Central to Organizing

The Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless advocates for a full continuum of housing resources from outreach to affordable housing. In the past two years, the Coalition has increased its capacity to work on homeless prevention through improving discharge planning practices.

This year, our attention has mainly been focused on Central Minnesota, and specifically with a group of Continuum of Care Providers in Stearns County (St. Cloud) around correctional issues.

The Central CoC Corrections Coalition has identified a problem of concern to both jail staff and community providers; the lack of planning for inmates without release dates.

We see the solution in creating and funding a position to assess the needs, locate housing, and start financial applications for inmates in the Stearns County Jail. And if we can begin planning with inmates before sentencing, then they will have the needed connections and resources for a better, more successful release from the jail.

In the next few months, we will be meeting with a number of people within the county to ask for their interest, and support on this project. We have already secured the initial support of the Jail staff, and many members of the Release Action Planning (RAP) Team. Each county works differently, and through this process we are clearly identifying why different county staff could support this position, and how we can secure it.

The Coalition’s work in Central Minnesota is taking organizing principles and using them to shape the criminal justice system. All it takes is focus, dedication and excitement by community leaders to accomplish these goals.