GILLETTE (WNE) — The state has received a grant to help adults who are re-entering the workforce after being released from prison.

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, in partnership with the Department of Corrections, was recently awarded a $3.9 million Pathway Home 3 Grant.

Providing justice-involved individuals and incarcerated adults with critical skill building and support services before and after release, the grant provides the opportunity for these individuals to successfully reenter their communities and the labor force. 

The grant is job-driven and builds connections with local employers who enable returning citizens to secure employment, while advancing equity for individuals — including incarcerated women — who face significant barriers to labor market reentry.

Robin Sessions Cooley, director of the Department of Workforce Services, said the state will teach returning citizens skills such as job readiness, employability, digital literacy and job search strategies.

“The grant also provides for additional occupational training, leading to industry-recognized credentials to reduce the likelihood of recidivism,” Cooley said in a press release.

Both agencies will work in collaboration to serve 400 participants over the three-year course of the grant.

“The Department of Corrections is very appreciative of the collaboration with the Department of Workforce Services,” said Dan Shannon, director of the Department of Corrections. “Our common goal of public safety is a key factor and this partnership will provide those confined a validated opportunity for success when returning to our communities.”