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BH-JI has played a huge part in my life
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From just the bare essentials of what I
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needed the day I got out to ongoing
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support they've been there for
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me 100% They actually really care about
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what happened to me when I get out
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They helped me restart my life The
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people there they're just like they're
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like family They really are because it's
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like they listen to you you know and
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they ask you questions and you can be
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honest with them because they got
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nothing but your best interest at hand
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[Music]
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BH-JI is a statewide in reach re-entry
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model that helps justice involved
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individuals connect with behavioral
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health services and social supports in
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their community with partnership between
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EOHHS and the trial court BH-JI services
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are provided by nine vendors throughout
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Massachusetts BH-JI helps people who are
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justice involved which means leaving
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jail or prisons within 6 months people
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who have recently left jail or prisons
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within a year people on parole and
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people on
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probation In developing BHJI a wide
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range of stakeholders examined
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successful re-entry programs and noticed
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that many effective initiatives were
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short-term We sought to create a
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permanent solution and launched BHJI in
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2019 Since then we've expanded statewide
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and utilized the Mass Health Insurance
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Benefit to ensure the long-term
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availability of these services The
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component of BHJI covered by Mass Health
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is referred to as
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CSP-JI community support program for
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individuals with justice
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[Music]
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involvement Well to be eligible for BHJI
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you must be a resident of Massachusetts
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who qualifies for Mass Health In
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addition you must have involvement in
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the criminal justice system and have a
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diagnosed substance use disorder mental
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health disorder or co-occurring disorder
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Once a referral has been submitted your
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navigator will determine further
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eligibility and enroll you as a BHJI
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member BHJI navigators work with members
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directly to explore all that the BHJI
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program has to offer Some have lived
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experience with the justice system and
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all are familiar with the challenges you
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may face after your release
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A referral is required to participate in
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the BHJI program Referrals for our
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programs can come from probation parole
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department of corrections house of
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corrections self-referrals community
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providers family members or attorneys
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The referral form is available on the
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BHJI website It can also be accessed by
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the providers or any of those referring
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partners After the referral you and your
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vendor will coordinate to discuss next
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steps including a first meeting to
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understand your unique needs
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Releasing back into society can be
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overwhelming for returning citizens a
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feeling of disbelief at being free and
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that's totally normal We understand
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you're coming from a world where you
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were told what to do and where to go
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With your integrity and dignity in mind
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we help you reclaim independence by
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providing phones and transit passes upon
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release and guide you through the
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changes that have happened in society
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Coming home to family and friends can be
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a huge adjustment because you and your
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loved ones have changed over the years
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Upon coming home families don't always
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know how to act around each other and it
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can feel like getting to know you all
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over again A navigator can help rebuild
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those connections creating a strong
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support system for a better reconnection
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We get it Returning to society is tough
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BHJI navigators are familiar with the
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challenges coming home And we are here
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to help you experience freedom being
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home with your friends and
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[Music]
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family Our ability to help our members
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starts with building a good rapport a
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connection that's built on trust respect
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good communication and action Ideally we
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can set up a meeting while you're still
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incarcerated That way we get a head
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start getting to know you and better
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anticipating what your needs might look
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like upon release Sometimes we meet once
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before your release and sometimes we
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connect over several visits over several
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months We don't always get to meet while
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you're behind the walls but no matter
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when the initial meeting takes place our
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approach is still the same We're here
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for emotional support too We love
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hearing when you get that job or hit a
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milestone in your recovery but we're
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also here for the ups and downs as you
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navigate re-entry It's a privilege to
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get to know you and be part of your
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journey And the BHA program is here to
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help guide you in whatever your next
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chapter looks
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like Here at BHJI we help you with all
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sorts of social support We want you to
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have a successful re-entry so we guide
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you in finding gainful employment
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meeting your education needs and finding
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stable and safe housing We also ensure
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that your mental health and substance
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use needs are met and also connect you
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with medical providers for your basic
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health needs We offer financial
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assistance and access to basic
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necessities like food hygiene and
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clothing Finally we recognize the
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importance of social connections and
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finding time to relax So we help you
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connect with family friends and
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providers and also reestablish your
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hobbies Ultimately we want to see you
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build a stable self-reliant and
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meaningful
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[Music]
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life One of the most rewarding
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challenges that we tackle with our
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members is housing Stable housing acts
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as a platform for well-being allowing
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formerly incarcerated individuals to
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focus on the important areas of their
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life like employment health and
