MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. -- The state’s felon re-entry programs that cover mental health and substance abuse are about to be pulled due to budget cuts. These programs help felons become productive parts of society again and prevent them from re-offending.
The governor and legislators have until Friday to decide on having a special session to revisit the budget. One of the programs on the chopping block helps women transition into life after prison
“Life is good, very good. I have my family. I have a home. I have a job, couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Kimberly O’Reilly.
Today O’Reilly is the lodging manager at Bayside Pet Resorts in Sarasota where she’s worked since 2015. But eight years ago, she was in jail.
“Grand theft. I stole from a customer I worked for,” said O’Reilly.
Near the end of her four-year-long prison sentence, O’Reilly came to The Bradenton Bridge center in Manatee County.
“I don’t think I could have been able to make it if I came straight out of prison without this program,” she said
O’Reilly said she took 380 self-improvement hours and learned new work skills during the 17 months at the transitional re-entry program into society.
“Bradenton Bridge has given me the strength and courage to be where I am today, to live a good life,” said O’Reilly.
But now news the state might shut down the program in 4 weeks because of budget cuts is “heart breaking.”
“If I would have stayed on the path I was before prison, after prison and I didn’t have this program I would have gone back to my old ways,” said an emotional O’Reilly.
She sends state leaders this message. She said, “Take another look at the program give these women a chance don’t shut it down."
We asked State Sen. Bill Galvano to comment on the funding cuts. His office sent this statement:
"In developing the budget, we worked carefully to ensure critical needs are met across all areas of the budget. Addressing the health care needs of inmates in the custody of the state is a top priority. For that reason, recognizing the difficulty in predicting health care needs of those incarcerated in our state, we gave the Department increased flexibility to move funds between budget categories in order to continue the current level of care for inmates. As we move forward, I am committed to working with my fellow Senators and the Department to revisit this ongoing issue and other important matters that impact our prisons."
The Bradenton Bridge said in 2016-17, 96.5 percent of its women were employed at the end of the program and 94 percent completed the program.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
