Justice Services
PRE-RELEASE SUPPORTS
We organize bi-annual Community Resource Expos at nine Pacific region correctional facilities, which are funded by Correctional Services of Canada. The Expos connect incarcerated men and women with service providers in the community that provide support to individuals upon release. Service providers that attend the Expos include representatives of community support organizations and other agencies, such as Community-Based Residential Facilities, recovery services, and treatment centres. The Expos enable incarcerated individuals to learn of programs available and establish working relationships with community agencies that can assist them in their preparation for release and community reintegration.
- Connect incarcerated men and women with service providers in the community that can provide them with support upon their release
- Provide an opportunity for community support agencies to establish relationships with people prior to their release
- Enhance the ability of incarcerated individuals to contribute to their own release planning through the establishment of connections to supportive community resources
- Be incarcerated at one of the nine Pacific region federal correctional facilities
- Reside in an open custody or protective custody unit
- Use the sign-up sheet to state their interest in participating in the program
Our Community Service Offices (CSO) can be accessed by all people within our community looking for an inclusive space or in need of assistance; there is no referral process or criteria that must be met. Traditionally, the CSOs support those who experience persistent and multiple barriers to accessing mainstream community resources, particularly marginalized and vulnerable populations. Our experienced paid and volunteer staff are trained and knowledgeable in working with individuals involved in or impacted by the criminal justice system and provide critical supports to other agency programs and clients.
We are person-centred and determined in our approach to assist people that connect with the CSO. We respond to people’s self-identified needs by connecting them to the services, supports, and resources necessary to meet those needs, which may include offering assistance with:
- Securing and maintaining safe and affordable housing
- Information regarding addiction services and residential treatment programs
- Income tax resources
- Obtaining identification
- Assistance with release planning
- Educational upgrading
- Support with parole applications and upcoming hearings with the Parole Board of Canada
- Legal concerns and referrals
- Advocacy assistance in correctional institutions and following release to the community
Our Vancouver CSO is a walk-in office open to the public that provides on-site programming and supports, and is a free call from Surrey Pretrial, North Fraser Pretrial, or Fraser Regional Correctional Centre.
Our Abbotsford CSO does not provide walk-in services or programs at this time, but can be reached toll-free at 1.877.640.1122
- Support individuals requiring assistance through transitional periods
- Facilitate referrals to community resources in order to establish safety and success for both individuals and their community
- Provide advocacy support
- Increase community knowledge and awareness of criminal and social justice challenges and solutions
- There is no referral process or criteria - resources delivered through both our CSOs can be accessed by all individuals in need of assistance
- If visiting our Vancouver CSO, individuals must play a role in maintaining its ability to offer a safe and inclusive space for all
Vancouver Community Service Office
- 3360 Fraser Street Vancouver, BC V5V 4C1
- E: vancouvercso@connective.ca
- P: (604) 872-5471 ext. 221
Abbotsford Community Service Office
- 33131 South Fraser Way Abbotsford, BC V2S 2B1
- E: abbotsfordcso@connective.ca
- P: (604) 872-1226
Our Employment Preparation Program is a 2-day job readiness program for provincially incarcerated individuals at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre. The program provides the job skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment upon release into the community, and connects participants with community resources that enhance their ability to secure employment.
The program explores how to make professional resumes and cover letters, how to network while looking for employment, how to find resources and support in the community while looking for work, and how to successfully prepare for an interview.
- Provide job skills assistance to incarcerated individuals in order to assist them in securing and maintaining employment upon release back into the community
- Educate participants on the community resources available that can enhance their ability to obtain employment
- Demonstrate how they are able to use transferable skills in successfully acquiring legitimate, meaningful employment
- Be incarcerated at Fraser Regional Provincial Correctional Centre
- Reside in an open custody or protective custody unit
- Use the sign-up sheet to state interest in participating in the program
- Additional admission requirements may apply
Reaching Home aims to prevent and reduce chronic and episodic homelessness among individuals facing multiple barriers, such as those with mental health challenges, criminal justice experience, or problematic substance use by connecting them to safe and stable housing, as well as wraparound supports. Our Reaching Home team provides intensive case management to address the complex needs of the people they support, and works to connect individuals to community resources that will enable them to maintain long-term housing and end the cycle of homelessness. The program team works collaboratively with our Community Service Office to ensure that requests received from clients are addressed and responded to in a timely matter. For more information on Reaching Home, please contact us:
E: communityhousing@connective.ca
P: (604) 872-5471 ext. 310
Our reintegration programs provide pre-release supports and services to incarcerated individuals as they prepare for their transition to the community. Our reintegration workers assist with pre-release planning and support individuals to identify and connect with services that meet their individual needs and goals. Connective staff also provide information on the rights and responsibilities of incarcerated persons, assist with establishing community supports, and work to reduce the number of barriers faced by individuals before their release.
Reintegration Worker (CSC)
Our federal Reintegration Worker program provides support to federally incarcerated individuals who are nearing their transitioning to the community. Working in collaboration with CSC staff, the Reintegration Worker assists with pre-release planning, develops working relationships with a wider audience, and enhances our ability to provide wraparound services that promote safety and success for individuals and the community. The Reintegration Worker strives to bridge the gap that exists between clients’ needs and being able to access services before release to meet those needs.
