Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS)

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Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS)

Opening Avenues to Reentry Success (OARS) program is a collaborative effort of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and the Department of Health Services. OARS supports the prison-to-community transition of incarcerated people living with a serious and persistent mental illness who are medium-to-high-risk of reoffending. OARS connects the participant with locally-based support for health care, housing, education, employment, and transportation. Each participant's support is different depending on their individual needs. Participants graduate from the program when they demonstrate the ability to maintain their mental health and basic needs without the assistance of their program team. Depending on their needs, participants may receive services for six months up to two years in the community. Incarcerated people in all 36 adult prisons in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Resource Center, and the Wisconsin Women's Resource Center are eligible for OARS, provided their mental health needs and criminal behavior risk factors meet the enrollment criteria. They also must be releasing to one of the 51 counties in which OARS operates. For more information about the OARS program, please contact the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Contact Information

Address
1 West Wilson Street Madison, Wisconsin 53703

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