Reentry Benefiting Families

Refined By Fire Ministries, Inc. (RBF) was incorporated in 1995 with an initial mission to provide faith-based programming to incarcerated youth and adults. The organization's mission has expanded to help improve the quality of life for offenders and their families by providing re-entry life-skills programming and resources through partnerships with correctional facilities and community based organizations. Through its reentry initiative, Reentry Benefiting Families, RBF provides life skills education in correctional facilities, as well as community-based programs.

Quick Facts:

Focus of initiative/program:
  • Children and Families
  • Education
  • Employment/Job Training
  • Housing
  • Mental Health
  • Mentoring
  • Substance Abuse
  • Task Force / Coalitions
    • Inititative/program name:
    Reentry Benefiting Families
    Year Established:
    1995
    Lead agency/organization name:
    Refined By Fire Ministries, Inc.
    Population served by initiative/program:
  • Returning from prison
  • Under community corrections supervision (parole or probation)
  • Adults
  • Juveniles
  • Men
  • Women
  • People convicted of a violent offense
  • People convicted of a non-violent offense
  • Victims

    • Reentry Benefiting Families

    Contact:

    Elain Ellerbe
    President & CEO
    Reentry Benefiting Families, An Initiative of Refined By Fire Ministries, Inc.
    Phone: 225-963-2074
    174 Highland Meadows Drive
    Jackson, Louisiana 70748
    elainellerbe@bellsouth.net

    www.rbf.la

    Reentry Benefiting Families

    Initiatives and Programs

    Focus of initiative/program:
  • Children and Families
  • Education
  • Employment/Job Training
  • Housing
  • Mental Health
  • Mentoring
  • Substance Abuse
  • Task Force / Coalitions
    • Inititative/program name:
    Reentry Benefiting Families
    Lead agency/organization name:
    Refined By Fire Ministries, Inc.

    Funding

    Funding sources for initiative/program:
    Federal, State, Agency, Foundations

    Partners in the reentry initiative/program

    Informal Agreement Formal Agreement
    (e.g., a written contract or an MOU) with this partner.
    Community- and faith-based services providers:
    X
    Education and training providers (e.g., local public school officials, vocational instructors):
    X
    Health, mental health, and substance abuse treatment providers:
    X
    Housing officials:
    X
    Institutional corrections (e.g., DOC, jail, prison):
    X
    Members of the community (e.g., people who have been incarcerated, their families or neighbors):
    X
    Other criminal justice agencies (e.g., prosecutors, judges):
    X
    Victim advocates:
    X
    Work force development and employment agencies (e.g. business associations, unions):
    X

    Participants

    Population served by initiative/program:
  • Returning from prison
  • Under community corrections supervision (parole or probation)
  • Adults
  • Juveniles
  • Men
  • Women
  • People convicted of a violent offense
  • People convicted of a non-violent offense
  • Victims
    • Total number of people who have participated in initiative/program to date:
    12000
    Total number of people currently participating in initiative/program:
    500
    Total number of people who can be served at one time:
    500
    If your initiative/program serves people under community corrections supervision, how does your organization work in partnership or work in collaboration with participants’ probation or parole officers?
    We provide program training that allows participants once they have graduated to offer the same training in their communities which can lower parole fees.

    Data Collection

    Does your organization collect demographic data on participants?
    Yes
    If "yes", what kind of data? And what results has this data yielded?
    Mostly anecdotal surveys and pre and post tests which indicated 80% of our participants have increased knowledge in the program areas taught.
    Does your organization collect data about the process of your initiative/program?
    No
    Does your organization measure and/or track the outcome of participation?
    No

    Activities

    What, if any, activities does your initiative/program include for people while they are incarcerated and how do these activities differ from those offered to the general population?
    Solutions to Poverty/Financial Management Parenting Skills Read to Me Daddy/Mommy Marriage & Relationships Activities would not differ.
    What activities does your organization engage in post-release and how do these activities differ from those offered to the general population?
    Marriage & Relationship Skills offered Activities would not differ.
    How are people placed into your program?
    Requests made and placed on waiting lists.
    Explore the Justice Center’s Websites
    CSG Justice Center Criminal Justice / Mental Health Consensus Project Justice Reinvestment National Reentry Resource Center Reentry Policy Council