Community Reintegration Worker (North Fraser Pretrial Centre)
Our Community Reintegration Worker at North Fraser Pretrial Centre (NFPC) provides assistance with release planning, and information about community resources within the Lower Mainland of BC. The Reintegration Worker focuses primarily on one-to-one support services and provides information on housing, income assistance, applying for identification, taxes, recovery houses, treatment programs, employment and education opportunities. Individuals can access the Reintegration Worker or get more information about the program by filling out a special request form and submitting it to their Living Unit Officer at NFPC. Once the request is submitted, our Reintegration Worker will meet with the individual on unit, and discuss needs and help create a plan for release.
- Assist individuals transitioning from correctional settings to the community in creating person-centered release plans which identifies goals for successful reintegration
- Provide release planning and community reintegration services to assist individuals in identifying community and support services such as treatment programs, housing, and additional support for community release
- Provide vital links and referrals to resources which will continue to assist individuals build life skills and problem-solving skills in their community
- Individuals incarcerated at federal or provincial correctional facilities, who need support in planning for release into the community
COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES
Our Community-Based Residential Facilities (CRFs) operate under contract with the Correctional Service of Canada. Elliott House, Guy Richmond Place, Hobden House, and Tims Manor provide safe, stable, and welcoming housing and wraparound supports to persons on day parole or conditional release with residence conditions from federal correctional institutions. All residents are subject to both general and specific conditions of release, and community safety is ensured through 24-hour staff who provide structure, monitoring, and support.
Our staff provide residents with continuous support and advocacy as they navigate potential obstacles in their reintegration, and assist them to establish positive community connections. Our CRFs provide food, shelter, and access to amenities, and connect residents to supports related to every aspect of their reintegration efforts such as addictions, mental health, employment, education goals, and information on obtaining housing, personal identification, medical coverage, banking services, and recreational opportunities.
With the support and assistance of Connective staff, practicum students, and volunteers, CRF residents can meet their own needs and learn greater independence through the development of personal plans which create a foundation for change.
Our CRFs
Elliott House
Elliott House is a 25-bed home located in Abbotsford, with all single rooms. The residence is close to many community-based supports, social service agencies, and amenities. Elliot House residents also have access to Indigenous-focused programming taking place at Miyáqˈelhá:wetawt (Tims Manor).
Guy Richmond Place
Guy Richmond Place is an 18-bed community-based residential facility in Vancouver, with a mix of single and double rooms. Located near the Mount Pleasant Area, Guy Richmond Place is close to our Community Services Office which hosts a diverse array of community-based and life-skills programming. It’s also walking distance to public transit, grocery stores, and other community resources.
Hobden House
Hobden House is a 17-bed community-based residential facility located in Surrey, with a mix of single and double rooms. The home is centrally located and within walking distance to the SkyTrain and other forms of public transit. It also offers close access to several social service agencies and community-based supports.
Tims Manor
Tims Manor is an 18-bed residence located in Abbotsford, with 9 two-bedroom suites, and is the home of our Indigenous-focused Community-Based Residential Facility program, Miyáqˈelhá:wetawt. Miyáqˈelhá:wetawt provides residents with opportunities to practice ceremonies, cook traditional meals, eat together, paint, carve, and do beadwork, to increase residents’ connectivity to their spirituality and culture. Miyàq’elhà:wetawt creates space for Indigenous community partners to bring cultural and spiritual resources to people where they live. An elder comes to Miyáqˈelhá:wetawt twice a week to provide residents with private sessions, spiritual guidance, and lead them in ceremonies.
- Assisting men on release from federal and provincial correctional instituions as they reintegrate into the community
- Contribute to community safety by monitoring resident's whereabouts and reporting any concerns the Correctional Service of Canada
- Bridge the gap from the institution to the community
- Act as an advocate, support person, role model, and mediate problem or conflict situations experienced by residents as they make efforts to affect positive changes in their lives
- Be on conditional release with residency conditions or day parole from federal or provincial correctional institutions
- Be accepted by the Residence Manager or Regional Director upon review of pertinent correctional file information in accordance with our admission criteria
- Be willing and able to live in a group setting and follow the rules of the residence
- Other admission criteria may apply
COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION
Our Community Support Initiatives (CSI) came about in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and works to support people with complex needs as they transition to the community from prison. Working in collaboration with BC Corrections and BC Housing, CSI provides personalized support to individuals identified as eligible for release and sets them up for a safe and successful transition by:
- Assisting to find and maintain safe and secure housing
- Assisting with employment, education, filing taxes, applying for identification, navigating social systems such as provincial income assistance, and life skills
- Connecting individuals to key community support services including referrals for substance abuse treatment and mental health supports
- Supporting individuals to locate available doctors, dentists, mental health services, and other health services
- Assisting in arranging transportation from prison to accommodations upon release
- Reduce experiences of isolation
- Providing information on an individual’s rights and responsibilities in the community
The goals of our Community Support Initiatives are to:
- Support people reintegrating from prison with their self-determined needs and goals by connecting them with individualized services in the community
- Advance public safety
Admission criteria:
- Currently be on remand or sentenced at a provincial correctional centre in BC
- Have a bail hearing scheduled in the next three to eight weeks
- Have no listed fixed address at time of release or a history of homelessness
- A willingness to actively participate in the program, and with outreach staff
Our Forensic Outreach team works with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) Forensic Regional Clinic team, providing outreach services to individuals experiencing concurrent mental health and substance use challenges. Through flexible and person-centred outreach services, our Forensic Outreach program promotes public safety while meeting the needs of the individuals they are supporting. Outreach services are tailored to each person’s needs, as our teams aim to connect individuals to health care services and supports that enhance their ability to live independently in the community.
