Overview of a Pilot Health-focused Reentry Program for Racial/Ethnic Minority Probationers ages 18 to 26 in Southern California

Abstract

There is a significant gap in reentry programming that is tailored to the needs of young adults ages 18 to 26 who are in a unique developmental life stage that involves ongoing maturity in their neurobiology, cognitive development, and social and financial transitions to adulthood and independence. This article describes the structure and approach of a 6-month health-focused reentry program designed for racial/ethnic minority young adult (YA) probationers in Southern California. The UCSD RELINK program includes service navigation and an optional psychoeducation health coaching program to build health literacy, problem-solving, and executive functioning skills relevant across multiple life domains. We describe participant characteristics and service needs at intake. Between 2017 and 2019, 122 YA probationers ages 18 to 26 responded to interviewer-administered baseline surveys. Participants needed basic services including housing, nutrition assistance, employment, and educational/vocational training. Depression and anxiety symptoms, Adverse Childhood Events, trauma, and unmet physical and mental health care needs were pervasive. Given the dearth of research on reentry programming for YA, this article documents the approaches taken in this multi-pronged health-focused reentry program to ensure that the program was tailored to YA reentrants’ comprehensive needs. These data serve to concretely illustrate the range of needs and how YA reentrants view their own health and social needs in the context of multiple competing demands; such data may be useful for program planners and policymakers seeking to advance service delivery for YA minority reentrants.

Clients’ Perspectives Regarding Peer Support Providers’ Roles and Support for Client Access to and Use of Publicly Funded Mental Health Programs Serving Transition-Age Youth in Two Southern California Counties

“…For example, a recent observational pilot study employed a community worker to serve as a Service Navigator to support TAY probationers, many of whom had mental health challenges. 53 Navigators used a structured intake to identify TAY clients' health, social, economic, and resource supports needed, yet, navigators had flexibility to carry out their work in the office or community settings and to pivot to address emergent needs. 53 Testing structured, peer support-focused interventions may shed light on effective and scalable strategies that can meet diverse TAYs' needs.…”

“…53 Navigators used a structured intake to identify TAY clients' health, social, economic, and resource supports needed, yet, navigators had flexibility to carry out their work in the office or community settings and to pivot to address emergent needs. 53 Testing structured, peer support-focused interventions may shed light on effective and scalable strategies that can meet diverse TAYs' needs. Additional work will be needed to determine in which ways such interventions may need to be tailored or adapted to the unique conditions of community settings or TAY subgroups' needs.…”