illi News - Chicago: Mayor's Office of Reentry and Department of Family and Support Services Release Women's Reentry Center Request for Proposal

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CHICAGO ~ Chicago Mayor's Office of Reentry and DFSS Release Request for Proposals for City's First Women-Focused Community Reentry Support Center

In a groundbreaking effort to address the challenges faced by women impacted by the criminal legal system, the Mayor's Office of Reentry, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Family and Supportive Services (DFSS), has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to establish the city's first Community Reentry Support Center (CRSC) exclusively for women.

This initiative follows last month's reentry summit, "Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: A Unified Path to Hope and Reentry," which brought together over 250 reentry professionals from across Chicago. The summit focused on addressing the complex challenges faced by returning residents, with a special emphasis on the unique needs of women.

Mayor Brandon Johnson stated, "True public safety means ensuring every Chicagoan has access to opportunity, healing, and support, especially those who have been systematically ignored and pushed aside." He further emphasized that through the Office of Reentry, the city is redefining what is possible when government approaches its work with humility and care. The new reentry support center reflects their commitment to building a Chicago where women returning home are welcomed and empowered.

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Despite making up a smaller share of the incarcerated population, women - particularly Black and brown women - face some of the most complex and unmet challenges upon returning home. According to statistics, about 75% of women who have been or are incarcerated have experienced domestic violence. Additionally, over 60% of imprisoned women are mothers to children under 18.

The Women's Reentry Center will be a trauma-responsive space dedicated to the healing and empowerment of women. It will provide comprehensive, gender-responsive, and culturally affirming care for system-impacted women and those identifying as women. This groundbreaking initiative centers on the voices of women who have consistently been overlooked in traditional reentry efforts, which were designed with male populations in mind. Services for the CRSC will include trauma-responsive navigation, mental and behavioral health connection, housing and employment navigation, family reunification, and wellness and holistic care programming.

Joseph Mapp, Director of the Mayor's Office of Reentry, stated, "Under Mayor Johnson's leadership, we are creating reentry pathways rooted in healing, equity, and dignity that uplift human potential and restore hope." He further added that this center is a direct response to the courageous testimony of women who have voiced their needs and demanded better. The RFP is open to community-based organizations with a proven commitment to gender-responsive, reentry-focused care. Proposals are due by June 20th, 2025, and the Center is expected to launch in January 2026.

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This announcement follows the news in April of a new round of RFPs for five CRSCs in 2026. This reinforces the Johnson administration's commitment to sustaining accessible, community-based reentry support for all returning residents while also building new capacity to serve women returning to the community from incarceration or who may be otherwise system-impacted. The CRSCs will have a dedicated phone line for service inquiries, connections to reentry navigation, and ongoing support for residents addressing parole or probation mandates on their reentry journey.

DFSS Acting Commissioner Maura McCauley stated that "the establishment of a new woman-focused CRSC is progress that cannot be overstated." She further added that they know women returning from incarceration are met with unique challenges and circumstances for which there is often insufficient support. Many return to full-time roles as parents and caregivers while simultaneously working to reestablish stability for themselves. The addition of the woman-focused CRSC will provide a safe and welcoming space with expanded services spanning a broad spectrum of women's needs.

This initiative is a key component of the Johnson Administration's People's Plan for Community Safety, which emphasizes community healing, investment in non-carceral support systems, and the creation of pathways to opportunity for those most impacted by systemic harm. With this new CRSC, the city of Chicago is taking a significant step towards creating a more equitable and supportive reentry process for women.

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