serving women in Chattanooga
Re-Entry Services
Our purpose is to assist our clients to successfully transition from incarceration back into the community. Through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Correction, The Next Door’s Correctional Release Center (CRC), located in Chattanooga, TN, serves 42 adult women who are currently incarcerated. CRC offers an array of services to provide a holistic approach to meet our clients’ needs throughout their transition process.
Our unique model serves women who are currently incarcerated, separating us from other re-entry services that work with clients after they are released. We believe everyone is in recovery from something, and healing can take place during incarceration. Additionally, treating the woman as a whole reduces recidivism (the rate that the formerly incarcerated return to prison within 3 years of release).
a holistic approach
Services Offered
Group Therapy
Depending on what track clients are on (Traditional, Recovery or Trauma), our women meet in group 2-4 times a week, discussing topics including trauma recovery, substance abuse recovery, shame resilience, effective parenting, grief recovery, physical well-being, spiritual well-being, and self-esteem building.
Individual Therapy
Clients are able to meet with a licensed therapist who offer intensive trauma therapy through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), grief recovery, treatment for dissociative symptoms, treatment for institutionalization, coping skill building, and addiction recovery.
Spiritual Development
Trained volunteers lead faith-based programming to allow time and space for women to explore their spirituality and connection with the God of their understanding.
Workforce Classes
TND staff and trained volunteers offer resume building, mock interviews, work ethic training, job search support, budgeting, and effective workforce communication to build career readiness.
Work Release
Once a client has spent a minimum of 75 days of programming at CRC, clients are able to begin searching for employment in the local area. CRC staff transport clients to and from their jobs, and case managers develop close relationships with work placement partners to ensure safety and effectiveness at job sites.
Intensive Case Management
Case Managers work one-on-one with a client to meet her individual needs so she can successfully transition back into the community. This includes building safe and sober home plans, acquiring necessary documentation for the workforce (such as IDs and SSN cards), referral planning for medical appointments, coordinating continuation of care, and planning for reunification of families.
Community Give Back
We believe a beneficial part of recovery and re-entry is giving back to one’s community. We offer a volunteer-led class in which the clients create items for vulnerable populations in our community. For example, clients knit hats and scarves, make wheelchair-friendly blankets, and craft fidget blankets for those with Alzheimer’s.
Family Enrichment Classes
A licensed therapist leads a monthly class for clients to present psychoeducational information that can facilitate a successful transition from incarceration to freedom. Because we believe a client’s family can play a key role in a successful transition, we invite family members to participate in these classes.
12 Step Meetings
Licensed therapists offer an optional 12-step meeting each week to provide a safe and confidential space for clients to support each other as they work on their sobriety tools.
we are driven by our ideals
ABOUT OUR WOMEN
Our clients come from a wide range of backgrounds, but many have several commonalities. Most CRC clients have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which may include abuse, neglect, or an addicted parent. Our typical client reports greater than average levels of childhood adversity and trauma, with an average of 7 out of 10 on the ACE questionnaire.
Additionally, the majority of our clients come from families with generational histories of poverty and criminal justice involvement. Many of our women report a history of domestic violence, sexual assault or abuse, and many report experiences of human trafficking.
The vast majority of our clients also report a history of substance use or addiction. Research shows that traditional corrections settings do not facilitate robust relapse prevention that will translate into the community. We make it a priority to equip our clients with skills needed to support lifetime recovery.
Lastly, a unique element of our program is that we can treat common mental and emotional symptoms of institutionalization that women carry with them out of prison. We acknowledge the unique nature of each client’s story to create a tailor-made approach designed to treat the woman as a whole while providing temporary housing services.
Vistation Details
Because many women look forward to visitors, CRC has several different ways you can visit your family member or friend. Because we are located on Moccasin Bend’s federally owned property, the facility must remain in compliance with federal law, and no firearms or tobacco are allowed on the premises. Visitors must first be approved by TDOC, and a visit request must be submitted by the resident. For additional information, please contact CRC’s Correctional Counselor at 423-682-8709.
Upon arrival you will need to leave all personal items in your car, including your cell phone. You may only bring your keys, ID, and dollar bills or change for the vending machines in the building with you.
Visitation Times (EST)
- Every Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM or 3:00 – 5:00 PM
- 1st Saturday of the month: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
- 3rd Sunday of the month: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
- *If you attend the Family Enrichment Program, your visitation time is extended until 6pm.
The Next Door Chattanooga’s Correctional Release Center is accredited by the American Correctional Association under the Adult Community Residential Services standards.
Accreditation
The Next Door Chattanooga’s Correctional Release Center is accredited by the American Correctional Association under the Adult Community Residential Services standards.
PREA
It is the policy of The Next Door Chattanooga to provide a safe, humane, and secure environment free from threat of sexual abuse for all offenders in custody by maintaining a program of prevention, detection, response, investigation, and tracking of all alleged sexual abuse. The Next Door Chattanooga has a zero-tolerance policy for incidences of sexual abuse within its facility. It is the policy of The Next Door Chattanooga to report all allegations of sexual abuse and sexual harassment to Tennessee Department of Correction for investigation and tracking purposes.
Click here for information about the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003.