Trying to get back on one’s feet in the community after leaving prison or jail is rarely easy. People often face steep hurdles finding housing, employment, health care and other needed services.
State leaders are working to strengthen reentry support across North Carolina as part of a national Reentry 2030 initiative, but gaps persist, leaving many people recently released from incarceration feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn for assistance.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of reentry resources:
Because reentry resources vary by county, it’s important to start by identifying what’s available in your area.
Starting point
Local Reentry Councils: North Carolina currently has 28 Local Reentry Councils that serve justice-involved individuals in 46 counties — with the goal of eventually having one serving every county. These councils are intended to be hubs of local resources and help provide assistance with housing, employment, transportation, substance abuse, obtaining personal documentation and other basic needs.
Look at this list to see if your county has a Local Reentry Council and find how to contact it.
If your county is not covered by one of these councils:
- Call the Recidivism Reduction Call Center at 1-888-852-0004 for information about reentry resources across every North Carolina county. The hotline — staffed by people who have experienced incarceration and who are also certified community health workers — is operated from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday by the nonprofit Recidivism Reduction Educational Program Services, which was founded by a man formerly incarcerated in North Carolina prisons. Hotline operators have more than 800 entries in their database of resources, from housing options to “second chance” employers to mental health professionals, that it can point callers to based on their needs and location.
- Look at county-specific reentry resource guides compiled by OurJourney, a nonprofit also founded by a formerly incarcerated man after his release from prison in 2021. Select the county where you are living to find a guide and information about agencies, ministries and businesses that provide assistance in your area related to food, medical, mental health, substance use and job training/placement, education and clothing needs.
- MyJourney Reentry Assistance App: OurJourney has compiled the information from their county-specific guides on their website into a free app you can download on your smartphone to find ways to connect with reentry resources like food banks, job training and mental health support — all in one place.
- Next Steps by RREPS: An AI-powered app that can be downloaded on your phone or used in a web browser to generate tailored reentry plans, including relevant resources and step-by-step guidance on completing tasks based on individual needs inputted.
State identification
Having a state ID is essential to many tasks post-release. Recognizing this barrier, the N.C. Department of Adult Correction has stepped up its efforts to help people secure a form of identification before release.
If you need to obtain a state ID, you will most likely need to visit a local N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles office. The DMV website explains the process and what documents are needed.
Disability Rights North Carolina, a legal advocacy group, also operates NC ID Project, offering assistance to people recently released from prison who need help securing their state ID. You can call them at 1-888-938-6832 or email ncid.project@disabilityrightsnc.org.
Driver’s license restoration
About 1 in 10 of North Carolina’s almost 8 million licensed adult drivers have a suspended driver’s license because of unpaid traffic fines and fees or missed court dates. License suspensions complicate reentry to the community after release, leaving people without a license with the difficult choice of whether to drive anyway to get to places like work and medical appointments or face further criminal involvement — a tough bind particularly when public transportation is not widely accessible across the state.
The North Carolina Justice Center, a nonprofit advocacy organization that has pushed for state policy change to curb debt-based driver’s license suspensions, has compiled information and tips on how to begin resolving a suspended driver’s license.
You can request a free driver’s license restoration advice letter through the NC Pro Bono Resource Center, which will review your driving record and provide a letter explaining the reasons your license is suspended and the steps to take to get your license back.
If unpaid fines and fees are the reason for your suspension, you can ask the court to waive those costs by completing Form AOC-CR-415. NC Fair Chance has created several self-help resources (including a video), explaining how to fill out and submit the form.
Health care
Since Medicaid expansion took effect Dec. 1, 2023 an estimated 80 percent of people reentering the community from prison are now eligible for Medicaid, according to the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. The program can cover a variety of services, including doctor visits, behavioral/mental health treatments and prescription drugs. The N.C. Department of Adult Correction is working to help eligible people apply for Medicaid up to 90 days before their projected release with the goal of it being active on the day they walk out the door. That gives people a way to pay for the care they need.
If you did not apply for Medicaid before release, you can check your eligibility and find steps on multiple ways to apply here, including online, in person, over the phone or by mail.
North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition (NC FIT) Program: This program, founded by a UNC Family Medicine physician, connects formerly incarcerated individuals who have a chronic disease and or substance use disorder with health services. Community health workers with lived experience of incarceration meet with clients and help provide connections to other reentry resources. The program currently operates in nine counties (Durham, Orange, Wake, Mecklenburg, Guilford, New Hanover, Buncombe, Beaufort, Rockingham). To be eligible for the program, you have to be released from jail or prison within the past two years, experience a chronic medical condition and/or mental illness and desire to actively engage with a community health worker.
FIT Wellness: This is a specialized program of NC FIT that focuses on serving people with serious mental illness. Those who enroll are linked to clinics that have both psychiatric and primary care staff on site in the four counties where the program currently operates: Durham, Orange, Wake and New Hanover. Community health workers also help coordinate services.
If you do not have insurance, you can search this list for a free and charitable clinic near you offering primary care, dental or pharmacy services.
Employment
The N.C. Department of Commerce Reentry Initiative provides resources and assistance to justice-involved job seekers. NCWorks Career Centers located across the state serve people with criminal records, and staff can help with job searches, including creating resumes and interview preparation. Call or visit a center near you for assistance.
Find A Job — OurJourney’s Employment Assistance Program: This is a partnership with Honest Jobs, an employment platform created by people with criminal records, to help people connect with employers who believe in hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. Fill out this form on OurJourney’s website and a staff member will be in touch to help you identify job openings in your area.
This is not a complete list. If there’s a North Carolina-based resource you’d like us to consider adding to this page, please email reporter Rachel Crumpler at rcrumpler@northcarolinahealthnews.org.