"It doesn’t matter where you came from; it’s where you're going that counts.”
-Ella Fitzgerald
BACKGROUND
Life PREP, Inc., formally Recupéra, received federal 501(c)(3) recognition in 2004 and was founded in response to a demand for practical solutions to increased drug-related activity and violence in Allegheny County. The organization provided support, training and development programs, access to health and wellness information, workshops on legal issues, life skills, education, and substance-free recreational activities and events to the community at large, but primarily to people struggling with addiction. As time progressed participation of young adults and formerly incarcerated individuals seeking similar supports spiked.
In response a board member introduced a new project that would expand Life PREP's mission to include the prevention and support needs of these at-risk young adults and formerly incarcerated individuals. We found that these specific groups have consistently fallen through societal cracks, similar to those who have struggled with the disease of addiction. Initial research revealed that one of the primary reasons these populations continued to have trouble rests heavily with juvenile behaviors that are often carried into adulthood – in addition to a myriad of ancillary factors which may include dysfunctional home lives, lack of and quality of education, and economic hardships. Often, for these individuals the end result is substance use, relapse and/or incarceration. Life PREP offers the programming and support needed to combat these outcomes and prepares participants to excel.
OUR APPROACH
Life PREP offers an evidence-based support system, similar to the successful Twelve-Step programs of Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, and innovative outreach efforts that reach and prepare all participants for immediate and long-term success. We believe that a complete indoctrination of positive principles, coupled with program components are the unique formula for success. This success comes from replacing, correcting and redirecting delinquent, detrimental behaviors with positive information, relationships and influences.
THE HARD TRUTH
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Approximately 10,000,000 people are released from county jails and over 650,000 people are released from federal and state prisons each year.
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Recidivism reports states that 78% of youth offenders will return to jail for new crimes.
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Research has shown that upon release many individuals returning to their communities lacked the resources necessary to focus on meeting housing and/or work requirements and consequently received technical parole violations almost immediately after release.
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Without the proper supports over two-thirds of these same people will be re-arrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years.
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Studies show that between 40 to 60 percent of people who've been treated for addiction or alcoholism relapse within a year.
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To be successful in recovery one must be prepared for life post-treatment. Very often this includes having a safe, sober place to live and assistance finding employment.
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A solid support network can make the difference between continued recovery or relapsing back into addiction. Creating a relapse prevention plan and understanding how certain things can sabotage sobriety, such as dysfunctional family dynamics, toxic friendships, social isolation and unhealthy daily routines.