FIT program
Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Program
The first Formerly Incarcerated Transition-FIT program in the state was started in early 2017 in Durham County with partners including UNC School of Medicine NC-FIT Program, Lincoln Community Health Center, Durham Count Department of Public Health, and Durham Criminal Justice Center now known as Justice Services.
Upon release from a state or federal prison system or local jail, individuals are frequently without work, health insurance, and a medical home. FIT aims to decrease recidivism by connect all returning residents with a chronic health condition to primary health care and other re-entry services that offer care and support.
What Does Support from FIT look Like?
A community health worker (CHW), typically with lived experience of transitioning from the justice system, works directly with the returning resident. The CHW facilitates connections with primary medical care, and if needed, behavioral health and substance abuse treatment.
Support Provided by FIT CHW's consists of:
- Attending medical apppointments with clients
- Assisting in completing paperwork and requesting medical records
- Attaining vouchers to cover clinic costs and medication
- Linkage to and navigation of transportation resources
- Medication management
- Referrals to other services such as employment and educational resources, housing support, food, long-term health coverage and more
We work with all community re-entry programs to support client's needs. It's a team effort to support each client in achieving their re-entry plan goals and successfully transitioning back home.
Eligibility and referral process
To be eligible you must be:
- Released from incarceration (prison or local jail systems) within the past two years.
- Living with chronic health conditions such as COPD, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health, Substance/Opioid Use Disorder, etc.
- Resident of Durham County
To complete a referral, please reach out to the following contact:
Program Manager: Quanesha Archer qmarcher@dconc.gov or (919) 560-7098
Please be prepared to provide the following:
- Client name
- Client Date of Birth
- Best phone number to reach the client (if available)
- Address
- Date released from incarceration
- Information on at least one chronic health condition the client is trying to manage and if known, was a bridge dosage of medication received upon being released.