California is one of the most incarcerated states in the United States, with one third of the individuals released from California state prisons returning to Los Angeles. The wellbeing of system-impacted populations presents an enormous challenge and addressing this need is a necessary facet in improving the overall public health conditions of Los Angeles. California, and Los Angeles in particular, is home to very large populations of system-impacted people and the health and wellness needs of individuals involved in the reentry process are critically important.
The most recently released data shows the rate of recidivism to be nearly 42%.
Cycles of incarceration, reentry and recidivism are complicated and multidimensional. Addressing this complex need calls for the mobilization of a strong, interwoven network of providers, resources and solutions. With that in mind, Beyond Us & Them launched the Los Angeles Reentry Collaborative. The Collaborative is a network of organizations partnering to promote successful reentry and reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals and reduce recidivism in Los Angeles. The Collaborative supports a wide network of reentry service providers in LA, as one of 37 Accountable Communities for Health.
The LA Reentry Collaborative seeks to engage the emergent collective wisdom of a diverse, interconnected, multi-sector collaboration to respond to this profound challenge. Since launching in July of 2023, the Collaborative has hosted 19 in-person and virtual events with topics ranging from nutrition and health, to a trauma-informed series highlighting “5 Essential Safety Skills for Reentry,” to a nature walk, to our Family Day get together, featuring live music, a toy giveaway and Santa.
All in-person events involve council practice — and it’s often the container of council that invites precious stories from community members who have been home only days after spending decades behind bars. The video linked above provides a glimpse into one recent LA Reentry Collaborative gathering and some of the powerful sharing offered by participants.
In 2024, the LA Reentry Collaborative saw massive success and now includes 150 organizations and 450 individual members.
One of the highlights of the year involved a special screening of the critically-acclaimed film Sing Sing specifically for our reentry community. In collaboration with production company A24, Beyond Us & Them hosted a theater full of formerly incarcerated individuals for dinner and a movie. After the film, we stayed for council practice to reflect on the film and offer personal stories of reentry. Attendees shared things that had come up for them in watching the film that resonated with their own experience. One participant noted: “I just got out about a month ago – after 19 years – so when he rolled that window down and breathed in that air, it brought me back to that moment, September 5, when I got out and was on that road, on the way home.” Overall, attendees were blown away by the power of community that the gathering — and especially the council — created. “I’ve been home about two weeks, praise God, after over 30 years,” noted one attendee. “And I appreciate the community wrapping their arms around us like this. This is amazing.”
It was an experience that will stay with all who were in attendance for a long time
The Los Angeles Reentry Collaborative is made possible through funding by the California Accountable Communities for Health Initiative (CACHI), the Council on Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health (CCJBH), and would not be possible without the support of our generous community of supporters.
To learn more, go to lareentrycollaborative.org
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