Pictured left to right: Dr. Hari Drayton, Program Director, Justice-Involved Care, MSM, Jamal Williams (graduate), Tracy Mingo (graduate), Jessie Seay (graduate), Dr. Angelita Howard, Assistant Dean for Online Education and Expanded Programs, MSM, Director TaMarlon Carter, Inmate Success Programs, Henry County Sheriff’s Office
“A Step in the Right Direction: Pathway Forward Reentry Program” offers training to individuals within 180 days of their release from the Henry County Jail
The first cohort of 29 graduates were honored for their completion of “A Step in the Right Direction: Pathway Forward Reentry Program,” a unique life skills training program for soon-to-be-released incarcerated people offered jointly by Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Henry County Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). Inmates donned customary graduation caps and gowns and received a certificate of completion from Morehouse School of Medicine, as HCSO Administration and staff, relatives of the graduates and community partners gathered to celebrate their milestone.
Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett said, “Upon release, I am confident that by successfully completing this program, all participants will be prepared to reenter society with the basic skills necessary to be an asset to our community.”
Launched in March 2023, the six-week program is for eligible individuals within 180 days of their release from the Henry County Jail. The classes taught by MSM faculty, were held at the HCSO’s Restorative Center, and featured learning modules focused on personal development, job readiness, procuring housing and addressing transportation needs, among other topics. The educational reentry initiative is funded in part by a grant from WellPath.
“Today’s graduation was a turning point in the lives of justice-impacted individuals,” said Dr. Angelita Howard, Assistant Dean, Online Education and Expanded Programs, Morehouse School of Medicine. “This is an opportunity for them to write a new narrative in transitioning back into society. We are excited to have been a part of the journey of these individuals’ step in the right direction, and we look forward to our next cohort.”
In addition to completing Morehouse School of Medicine’s life skills training program, several of the graduates earned their GED, AWS Welding, OSHA 10, CPR/AED/First Aid, forklift, and Lean Six Sigma (White Belt) certifications.
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