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06/23/05 - Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center Dedication

Washington, Jun 23 -

CEC Opens New 750-bed State-of-the-art Residential
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs (June 23, 2005) – Community Education Centers, (CEC) Inc. opened a 750-bed residential substance abuse treatment facility for adult male offenders on June 23, 2005 with the dedication ceremony of the Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center (CMRC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The CMRC is an important new facility built by CEC to address Colorado’s need for professional and comprehensive substance abuse treatment services to individuals serving in the state’s correctional system.

“This re-entry center reflects CEC’s commitment to provide a comprehensive treatment model to Colorado DOC populations,” said John Clancy, President and CEO of CEC. “We believe that our contribution to reversing New Jersey’s own prison population growth over the past several years will only help to reduce recidivism in states like Colorado.”

CEC also has extensive experience treating State of Colorado offender populations at several facilities in Colorado. “CEC presently provides community corrections services to the Colorado Department of Corrections and to Community Corrections Boards within the State. This experience demonstrates our ability to respond to the local concerns and needs of offender re-entry within the State,” added Mr. Clancy.

The CMRC will work with the Colorado Division of Community Corrections and Parole to prepare each offender for an orderly transition to community placement. The program structure is designed to address issues unique to pre-release offenders with an emphasis on community stabilization, employment, relapse prevention, and preparation for community living. Services at the facility will include assessment, treatment, education, life skills, and medical/mental health care.

“Our expectation is that the CMRC will be an important new component of Colorado’s comprehensive effort to reduce recidivism among pre-release offenders and parole violators. If successful, the CMRC will make an important contribution to improving the safety of every community,” said Department of Corrections Director Joe Ortiz.

CEC will utilize a continuum of care model at the Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center, where treatment is begun in the facility and continues with aftercare and re-entry programs. Aftercare and re-entry assistance include efforts to help parole violators and pre-parolees prevent relapse, apply skills learned in the facility, find and keep a job, arrange housing and reunite with family. CEC believes that re-entry efforts actually begin upon admittance to the facility. These reentry efforts can take the form of job readiness training, workplace coping skills, resume preparation and even job placement assistance. Such re-entry efforts hold great promise for reducing recidivism rates in Colorado and elsewhere.