Maricopa County expands support for military veterans with criminal records

Maricopa County will use a $1.5 million federal grant to help military veterans leaving incarceration prepare for jobs and return to the community.

The three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will provide about $500,000 a year for services such as career planning, skills assessments, job training, apprenticeships and help connecting with employers willing to hire people with criminal records.

The program will serve veterans in local correctional facilities and long-term care institutions, as well as veterans who were recently released.

“Adding such a meaningful reentry program ensures quality employment opportunities will be available upon release,” Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee said in a news release. “This is an investment in the economic opportunity, independence and the long-term success of veterans.”

Funding expands existing support for veterans

County officials said the funding will expand Maricopa County’s Smart Justice work, a longstanding program which helps people involved in the justice system find employment through coaching, training, job resources and paid work opportunities.

The grant will pay for a new full-time veteran reintegration program coordinator.

That person will oversee the effort and work with partners including the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office’s Bound by Valor Unit, Phoenix Veterans Affairs and the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services.

Until the new coordinator is hired, veterans can seek help through the county’s Workforce Development and Smart Justice programs.

According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry’s most recent monthly data report, 1,366 veterans are currently incarcerated across Arizona’s state prison system.

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