U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, applauded the Department of Labor’s announcement on Wednesday that the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County will receive $500,000 to help reduce recidivism and promote reintegration of currently and formerly incarcerated individuals.
The investment will go toward providing people with job skills and resources by establishing additional American Job Centers inside correctional facilities, according to a Murray media release. It will also create an online clearinghouse to make information available to expunge criminal records and further remove barriers to employment.
“These grants are great news for the nationwide effort to help formerly incarcerated individuals transition into their communities, including those transitioning with the help of the WDC of Seattle-King County,” Murray said. “We need to make sure current and formerly incarcerated individuals have access to resources and job skill training before and after their release to help them return to their communities, ready to give back.”
In total, the Department of Labor awarded $4.9 million in grants to 10 organizations that operate specialized American Job Centers inside correctional facilities. Approximately 2,500 American Job Centers are located in communities throughout the country, funded by the department and administered by local workforce investment boards.
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