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San Bernardino
On Friday, September 7, mayors and other elected officials and community stakeholders from across the region will gather at the San Bernardino Government Center-Rotunda, 385 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino at 9:30 a.m. in celebration of a multi-city strategy to reduce crime and eliminate recidivism.
The Time for Change Foundation (TFCF) has received 2.1 million dollars from the Department of Health Care Services -Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand its successful Positive Futures II (PFII) Project which incorporates the E3P3 model created by M.H.M. & Associates.
The E3P3 aligns partnerships that include Environmental Sustainability, Economic Opportunities, and Equity (the E3 in E3P3), which increases access to needed and available resource platforms; with Public-Private Partnerships (the P3 in E3P3), which utilize community organizations, schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and government agencies to bridge the gap in services, loss of funding and community needs, to secure grant funding.
The 2.1 million dollars in funding from the Department of Health Care Services -SAMHSA will allow Time for Change Foundation’s Positive Futures II program to enroll 220 program eligible females (44 per year). In addition, an estimated 200 program graduates, i.e., 40 per year, will receive program services upon release into the targeted communities from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
The service areas in San Bernardino County covers 234.45 square miles and includes the cities of San Bernardino, Rialto, Redlands, Victorville, and Colton and covers 234.45 square miles.
Since 2002, TFCF has provided homeless women (with or without children) with housing and supportive services to assist them during their transitions from incarceration and homelessness to self-sufficiency. Over the years, the agency has created a full integration of evidence-based supportive services, drug treatment, advocacy and various housing programs necessary to address the challenges with homelessness, re-entry and more importantly, family reunification. To date, TFCF has reunited 247 children from foster care back with their moms in safe and stable housing.
In 2012, TFCF launched the Positive Futures, multi-city, three-year pilot project. Its goal was to prevent crime, reduce recidivism and address substance abuse/mental health disorders for 135 incarcerated women. The Positive Futures initiative began within four months of the women being released back into San Bernardino County and continued for 12 months post release. It reduced recidivism by 100 percent and saw a 98 percent increase in housing, employment, family connectedness and behavioral health treatment.
Dr. Nena Messina of UCLA’s Integrated Substance Abuse Programs noted that over a 3-year period, the Positive Futures project became a national success model.
Commenting about the program, Vanessa Perez, Director of Time for Change Foundation stated, “Time for Change Foundation is excited and dedicated to serving this vulnerable population ensuring that women are prepared to reunify with their children and become responsible and productive citizens of the Inland Empire.”
Dr. Rene Pryor of TCP Enterprises International, Public Relations & Media Communications, played a key role in coordinating and orchestrating the Time for Change Foundation’s, “$2.1 Million for Multi-City Positive Futures Project Celebration” scheduled for Friday, September 7. Pryor expressed her strong support for the E3P3 model by quoting the words of celebrated author (Oliver) Napoleon Hill who wrote, “It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”
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