Ohio Department of Youth Services Recognizes Second Chance Month with Reentry-Centered Events

Through events like a recent reentry fair at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility, the Ohio Department of Youth Services is demonstrating its commitment to providing resources for successful reentry to justice-involved youth. | Photo Credit (all): Ohio Department of Youth Services

By Charlie Lange

The importance of rehabilitation and reentry efforts to improve the outcomes and quality of life for formerly incarcerated individuals is well understood across the justice spectrum. With more than 650,000 ex-offenders released from state and federal prisons each year, according to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, providing those individuals with post-release services isn’t just a matter of reducing recidivism, it’s an investment in public safety.

In the juvenile justice, where youth offenders enter the system with their own unique traumas and circumstances, reentry and second chances are all the more important.

In 2017, April was designated as Second Chance Month, or National Reentry Month, in recognition of the Second Chance Act, which was enacted by Congress in 2008 and reauthorized and expanded under the First Step Act in 2018. The landmark legislation provides formerly incarcerated individuals with resources for jobs, housing, substance abuse/mental health treatment and family support.

In acknowledgement of Second Chance Month, the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is spotlighting its work to prepare justice-involved youth to successfully reenter their communities after leaving DYS facilities.

“At our agency, reentry starts the moment a youth enters our facilities,” DYS Director Amy L. Ast said in a press release from DYS. “From intake, our teams evaluate behaviors and specific needs to build a comprehensive plan. Whether it’s securing a job, enrolling in college or finding stable housing, we address these critical factors early to ensure that once released from our care they can return as more contributing, successful members of our communities.”

DYS said that last year, approximately 360 youth returned to their communities from facilities. The DYS’s release commended the efforts of policymakers, corrections officials and other leaders to reduce reoffending, strengthen collaboration across agencies and build stronger communities.

“At DYS, we believe that April’s Second Chance Month is about more than just a fresh start; it’s about recognizing the humanity in everyone we serve,” said DYS Community Engagement and Reentry Bureau Chief Yolonda Frierson. “To our incredible staff: your dedication proves this every day. You help our youth understand that their mistakes and shortcomings don’t have to define them. Instead, you empower them to use those experiences as fuel to grow and return to their communities as the best versions of themselves.”

As part of its Second Chance Month celebration, DYS is hosting a variety of reentry-focused events across its statewide juvenile facilities, including:

• Reentry panels featuring restored youth offenders at the Cuyahoga Hills, Circleville and Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facilities
• Reentry fairs at the Cuyahoga Hills and Circleville facilities with community-based organizations offering an array of services to youth preparing for their release
• A community service mural project where DYS youth and staff will refresh the Gertrude Wood Community Foundation mural in downtown Columbus

To demonstrate the impact such initiatives can have on reentry, DYS highlighted the success of similar events.

In August, DYS youth from facilities and others on parole attended the Central Ohio Restored Citizens’ Collaborative Summit on the campus of Columbus State Community College to connect with other formerly incarcerated individuals and service providers from the community to assist with reentry. The summit included meetings with community partners, who spoke with restored youth about the services and opportunities as well as an in-person walking tour of the Columbus State campus.

“I came here to see some of my old staff from Circleville, some of the youth I know there, and just show them that with hard work, it can pay off,” said one restored citizen from the DYS system. “They need somebody who they once knew inside the fence to go outside the fence and represent and show them that [success is] possible.”

That panel also featured keynote speaker Xavier McElrath-Bey, a formerly incarcerated leader in youth counseling and advocacy, violence prevention and sentencing reform with the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth and ICAN (Incarcerated Children’s Advocacy Network). McElrath-Bey used his own lived experience to discuss the challenges of reentry and offer guidance for success to youths and DYS staff.

“Don’t get me wrong—I know it’s not going to be easy,” said McElrath-Bey. “Take advantage of those resources and literally recreate your whole lives.”

DYS also hosted a reentry fair in November at its Indian River facility, which brought together more than 100 people from 45 community organizations offering education, job opportunities and everyday needs for justice-involved youth.

“Reentry fairs are more than events—they’re bridges to opportunity,” said Director Ast. “By connecting youth with community partners, we help them envision a future filled with promise and ensure they have the support needed to achieve their goals.”

“It’s a great opportunity for [youth] to meet people they could possibly hook up with out in the community when they’re released,” said Jacob Steuer, Principal of Indian River High School. “It exposes them to opportunities they might not have seen before.”

Participating vendors included employers, schools, skilled trade developers and other organizations that can assist with healthcare, behavioral health, housing and other services.

“We all have been recipients of second chances, and we understand that people don’t always get it right off the bat, and they need an opportunity to grow and mature,” said Shawn McCartney, Apprenticeship Coordinator with Ironworkers Local #550 in Canton, Ohio.

“They are our future leaders, so we want to provide them with the resources and tools they need to go out there and have an impact,” said Jeremiah A’ashir, Director of Operations with Youngstown, Ohio-based nonprofit Walking in My Truth.