Reentry Volunteers

(1) The Department recognizes that permanent volunteers who work within the Department and seek to provide supportive services to, and/or to mentor, released offenders as part of their affiliation with a community based, reentry related organization, can serve as positive role models and ensure continuity of care and successful reintegration. Community based, reentry related organizations shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (a) Faith based organizations; (b) Behavioral health, (i.e., substance abuse treatment, medical, and mental health based organizations); (c) Veteran groups; (d) Human service organizations; (e) Career and employment organizations. Permanent volunteers seeking to serve as Reentry Volunteers shall submit a Reentry Volunteer Application to their Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator. The applicant shall also submit a letter of support from the identified community based, reentry related organization. Applicants may obtain a Reentry Volunteer Application from their Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator, Director of Program Services or his or her designee or the Department's website http://www.mass.gov/doc/policy. (3) Permanent volunteers shall not be considered for reentry volunteer status until they have provided at least one year of active volunteer services with positive evaluations. (4) The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall review the application to determine the applicant's suitability and eligibility, taking into consideration such factors as experience, qualifications, rationale for requesting to serve as a reentry volunteer, and affiliation with the named community based, reentry related organization. (5) The completed application shall be forwarded to the Superintendent's designee, who shall make a determination on the application and return the application to the Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall input approved applications in the designated volunteer database. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall notify the applicant in writing if his or her application is approved. (6) The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall also notify the applicant in writing if the application is denied. The notification shall include the reason(s) for the denial. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall maintain a copy of the denied application and notification. (7) The applicant may submit a request in writing to the Director of Program Services for reconsideration. The applicant shall be notified in writing of the final determination. The notification shall include the reasons for the final determination. The Institutional Volunteer Services Coordinator shall maintain a copy of the request and final determination on file. (8) Applicants shall complete 103 DOC 225: Professional Boundaries training prior to final approval.