STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Workforce, Education, & Equity
AGENDA DATE: January 24, 2024
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): All
DEPARTMENT: Office of Community Care
EXECUTIVE: M. Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
title
Authorize Supplemental Agreement No. 3, the first of two, twelve-month renewal options to the service contract with Redemption Bridge (VC25771), as amended, (renewal is contingent upon receiving and appropriating funds from TDCJ for FY2025) to provide the following reentry services, assistance to individuals within the City of Dallas at no cost, through: (1) workforce training; (2) affordable housing; (3) transportation; (4) health, wellness and recovery; (5) community connectivity; (6) digital access and literacy; (7) assistance to obtain government documents, such as drivers licenses, birth certificates, and social security cards; (8) legal aid and client assistance; and (9) direct assistance with rent, food, clothing, and other critical needs for the period of February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 - an annual amount of Not to exceed $250,000.00, not to exceed a total amount of $500,000.00 - Financing: Texas Department of Criminal Justice Re-Entry Services Grant Program Fund
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BACKGROUND
Redemption Bridge (VC25771) is a nonprofit corporation, which established the South Dallas Employment Project (“SDEP”) in February 2020, focused on the establishment of a sustainable, scalable, replicable, and collective impact model capable of supporting opportunity populations living in or returning to Dallas.
SDEP serves as an intermediary entity and provides both the framework and processes to holistically serve opportunity populations defined as those who have had limited access to educational and professional opportunities, and who face barriers to employment, including those who are experiencing homelessness; are incarcerated or coming out of incarceration; have physical or mental disability; and are facing significant barriers to employment.
Through its unique collaborative structure, SDEP supports individuals by providing assistance through its 185 partners in nine distinct areas: (1) training, leading to living wage employment; (2) affordable housing; (3) transportation; (4) health, wellness and recovery; (5) community connectivity; (6) digital access and literacy; (7) assistance to obtain government documents, to include drivers licenses, birth certificates, and social security cards; (8) legal aid and assistance; and (9) direct assistance with rent, food, clothing, hygiene products, tools, furniture, and other critical needs within the City of Dallas.
The Redemption Bridge staff (“RB staff”) is directly responsible for all the daily operations and program execution. The Office of Community Care screens and assesses each applicant's needs using an established application process prior to referring them to one or more of our partner organizations. Clients are provided with ongoing case management as they receive services and support from our partnering organizations. The RB staff facilitates relationships with organizational partners and businesses to assist clients to easily navigate and consistently access all available services.
To provide re-entry services, the SDEP partners with (1) the Dallas Police Department; (2) the City and County Specialty Courts; (3) the City and County Juvenile Departments; (4) Management Training Corporation, which operates 10 prisons in Texas under contract with the TDCJ; (5) Windham School District, which operates within the TDCJ prison system; and (6) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. These agreements provide a pathway to enable SDEP's partners to provide pre-release support services for up to four months, as well as connect individuals coming back to Dallas with post-release training, employment and wraparound services.
On September 28, 2022, the City Council authorized the execution of a one-year service contract with Redemption Bridge (VC25771) in the amount of $500,000.00, with two one-year renewal options in a total amount of $500,000.00 ($250,000.00 for each renewal year), by Resolution No. 22-1468.
On August 28, 2023, Administrative Action No. 23-6085 authorized Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the service contract to extend the contract until December 31, 2023, in order to allow the acceptance of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Grant to fund the renewal options. Subsequently, Administrative Action No. 24-5058 authorized Supplemental Agreement No. 2 to the service contract, to further extend the contract until February 29, 2024.
Supplemental Agreement 2 was approved via Administrative Action to further extend the contract until February 29, 2024.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
The Workforce, Education, and Equity Committee was briefed by memorandum regarding this matter on January 8, 2024. <https://cityofdallas.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12557711&GUID=65CDAFC2-F869-42F9-9D8E-FA60E8D34B7F>
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2024 |
FY 2025 |
Future Years |
|
TDCJ Re-Entry Services Grant Program Fund |
$250,000.00 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
Service Contract $500,000.00
Supplemental Agreement No. 1 $ 0.00
Supplemental Agreement No. 2 $ 0.00
Supplemental Agreement No. 3 (this action) $250,000.00
Total $750,000.00