- Connect individuals to health care services in the community
- Enhance the ability of individuals to live independently in the community
- Support people towards personal development, self-identifiable growth, and improving health and social well-being
- Provide a diverse range of specialized mental health and substance use services for people with complex needs
- Referrals to the Forensic Outreach program come through the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission, who is mandated to provide psychiatric and psychological assessment, treatment, and general practitioner services to designated persons involved in the criminal justice system and other social service ministries
In partnership with Correctional Health Services and their Community Transition Teams (CTT), the Peer Mentor program supports people with opioid use disorders as they transition from the correctional center setting into the community. The CTTs play a significant role in connecting people to the community-based supports that contribute to rehabilitation and successful recovery. Through positive role modelling and a shared understanding of lived experience, Peer Mentors help instill a greater sense of hope and connection for individuals in recovery. Our Peer Mentors work closely with people following their release from correctional centres, and support mentees in navigating the substance use and health system, identifying personal goals and community resources, including accompanying them to appointments.
Our Peer Mentors currently support people transitioning from Surrey Pretrial Services Centre and North Fraser Pretrial.
- Utilize the knowledge and experience of Peer Support workers who have been in prison and/or experienced/overcome substance misuse, and who have successfully integrated back into the community
- Work with the Community Transition Team to support individuals with opioid use disorders as they transition from provincial correctional centres to the community
- Provide support and mentorship to people on opioid replacement therapies in the community
- Referrals to the Peer Mentorship come through the Provincial Health Authority's Provincial Correctional Health Services branch
Our Supervised Housing and Reintegration Program (SHARP) provides 24-hour monitoring and support in a safe, communal housing environment to people transitioning from corrections to the community in Whitehorse, Yukon. Located in a self-contained location on the Whitehorse Correctional Centre grounds, SHARP is the first program of its kind in Canada.
SHARP contributes to resident’s safe and successful transition to community by assisting them in navigating obstacles that they experience and providing programming, support, advocacy and information on community resources.
- Provide a home-like atmosphere with added structure that promotes a positive communal environment
- Assist and support individuals on release to reintegrate into the community
- Bridge the gap from the institution to the community
- Keep the community safe by providing 24-hour support and monitoring
- Act as an advocate and support residents as they make the efforts to affect positive changes in their lives
- Provide information and assistance with housing, employment, and other key areas that connect individuals to their community and support them to achieve their goals
- Be on conditional release from federal or territorial corrections
- Be accepted by the Residence Manager or Regional Director upon review of pertinent correctional file information in accordance with our admission criteria
- Be willing and able to live in a group setting and follow the rules of the residence
- Other admission criteria may apply
ALTERNATIVE JUSTICE INTERVENTIONS
Community Case Management Services (CCMS) is a risk-based community release program which provides community case management for individuals awaiting deportation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under the Immigration Refugee Act. In partnership with CBSA and John Howard Society Canada, CCMS is an alternative to detention, delivered by Connective among other regional service delivery partners in Canada, which provides individuals referred by CBSA support in the community through ongoing case management and service delivery. If, subsequent to a risk assessment, a CBSA officer or the Immigration Review Board determines that an individual’s risk can be managed in community, they may be released from detention, provided that the individual is enrolled into and supported by a CCMS program. CCMS outreach staff build rapport and provide community support to ensure that various community needs are met, including mental health, addictions, housing, and other essential community services.
Incorporated within CCMS is our CCMS Transitional Housing program, Kensington House, which serves as an intermediary step between emergency housing services and long-term permanent housing for individuals enrolled in the CCMS program. The supportive home can accommodate up to 6 occupants and is within walking distance to other Connective program sites, adding additional layers of support to residents.
- Contribute to public safety by offering services that encourage individuals to be contributing citizens within their communities
- Provide an alternative to detention for individuals referred by CBSA
- Improve health and promote wellness through communication, education, identification of service resources, and facilitation of service
Admission criteria:
- CBSA implemented the national CCMS program to provide eligible CBSA individuals the ability to access services that will mitigate the risks that have led, or could lead, to a detention decision. As per Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, a CBSA office is required to consider Alternatives to Detention when making a detention decision.
- The decision to release someone into the CCMS programming remains the sole authority of the CBSA and/or the Immigration Review Board.
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