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relationships without the constant worry
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of where they're going to lay their head
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at night There are many barriers to
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obtaining this affordable safe housing
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and that can happen to anyone So our
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navigators are here and we're equipped
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to help you do just that Keep that roof
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over your head We'll assist you with
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obtaining income locating the housing
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and connecting you to the community
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resources to help further promote your
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housing stability We all know it's not
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easy to find housing with a criminal
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record but stable housing is the
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foundation for your success and
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well-being and building a positive
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future and we are here to help you with
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all of those challenges every step of
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the way
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[Music]
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BHCI can offer guidance and resources to
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help you reach your education and
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employment goals We connect you with
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local colleges and programs if you need
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your GED or highet and help you obtain a
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copy online once it's complete We can
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help you navigate the college
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application process and financial aid
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applications like FASA to help pay for
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school We also offer assistance with
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obtaining a permit or driver's license
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and connect members with local agencies
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to help pay for driving courses and road
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test fees Many of our members choose to
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pursue employment or education upon
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release But it's important to remember
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that we respond to the goals you have
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for yourself and at your own pace
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Whether you want to pursue part-time or
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full-time work obtain a GED or even take
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college courses BHCI can support you in
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achieving whatever path you
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[Music]
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choose Connections to healthcare
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appointments in the community are an
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integral part of the BHJI work between
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navigators and members Many of our
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members have not received health care
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substance use or mental health treatment
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outside of a correctional facility or
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they may have been disconnected from
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providers as a result of incarceration
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As a navigator our role is to really
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collaborate with the member and find
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available outpatient providers
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outpatient mental health providers and
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to assist in scheduling and setting up
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PT1 which is a Mass Health
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transportation service for medical
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appointments If our members don't have
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active insurance we can assist in
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applying for Mass Health Accessing
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health care and mental health treatment
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in the community is a critical part of
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fostering well-being upon re-entry and
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we take a lot of pride in connecting our
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members to the treatment that best
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matches their current
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needs BHJI vendors have long-standing
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relationships with local providers which
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streamlines the process for members That
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means that the services and resources
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that you need to rebuild your life are
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easily accessible through public
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transportation and the local providers
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are familiar with the challenges that
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you will face upon re-entry We
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understand re-entry can be very
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overwhelming for members who haven't
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used a computer or access the internet
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in years Technology moves fast and
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almost everything operates in the
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digital world nowadays like making
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appointments checking bank statements
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submitting job applications So when we
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need to teach you basic computer skills
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you have the internet literacy to help
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you navigate all those online systems
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The BHGI program is all about empowering
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you with the tools to prove to yourself
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that with trust good communication and
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consistent action you can not only
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survive but thrive after release
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One of the great things about the BHJ
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program when I think about it is that
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each vendor has developed a holistic and
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comprehensive network of partners
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designed to support your success within
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your local community A strength of the
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program is that we meet you where you're
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at matching resources that fit your
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unique needs Some of these resources
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might include medication assistant
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treatment individual family and group
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therapy primary care providers sober
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living environments recovery coaching
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residential treatment programs clinical
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stabilization programs or even detox
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sometimes legal aid services employment
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assistant programs as well as
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educational resources
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Not only do we connect you to community
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resources but we can also help you
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navigate any parole or probation
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requirements you may have out in the
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community I know that re-entry can feel
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really overwhelming and BHJ navigators
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are here to help you every step of the
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way Your journey is really important to
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us and we want to promote your long-term
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recovery reduce recidivism as well as
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set you up for success
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A lot of barriers that our members face
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are financial in nature
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A lot of people are released with just
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the clothes on their back And most
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members lack any support at all
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financially or otherwise Unexpected
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costs can feel overwhelming like when
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you need a prescription or even close
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for a job interview That's where BHJI
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steps in We're like the safety net to
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address the initial hurdles of re-entry
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so that you can focus on your progress
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We frequently provide essential items
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like phones to stay connected basic
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necessities like clothing toiletries and
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food a driver's license or even just a
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government ID which is something you're
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going to need moving forward in your
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early recovery BHJI is about more than
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just financial aid It's about hope
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support and the belief in your potential
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We empower you with the resources you
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need and we walk alongside you every
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step of the way So you can overcome
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re-entry obstacles and build a healthy
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stable and meaningful future