Recently our Financial Access Inclusion and Resources Program (FAIR), issued a 4 year report that summarizes the services and successes of the program since its inception.
You can view or download a full copy of this report here: DOWNLOAD PDF
With support from community foundations including Baptist Community Ministries and Greater New Orleans Foundation, FAIR provides financial coaching and case management services to assist formerly incarcerated people with disabilities in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes in combating employment and resource barriers to achieve long term financial security.
Last year alone, FAIR worked against the mass-incarceration of people with disabilities by helping 361 people with disabilities remove employment barriers, 142 access a quality education, and 113 access healthcare.
The significance of this work is outlined in the 4-year report, which states that, “a United States resident with a disability is four times more likely to be in a jail or prison than to live in the community. While incarcerated, people with disabilities are frequently deprived of necessary medical care, supports, services, and accommodations. After incarceration, people with disabilities are often unable to participate in vocational, educational, release, and reentry program that are meant to curb recidivism, due to lack of accommodations or connections to disability-related services.”
FAIR’s methods and outcomes have been evaluated and considered a success by researchers at Rutgers University and University of New Orleans, as program participants experience higher employment rates and lower recidivism rates than the general disability population.
As indicated in the FAIR 4-year report:
* Fifty-one percent of all FAIR clients who have actively engaged in the program secured jobs. This is significant because, in 2022, only 21% of people with disabilities, regardless of criminal records, were employed; and people with criminal records, regardless of disabilities, are 50% less likely to receive a job offer.
* FAIR has captured a cumulative total monthly income increase of $103,062 per month among 55% of its active clients. Furthermore, FAIR documented a cumulative total of $124,074 in reduced debt among 32% of active clients.
* Only 4% of FAIR clients served over the last 4 years have reported being re-incarcerated. By contrast, Louisiana DOC reports that 27% of individuals return to incarceration within two years of their release.
FAIR staff are trained in financial coaching, disability benefits applications, benefits counseling, local healthcare and disability-related services, reasonable accommodations, disability rights, and local reentry services. Furthermore, the majority of our FAIR staff have been impacted by the incarceration of a family member and use that lived experience to inform their approach.
FAIR is DRLA’s only program that is strictly supported by private grant funds. DRLA is currently seeking new sources of funding to continue this groundbreaking and vital work beyond Summer 2024.
If you are interested in FAIR services please contact us at (800) 960-7705 or info@disabilityrightsla.org and mention the FAIR program. Program Manager Carolyn LeBrane Tilton is also available at (504) 272-2252 or clebranetilton@disabilityrightsla.org should you have questions regarding the program.
