’s progress. Highly skilled professionals manage client cases from pre-entry to program completion. Proper management of case plans is the key to success and is administrated in four phases: First, the client’s case is initiated at the pre-assessment stage. Applicants are encouraged to apply with three (3) references from institutional staff six months prior to their release date. Case management staff interview applicants within ninety days to release where an assessment is made to identify client needs and potential barriers to work. A letter of eligibility is forwarded within thirty days after the interview.
After completion of the intake process, clients are ready to construct their individualized case plans with assigned case managers. Comprehensive case management is provided for clients to plan, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate a mix of servicing to meet the client’s needs. Case managers monitor client activities in terms of program participation, work requirements, and program term limits.up to one year after program completion. Aftercare is an outreach service to ensure clients successful acclimation to society. In addition, case management staff conduct follow-up interviews with alumnae at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12 months after program completion. This helps to keep track of the progress each graduate makes and allows continued contact with former clients to keep their support system strong.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING – RMI believes that a key to living healthy lives is building healthy relationships. Relationship building is the focus of this life-skills program. Clients are encouraged and learn tools to restore broken family relationships, heal from past destructive relationships, and are equipped for future productive relationships. Adults attend gender separate classes and are taught valuable life-skills. The program helps individuals break free from the behavior causing strained, broken, or abusive relationships, while turning negative patterns around and teach skills that promote growth
EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION – As an education and vocational training program, RMI’s chief objective is to effectively prepare clients for the workforce. One of the departments instituted to facilitate that end is the Employment Preparation Center. The Employment Preparation Center is equipped with a host of dedicated professional talent, a sundry of resources, and innovative programs that offer the client a road map and guide to economic sufficiency. The client’s journey begins with a Myers-Briggs personality assessment. Next, depending on the constructed individualized case plan, the client works with the job developer to identify the industry to pursue or the academic manager to begin a curriculum to strengthen vocational or educational aptitude. Below is a listing of the components in the Employment Preparation Center:
A. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – The MBTI is a theory of psychological or personality typing and asserts that every person has a unique approach to the world, to information, to decisions, and to other people. The theory of psychological type says that there are basic differences in the ways individuals prefer to use their perception and judgment. Perception involves all the ways of becoming aware of things, people, happenings, or ideas. Judgment involves all the ways of coming to conclusions about what has been perceived. If people differ systematically in what they perceive and in how they reach conclusions, then it is only reasonable for them to differ correspondingly in their interests, reactions, values, motivations, and skills. People with different preferences naturally have different interests and views, behave differently, and are motivated by different things. Awareness of differences between types can help people understand and value other people who think and act quite differently. The use of MBTI testing helps clients understand the way they perceive the world around them and directs them to the occupation comparable to their personality type. Knowing the clients personality type helps in the employment planning in the earliest stage. It is a practical tool for investigating what works for the individual, then looking for and recognizing work that satisfies the client’s preferences.
B. Job Readiness – Preparing clients for work and helping them to determine career goals is critical for the success of job placement. Before an employer is contacted, we must ensure that the candidate is “job ready”. The Employment Preparation Center works to assess the client’s job readiness and career interests. Clients will go through an exploration process designed to provide basic tools necessary for employment. Each client is assigned a Career Counselor to determine career goals, educational needs, learn information technology, employability skills, basic job search techniques, and develop a Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP). Our Career Counselors serve clients in a variety of areas:
a. advise on filing petitions for expungement for appropriate charges
b. assist clients to gain access to fidelity bonds out of the Federal Bonding
Program that can increase an individual’s chances for gaining employment
because it acts as an incentive for employers to hire our clients by
alleviating risks they perceive by hiring someone with a criminal
background
c. determines whether a client is ready to begin employment search or needs
continued training
In addition to having access to Career Counselors, clients attend job clinics where they learn employability skills, such as, how to complete job applications, producing an effective resume, dressing for success, proper telephone etiquette, and correct interview techniques.
C. Job Training – The Employment Preparation Center also manages a variety of job training services to help clients qualify for and obtain jobs leading to economic self-sufficiency. Job training resources are available through selected and designated training grantees, handpicked by our Business Community Liaison. The job training program aims to provide our clients with marketable skills necessary to obtain jobs that will start them on a promising career path.
[1] Joslin, Phil, BA in Theology and MA in Counseling, “Addiction, Spirituality, and Relapse”