JERP (John Eachon Re-entry Program)

The number of people with mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system is rapidly increasing. Without effective intervention, these individuals do not receive the treatment that they need and they end up recycling through the system.

Who is eligible for JERP services?

Inmates/parolees with serious and persistent mental illness who are placed in community corrections or paroled to Jefferson County.

Referrals must come from the Department of Corrections to the Community Transition Unit, per normal referral process.

What is JERP?

The Jefferson County Integrated Parole Treatment Demonstration Program (also known as the John Eachon Re-Entry Program or JERP) is a collaborative project to increase public safety and reduce recidivism by providing wrap-around services to prison inmates who suffer from serious and persistent mental illnesses, and substance abuse disorders, and who are placed in community corrections or paroled to Jefferson County. The program is designed to treat co-occurring substance abuse issues by providing Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT), an evidence-based practice. The project is supported by funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. The program began in November 2005.

The program has two phases: Residential (community corrections) and Aftercare (parole status.)

Services include:

ICCS (community corrections) Programming – Daily Living Skills, Communication, Anger Management, Correctional Supervision, etc.

Mental Health Substance Abuse Treatment, average of 13-19 Individual and Group sessions, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment, Recovery orientation, and Case Management

Medication and Medication management

Vocational counseling, job skills, job search, etc

Community living skills – community integration

Article from National Council Magazine, 2010