Transitional & Family Services

In addition to educational programs provided to inmates at the Fairfax and Loudoun County jails, OAR also provides post-release services to help offenders re-integrate into their communities and successfully find employment, housing, health care, and related services such as mental health and substance abuse treatment if needed.

To download a program brochure, click here.

Services for Offenders

OAR case managers meet with interested individuals and together they develop a needs assessment and service plan. OAR offers:

• Employment assistance, including resume preparation, employer referrals, and job readiness training
• Help obtaining work uniforms, tools, transportation, and job training scholarships
• Emergency assistance, including food, clothing, and financial assistance with utilities and rent.
• Counseling to help deal with emotional and cognitive effects of incarceration.
• Workshops on topics of interest such as Tax Preparation, Budgeting, Restoring Your Driver’s License, Self-Esteem and Job Interviews
• Family Assistance Programs

Families are often challenged by the incarceration of a loved one. They experience a major sense of loss, both practical and emotional. The loss of income can destabilize a family and lead to homelessness. The change in family dynamics can erode the possibility of successful restoration of the inmate in the family unit. Children can suffer significant emotional impairment when a parent or sibling is incarcerated. To address these and other issues, OAR offers family members additional support such as:

• Family Support Group
• School Supplies
• Family Ties Project—holiday gifts for children of OAR clients
• Referrals to appropriate resources if substance abuse or mental health issues are of concern
  
  Outreach to families is particularly important in the first stages of their involvement in the criminal justice system. Family members often have many questions and little understanding of how the system works. An information desk in the lobby of the jail is staffed by OAR volunteers to answer questions, disseminate information, and provide sympathetic listening. Handling the Crisis, a guide about arrest and incarceration in Fairfax County developed by OAR, is available on-line or in hard copy and contains detailed information and referral resources for families. Click here to see “Handling the Crisis.”

To contact OAR about any of the above services, click here