LMU Awarded $750k Grant for Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment

LMU Extension was recently awarded $750,000 in grant funding from the California Workforce Development Board through the Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment (HIRE) program. The funds will be used to provide online employment preparation and training to justice-involved individuals.

Over the course of two years, LMU will support 75 individuals who were previously incarcerated and reside in Los Angeles County. The program will equip them with academic credentials from LMU and provide workplace training tailored to careers in behavioral health professions. The majority of students will be from historically marginalized and underserved populations, including those with histories or risks of substance abuse and trauma. This LMU credential program aims to decrease recidivism and increase workforce reintegration.

"Providing students from diverse backgrounds with equal opportunities to achieve their goals, bridge achievement gaps, and confront systemic oppression is a hallmark of the work being done on LMU's campus and beyond," said David Sapp, vice provost for Academic Affairs. "We are proud to live our mission and support justice-involved Angelenos on their quest to reenter the workplace."

In line with LMU's dedication to social justice and its enduring commitment to assisting the underserved in Los Angeles County, this new program will be led by LMU Extension in coordination with its network of partners, including the local workforce board, community-based organizations, and Loyola Law School's Social Justice Law Clinics. The LLS legal clinics will assist enrolled students in navigating and overcoming the collateral consequences of conviction that can lead to successful community reintegration.

"Our work with justice-impacted individuals is guided by the LMU's vision of inclusive excellence, which aims to ensure students from all backgrounds succeed in reaching their goals and improving their families and their communities," said Carla Cortez, director of LMU Extension.

In addition to the HIRE grant, LMU Extension also facilitates the Vet2Peer certificate program, which works to expand the peer workforce in California's Public Mental Health System by training hundreds of Veterans as Peer Support professionals, and the Peer Specialist for Youth certificate program, which offers the same resources to support youths.

To learn more about LMU Extension, visit their website.