Fresh Start 508

09/27/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8yRqgLNQA

06/10/2024

https://youtu.be/2qeWlsl-oFA?si=RvQ5m4gaF5NinHxF

06/21/2023

We're All In Together🙏🏾

04/03/2023

We're All In Together🙏🏾

passed the Senate Public Safety Committee! Engaging in therapy can help incarcerated people heal, understand their trauma, and work on becoming the best versions of themselves as they prepare for the chance to come home.

Prison is a place where people must come to grips with their trauma and the events and people that have negatively affected their lives. But many incarcerated people do not have streamlined access to mental health care. will redefine therapy so more incarcerated people can access therapy regardless of security level.

"Mental health care is incredibly stigmatized in prisons, not only by the incarcerated population, but also by the staff. This undoubtedly leads to people avoiding care to avoid the classification and stigmatism. Granting access to therapy - without mandating a corresponding label on that person’s record - will help incarcerated people learn healthy coping mechanisms so they can process hardship without reverting back to decision making that leads to harm to our communities,” said ARC’s Chief Strategy Consultant Esteban Núñez, who gave an impactful personal testimony on the need to expand access to mental health care inside CDCR.

When people engage in therapy on the inside, they are set up with the chance to come home and are prepared to deal with the many mental challenges during reentry.

We are grateful to Scott Wiener for authoring this important bill and to Mental Health America of California.

01/27/2023

We're All It Together🙏🏾

Fresh Start Wellness Center is a 501(c)(3) minority owned nonprofit devoted to the support and education of male youth and folks struggling with the criminal justice system. Fresh Start also promotes mental health awareness in the forgotten communities.

12/21/2022

https://spectrumnews1.com/ma/worcester/news/2022/12/20/fresh-start--everyday-miracles-partner-for-annual-toy-drive?cid=id-app15_m-share_s-web_cmp-app_launch_august2020_c-producer_posts_po-organic&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

About 100 people were able to pick up gifts.

12/15/2022

We’re All In It Together🙏🏾

06/24/2022

I told the Governor make sure he didn’t forget about the “508” on his way out. He said, “We’re All In It Together” 🙏🏾

06/21/2022

We're All In It Together

Tune in to a new episode of Connecting the Dots, hosted by attorney Liz Myska and produced by WCCA TV. Liz welcomes Derrick Kiser, Founder & CEO of Fresh Start Wellness Center in Worcester: https://wccatv.com/video/connecting-the-dots/connectingthedots-117. Fresh Start is a mental health agency that creates and implements mental health programs in the criminal justice and educational systems. Originally targeted to help at-risk youth, the program has grown to encompass ex-convicts trying to assimilate back into society, gang members trying to leave, as well as the homeless. The agency's mission is to foster healthy relationships with law enforcement, prevent substance abuse, and teach independent living skills. Derrick also talks to Liz about his amazing journey from a former gang member to the founder & CEO of a successful mental health agency. You don't want to miss this! Exclusively on cable Channel 194 in Worcester, also seen on Roku (Worcester TV)

05/12/2022

We're All In It Together🙏🏾

Even as the Fresh Start’s services earn accolades and are in demand, Kiser has struggled to find consistent funding for his nonprofit.

05/12/2022

We're All In It Together🙏🏾