Reentry Coaching for Health and Stability

Health care access

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

More than one-third of all individuals incarcerated in California are from Los Angeles County—and the vast majority will return here after release, often without adequate support. These individuals face compounding mental and emotional health challenges, including unresolved trauma, housing insecurity, and high unemployment. Together, these barriers contribute to anxiety, isolation, and a heightened risk of recidivism. Despite their desire to thrive, formerly incarcerated people face systemic barriers that increase the risk of relapse or rearrest, particularly in the first year post-release. Trauma-informed, personalized support is critical — yet rarely available. Without targeted mental health and stability services, individuals struggle to reintegrate safely, risking their well-being and the safety of their communities.

Defy’s Career & Reentry (C&R) Services provide a trauma-informed, health- and stability-centered pathway for people returning from incarceration. The program is grounded in the Well-Being Development Model (WBDM), a research-based framework developed by Dr. Carrie Pettus that promotes healthy thinking patterns, effective coping, and prosocial behavior. At Defy, this model is further shaped by lived expertise—including leadership from Dr. Yehudah Pryce, a formerly incarcerated mental health practitioner—ensuring culturally responsive and trauma-informed care throughout the reentry process.
C&R Managers guide participants through customized action plans focused on employment, housing, and mental health. Services include assistance obtaining vital documents, navigating complex systems, and setting SMART goals. To address behavioral and emotional well-being, participants access free telehealth therapy through BetterHelp and attend Real Talk, a peer-led reentry support group focused on emotional regulation, relationships, and accountability.
This grant will allow Defy to support 80 Angelenos with post-release reentry coaching and mental health access over the grant year—providing tools, healing, and pathways to long-term stability and reduced recidivism.

With sustained support, Los Angeles will see more individuals with criminal histories reintegrating into communities with purpose and stability—not returning to incarceration. Participants will be more likely to retain jobs, maintain housing, and access mental health support—leading to stronger families and safer neighborhoods. In the short term, we will support 80 participants, reduce recidivism, and help stabilize employment and housing outcomes. In the long term, Defy’s model offers a replicable framework for addressing reentry through a trauma-informed, wellness-based lens—contributing to a more inclusive and equitable LA where second chances are truly possible. By demonstrating a holistic, healing-centered model grounded in lived experience and measurable outcomes, we aim to set a new countywide standard for post-release success that can be replicated across Los Angeles.