{"id":48026,"date":"2023-10-28T16:53:31","date_gmt":"2023-10-28T20:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=48026"},"modified":"2023-10-28T16:53:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T20:53:31","slug":"genesee-orleans-promotion-of-allen-to-project-director-reflects-success-of-reentry-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/10\/28\/genesee-orleans-promotion-of-allen-to-project-director-reflects-success-of-reentry-program\/","title":{"rendered":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/Promotion of Allen to project director reflects success of Reentry Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
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By Mike Pettinella
UConnectCare Publicist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Trisha Allen\u2019s eyes, the need to help men and women returning to the community after being incarcerated far outweighs her job title at UConnectCare\u2019s Reentry Program. (Submitted photo)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Lyndonville resident recently was promoted by the agency, formerly Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, for her efforts over the past 2 \u00bd years to develop and solidify the program that provides case management and peer recovery services to those who have been in jail or prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A five-year employee at UConnectCare, Allen has moved up from coordinator to project director — with expanded duties that include overseeing seven full- and part-time employees and communicating directly with the officer of the Offender Reentry Program grant from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that funds the local initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen said the Reentry Program has helped numerous men and women get their lives back on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said the men and women who utilized the services that are offered and \u201cdid the work\u201d are the ones that have made a successful transition from incarceration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the end, it\u2019s a matter of \u2018what you put into the program is what you get out of it,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chester Shivers, a key member of the UConnectCare Reentry Program team since 2020, said he can relate to what people are going through as he advanced through a reentry program at another location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has helped me to learn patience and to make healthy decisions,\u201d he said. \u201cI take one day at a time and wish to share the same hope that was given to me to others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, the program is serving more than 90 participants in the Genesee and Orleans counties, with some of those people living in transitional housing provided by UConnectCare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Reentry Program helps connect participants with the following services: substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, housing, food, clothing, employment and\/or job training, childcare, transportation and medical care. Direct case management and housing services are not billed through insurance, enabling participants to avoid those expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, individuals with a history of substance use who were sentenced to jail for a minimum of three months were eligible to qualify for the program. Today, eligibility is not as restrictive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re now able to serve people that were sentenced to a minimum of 30 days and have served that sentence,\u201d Allen said. \u201cGovernment is noticing \u2026 especially with changes in bail laws that people are not incarcerated as much and for shorter durations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allen said she would like to see the program expanded to include those who haven\u2019t been formally sentenced but served some time through pre-trial release or have had their case diverted through Genesee Justice or Drug Court. She said she also is an advocate for Medication Assisted Treatment for those in recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since May of this year, Allen has served as the jail counselor in both counties. She said that role ties in nicely with her job with the Reentry Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been able to get nine or 10 new clients from the counseling sessions,\u201d she said, adding that she visits the Genesee County Jail on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the Orleans County Jail on Wednesdays and Fridays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A graduate of Genesee Community College, where she received an associate degree in Human Services, Allen also has certification as a peer advocate and is working toward become a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about the Reentry Program, send an email to reentry@uconnectcare.org or call 585-813-6570.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Mike PettinellaUConnectCare Publicist In Trisha Allen\u2019s eyes, the need to help men and women returning to the community after being incarcerated far outweighs her job title at UConnectCare\u2019s Reentry Program. (Submitted photo) The Lyndonville resident recently was promoted by the agency, formerly Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23],"tags":[3997,3942],"class_list":["post-48026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county","tag-trisha-allen","tag-uconnectcare"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-cuC","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":35706,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/08\/31\/wny-reentry-grant-program-changes-enable-gcasa-to-reach-more-formerly-incarcerated-individuals\/","url_meta":{"origin":48026,"position":0},"title":"WNY\/Reentry grant program changes enable GCASA to reach more formerly incarcerated individuals","author":"aka","date":"August 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Recent changes to the parameters of the federally funded offender reentry program are widening the path for formerly incarcerated individuals to receive services as they return to society. Trisha Allen, coordinator of the reentry program at Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, said those changes include reducing the length\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/reentry-graphic.png?fit=482%2C671&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":27888,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/09\/10\/genesee-county-free-from-incarceration-man-sees-gcasa-reentry-house-as-ray-of-hope\/","url_meta":{"origin":48026,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Free from incarceration, man sees GCASA Reentry house as ray of hope","author":"aka","date":"September 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"From left, GCASA Reentry Program staff members Casey Moulton, Trisha Allen and Chester Shivers(provided photo) By Mike PettinellaGCASA Publicist After serving about 15 years in jail or prison in three states and being subject to subpar living conditions afterwards, a Genesee County resident trying to put his life back together\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/reentry-trio-1.jpg?fit=720%2C566&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/reentry-trio-1.jpg?fit=720%2C566&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/reentry-trio-1.jpg?fit=720%2C566&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/reentry-trio-1.jpg?fit=720%2C566&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24452,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/04\/12\/genesee-orleans-gcasa-program-provides-support-to-those-who-have-been-incarcerated\/","url_meta":{"origin":48026,"position":2},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/GCASA program provides support to those who have been incarcerated","author":"aka","date":"April 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release Added to the list of programs offered by Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse last September, the GCASA Reentry Program continues to provide support to men and women seeking to find their place in the community after being incarcerated \u201cThe main goal of this program is to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49176,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/12\/22\/genesee-orleans-go-to-guy-helenbrook-honored-for-20-years-at-uconnectcare\/","url_meta":{"origin":48026,"position":3},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/\u2018Go-to guy\u2019 Helenbrook honored for 20 years at UConnectCare","author":"aka","date":"December 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Pictured: UConnectCare recognized 11 employees with longevity awards this week. Seated from left, Sheila Rolle Smith, Jeff Helenbrook, Barb Bowman; standing from left, Allison Parry-Gurak, Lauren Swimline, Trisha Allen, Judy Pratt, Nicole Anderson. Others honored were MaryLou Szewczyk, Peter Whyman and Jocelynn Congdon Press release For two decades, Jeff Helenbrook\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Genesee County"","block_context":{"text":"Genesee County","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/genesee-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/longevity-2023-b.jpg?fit=799%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/longevity-2023-b.jpg?fit=799%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/longevity-2023-b.jpg?fit=799%2C516&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/longevity-2023-b.jpg?fit=799%2C516&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42590,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/05\/19\/genesee-county-independent-living-of-the-genesee-region-welcomes-caitlyn-allen-as-a-hawny-program-specialist\/","url_meta":{"origin":48026,"position":4},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Independent Living of the Genesee Region welcomes Caitlyn Allen as a HAWNY Program Specialist","author":"aka","date":"May 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Independent Living of the Genesee Region (ILGR)\u00a0is pleased that\u00a0Caitlyn Allen\u00a0has joined their\u00a0team in the role of\u00a0Homeless Alliance of Western New York (HAWNY) Program Specialist.\u00a0 In this position, she will coordinate the Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming (GOW) Continuum of Care (COC) and maximize community participation. 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