Evidence-Based Workforce Development – Facilitator Training

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is committed to establishing collaborative relationships with various tribal, local, and state correctional agencies and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to increase the opportunity for justice-involved adults to experience post-release success (defined as maintaining a prosocial lifestyle and sustained attachment to the workforce following release from incarceration or supervision). NIC’s emphasis on research-based practices and programing requires structured training to provide criminal justice practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to support the reentry goals of justice-involved adults, thereby increasing public safety.

Practitioners must be able to identify a person’s specific criminogenic risks and develop programming in response to the identified risk/need areas. Qualified practitioners increase their effectiveness when using programming and services based on evidence-based research, i.e., training specific to cognitive-behavioral intervention, motivational interviewing techniques, effective case management, and validated risk assessments.

The Evidence-Based Workforce Development Training developed by NIC (https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Downloads/Employment-Retention-Instructor-Guide.pdf) in 2010, with anticipated minor updates in September 2023, provides practitioners with the knowledge and skills required to assist justice-involved adults as they explore the values, thoughts, and feelings supporting positive lifestyle choices and gainful attachment to the workforce. In addition, the training provides instruction on how to effectively administer the Employment Retention Inventory – a case management tool developed to identify the criminogenic risks affecting recidivism and job loss among justice-involved adults.

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply. Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.