A group of community organizations and individuals are collaborating with the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office and the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction (“BCHC”) to launch Second Street Second Chances (“SSSC”) to provide wrap-around support services, case-management, and workforce training opportunities targeting formerly incarcerated individuals in order to reduce rates of recidivism
in Berkshire County. In addition to life skills training and workforce training, the one-stop facilitates access to support services including health, addiction treatment, housing, legal services, and a variety of social and cultural opportunities, all of which constitute the platform on which rests the success of the educational programming. This is all a part of a coordinated “hub” that improves the chances of a successful re-entry exponentially and, in the process, turn a population that can sometimes be a cost to our communities, into a productive asset. The physical facility is located in the building that formerly housed the county jail at 264 Second Street, Pittsfield. The facility also serves as a safe, accessible, and welcoming “home” where formerly incarcerated individuals might seek support beyond the traditional menu of offerings. This includes social interactions, peer groups and encouragement, and educational and cultural opportunities. The involvement of local entities from healthcare, education, housing, and legal services ensures that the essential components of a stable living platform are in place while local entities from workforce training and the employer sector provide opportunities to acquire needed skills and help develop a trained workforce to address the county’s economic development needs.
