Resources for People Who Were Formerly

Involved with the Criminal Justice System

This page was created by LiveWell Springfield, the Public Health Institute of Western MA and 413Cares. Residents, case managers, and coaches can find resources in Western MA to support people who have been formerly involved with the criminal justice system. The resources include re-entry services, assistance to find employment and housing, and legal support to help with sealing CORIs.

Reentry Resources

Connect with local Reentry Resources that offer wraparound support services.

Legal Services

Legal Support & Advocacy programs that help with finding a lawyer, getting legal advice, obtaining a copy of your CORI, CORI sealing, and record expungement.
Community Legal Aid provides legal services to formerly incarcerated individuals so they can overcome barriers to housing, employment, and other opportunities in order to reintegrate into society.
Call 855-CLA-LEGAL (855 252-5342)
508-755-3260 TTY/TTD
Mass Legal Help for information on CORIs and knowing your rights.

Housing

Reentry Housing programs - This includes programs specific to people with CORIs.
Emergency Housing Assistance - This includes programs assisting individuals, families, and youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, such as the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program
Apply for state-aided public housing and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP).
If you are a Mass Health member, your health plan may include other housing services including housing supplies, repairs and moving costs. Contact your health plan for details.
Find more housing resources on our general housing resource page.

Employment

Connect with Job Support Programs for people who have a criminal record.

Community Supports

Connect with other Community Support programs that work with people who have a criminal record.

Are there important reentry resources missing? Let us know.

About This Project

In 2021 the Public Health Institute of Western MA and LiveWell Springfield, led a health impact assessment about the use of Criminal Offender Registration Information (CORIs) in housing decisions in Hampden County, MA. This work led them to join advocacy efforts to help improve state laws related to the sealing of CORIs. If passed, the pending legislation would require the MA Commissioner of Probation to automatically seal criminal and juvenile records after the applicable waiting periods, rather than requiring individuals to file petitions with the court. If you would like to learn more about these bills and help advocate for them to the MA State Legislature, please contact PHIWM’s Policy Director, Andrea Freeman.

This work has been made possible thanks in part to funding from the MA Community Health & Healthy Aging Fund, the Tufts Health Plan Foundation, and the Point32Health Foundation.