Support services for people leaving prison

Queensland Corrective Services provides a range of programs and services to support prisoners, including:

• offending behaviour programs
• vocational education and training programs
• prison industries
• pastoral care
• Elders visitation program
• re-entry services.

Queensland Corrective Services

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

The Men's Reintegration Service is a statewide service delivered by the Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO). It operates in all men's correctional centres and has 3 key delivery components:

• Pre-Release Service: group and individual information sessions to equip men with knowledge and skills to support their reintegration.  These sessions include release planning, budgeting and living skills, housing, education and employment, health and wellbeing, and connection to culture and community.
• Throughcare Post-Release Service: up to 3 months pre-release planning and six months post-release support to eligible men.  Participants receive targeted support based on an individualised transition plan that reflects the participant’s unique goals and priorities.
• After-hours Release Service: support for men released at late notice or outside business hours, to address their immediate release needs.  This service is currently being trialled at select sites.

Queensland Corrective Services

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

The Post Release Supported Accommodation program provides eligible men with access to safe and supported sole occupancy housing when suitable accommodation is the only barrier to their release to parole.

Delivered by the St Vincent de Paul Society, the program is available throughout Toowoomba, Moreton Bay, Townsville and Cairns.  Program participants engage with a support work for a 12-week period post release and work toward reintegration goals, connect with support services and source long-term, stable housing.

This program has a closed referral process managed by QCS.

Prisoner Re-integration

Borallon Training and Correctional Centre (BTCC) provides throughcare services to help prisoners develop skills and knowledge for employability after release. Services include:

• pathways plans: Individualised plans to address training needs and areas requiring further support
• vocational training: Skills development to prepare prisoners for employment opportunities.

Queensland Corrective Services

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

The registry helps individuals get proof of identity documents, such as birth certificates, which can be required when accessing housing and government services.

Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

Centrelink provides financial assistance and support for people leaving prison, including:

• a one-off crisis payment
• other payments based on eligibility.

Services Australia

Phone: 13 24 86

Brisbane Common Ground offers housing for individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and are low-income earners. It provides stable accommodation to support reintegration into the community.

Brisbane Common Ground

Phone: (07) 3370 8320

Centacare Brisbane offers support for released prisoners, including:

• post-release services for individuals at risk of re-offending
• referrals to Centacare Prisoners’ Services for additional assistance.

Centacare Brisbane

Phone: (07) 3324 3100

The Women's Reintegration Service is a statewide service provided by SERO4 at all women’s correctional centres in Queensland.

The service seeks to promote improved wellbeing by preparing women for successful reintegration back into the community and reducing barriers to reintegration, thereby assisting them to achieve long-term desistance from crime.

The service is voluntary, gender responsive, trauma informed, culturally safe and designed to meet the unique and individual needs of women.

This service has 3 key delivery components:

• Pre-release Service: all women in custody are eligible for up to 6 months pre-release planning, including connecting with community-based supports and services.
• Post-release Service: women are eligible to receive a further twelve months of post-release support for continued individualised support in the community.
• After-hours Release Service: support for women released at late notice or outside business hours, to address their immediate release needs.

Queensland Corrective Services

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

The Next Step Home program is funded by the Department of Housing and Public Works in partnership with SERO4.  This program helps women find stable housing after leaving prison.  Secure accommodation may be available to women for up to twelve months, to support women’s reintegration to the community.

Next Step Home

The Transform Lives program is a trial intervention program being delivered by the Transforming Corrections to Transform Lives Centre.

Support is trauma-informed and includes skill-building in job readiness, financial literacy, nutrition, housing, substance abuse recovery, mental health, relationships, parenting and system navigation.

The goal of the program is to empower mothers to establish safe, stable and fulfilling lives, to live with dignity and to support their children’s positive development.

The program trial will work with mothers and their children over a period of time.

Transform Lives Program

Provides free legal advice to prisoners and their families, including:

• legal matters related to re-integration
• post release challenges.

Prisoners' Legal Service

Phone: (07) 3846 5074

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS) delivers a Throughcare Program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison and youth detention, both before and after release.

Throughcare Officers provide intensive case management for people at higher risk of reoffending, connecting them with culture, community and support services. Streams include:

• support for men and women transitioning from custody to the community
• family and domestic violence prevention
• mental health support
• diversion of young people away from the justice system.

The program operates from ATSILS offices across Queensland, including Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Murgon and Wacol.

ATSILS Throughcare Program

Free call: 1800 012 255 (24 hours, 7 days)

Phone: (07) 3025 3888

The Aurukun Justice Reintegration Project is a unique strategy by QCS, designed to improve the reintegration outcomes (and therefore reduce recidivism rates) of prisoners from Aurukun.

Reintegration support is offered when an eligible individual enters police custody, with this support continuing pre and post release.

Collaboration occurs with key agencies in the Aurukun community who can provide programs and support to participants, to ensure a level of cultural and community connectedness is maintained.

Queensland Corrective Services

Phone: 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

The Transition from Corrections Program supports people with mental illness being released from an adult correctional centre. Funded by Queensland Health and delivered in partnership with Prison Mental Health Services, support begins in custody before release and continues for up to 12 months in the community. Support includes:

• securing suitable housing before and after release
• transport to a person's new home on the day of release
• connection with community mental health and support services
• practical assistance with settling back into the community.

The program is accessed by referral through the Prison Mental Health Service team at your correctional centre. Delivery partners vary by region.

• Far North and North Queensland: Neami National, Cairns (07) 4256 8700 and Townsville (07) 4766 8400
• Central Queensland: Bridges Health and Community Care, Rockhampton 1300 707 655
• Wide Bay and South East Queensland: Richmond Fellowship Queensland

Richmond Fellowship Queensland – Transition from Corrections

Phone: 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)

Managed by: Department of Justice