Recovery housing is top priority for prison reentry council

Housing stability, employment, and community support emerged as central themes during the North Carolina Statewide Reentry Council Collaborative’s second-quarter meeting, where state officials and nonprofit leaders highlighted efforts to improve outcomes for people returning from incarceration.

The June virtual meeting, hosted by the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction’s Division of Rehabilitation and Reentry, featured updates on the state’s Reentry 2030 initiative and presentations from two faith-based organizations that partner with correctional officials to provide long-term recovery and reentry services.

George Pettigrew, senior deputy secretary for the Division of Rehabilitation and Reentry, said the department has expanded its designated reentry facilities and continues to implement recommendations developed through the Statewide Reentry Council Collaborative.

“We’ve expanded our designated reentry facilities to two more facilities,” Pettigrew said, noting that Neuse Correctional and Roanoke River Correctional have been added, bringing the statewide total to 28 facilities before the planned closure of Craggy Correctional later this year.

Pettigrew also announced the launch of a statewide online volunteer application system, another recommendation adopted by the collaborative.

“You can go online now and apply to be a volunteer at a facility,” Pettigrew said. The system allows approved volunteers to serve at multiple correctional facilities after completing training and background screening. 

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 303 in January 2024, making North Carolina the third state to join the national Reentry 2030 initiative. The order established the Joint Reentry Council, directing state cabinet agencies to coordinate efforts to improve rehabilitation and lower recidivism.

Pettigrew said subcommittees have spent the past two years reviewing the strategic plan and are recommending revisions to reflect changing priorities.

“They have made some recommendations on some revisions, recommending deleting some of the strategies, and even adding a strategy or two,” Pettigrew said. He said the Joint Reentry Council is expected to review proposed revisions and identify the top 10 priorities for completion during the next two years.

Following the state update, director Lateisha Thrash introduced representatives from Christian Recovery Centers and Recovery Alive, describing both organizations as long-term recovery providers serving individuals leaving incarceration and substance-use treatment programs.

“We have a good relationship with Recovery Alive and Christian Recovery Centers,” Thrash said. “They both have a great community and campus here in North Carolina.” 

Josh Torbich, chief executive officer of Christian Recovery Centers, said nearly half of those served by the organization have some form of criminal justice involvement.

“Almost 50% were justice-involved,” Torbich said while discussing data from July through December 2025. “About half of the folks are coming out of situations of incarceration or even their next steps… have involved some sort of judicial involvement.”

Torbich said the organization has combined faith-based recovery with clinical partnerships to improve retention and long-term success.

“We used to see that we would lose one out of every two people who checked into our programs,” he said. “Now that number has decreased to where we’re only losing one out of every four people.”

According to Torbich, those changes followed expanded clinical partnerships that added detox services, mental health support, and more comprehensive care beyond addiction treatment alone.

He said the organization also emphasizes long-term housing and employment after initial treatment. About 80% of participants completing the first six months choose to continue into an additional 18-to-24-month reentry phase focused on employment, transportation, peer support, and independent living.

“You guys all know that’s really the meaningful core of what happens inside of a lot of the transitional housing activity,” Torbich said.

Christian Recovery Centers tracks participants using 56 indicators of well-being covering employment, housing, health, education, and other measures intended to monitor progress over time.

“Our job is to kind of work them up as they travel through our system of care… to be considered a stable reentry,” Torbich said.

The organization reported serving more than 995 families during the past year while recording improvements in community engagement, goal-setting, food security, and mental health.

“These type of recovery programs are working for people’s lives holistically,” Torbich said.

Recovery Alive executive director Tisha Temple focused her presentation on recovery housing, describing it as a critical component during the transition from incarceration to independent living.

Temple, who shared her own experience with addiction, incarceration, and recovery, said she received treatment during her third prison sentence before entering transitional housing.

“I was offered substance use treatment the third time I went to prison,” Temple said. She credited recovery housing with connecting her to education and long-term stability.

Recovery Alive currently operates four recovery homes in Johnston County with 25 beds, including one home dedicated to veterans. Temple said every bed is currently occupied.

“That tells you that the need is great, but we all are working toward removing barriers to reentry,” she said.

Temple shared organization-specific data showing that 70% of residents were employed full time, 17% worked part time, and 17% received disability benefits. She also said 65% of residents had prior incarceration histories and that all residents actively participated in recovery services.

She argued that recovery housing produces measurable public benefits beyond individual recovery.

“Economic impact figures come from the Fletcher Group Economic Calculator Report,” Temple said, citing an estimated $8.5 million in total economic benefits in Johnston County over three years and an estimated $17 return for every $1 invested.

“This is not just compassionate work,” she said. “It’s responsible work.”

As the meeting concluded, Thrash encouraged continued collaboration among correctional officials, nonprofit organizations, and community partners.

“We are excited with what we’re doing here in North Carolina,” Thrash said. “Reentry 2030 has allowed us to expand a lot of the great work with our community partners and our cabinet agencies.”

Eight states have committed to the Reentry 2030 initiative, which is led by the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Pettigrew announced that the next Joint Reentry Council meeting will be held on July 14 in Raleigh and will also be streamed publicly on YouTube.

“Recovery housing is top priority for prison reentry council” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.