Home offers hope for women transitioning out of justice system: 'This is about hope and healing'

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- There's a new community home for women transitioning out of the criminal justice system.

In South Durham, the NCDHHS celebrated Thursday the start of a new collaboration with Durham-based Jubilee Home, which provides wraparound services to recently released prisoners. Both organizations said the home will provide new resources for women trying to find their way after incarceration.

"This is about hope and healing. It's about the person. It's not about a checklist," said Kelly Crosbie, Director of Mental Health Services with the NCDHHS.

Jubilee Home's co-founder said they hope it helps break the cycle of justice system involvement, with a focus on compassion.

"The women that come through this door don't have to walk this journey alone," said Dave Crispell. "It's a really brave step to come and try to rebuild your life. And it's so beautiful that we have folks waiting for you to walk through that door to embrace you folks that have walked through that door themselves."

The home will provide mental health care, substance abuse treatment, employment resources and general wellness care for the four women living there at any given time.

"Having a place to start out where your status as being justice involved is not a hindrance to you, is going to create a huge opportunity for these women to successfully rematriculate into society," said Dawn Blagrove, Executive Director of Emancipate NC.

Emancipate NC works to reform the criminal justice system and prevent those released from becoming repeat offenders. Blagrove told ABC11 that the resources these homes provide are a lifeline.

"We know that having access to health care, having access to the health care resources, all of those things are necessary foundationally to ensure that the draw of criminality is no longer the best option for anyone coming out of prison," she said.