Gwinnett Approves $250,000 to Help People Leaving Jail Find Housing

Gwinnett County is putting another $250,000 into a program that helps people leaving its jail find shelter, substance abuse treatment and job support as they return to the community.

Commissioners approved the funding Oct. 20 for the Gwinnett Reentry Intervention Program, known as GRIP, continuing a partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and United Way of Greater Atlanta, WSB-TV reported. The item passed as part of the consent agenda without discussion.

The money comes from the Sheriff’s Inmate Fund. In a Sept. 29 memo supporting the renewal, Chief Cleo Atwater said the fund pays for programs that directly benefit people in custody.

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Help before and after release

GRIP connects people approaching release, and those recently released, with community resources. The Sheriff’s Office describes assistance that includes housing, rehabilitation, employment, limited mental health services and limited transportation.

Under the partnership, the jail refers participants and United Way works with community agencies to arrange housing and services. The effort is aimed at people who would otherwise leave custody without a stable place to live, including those needing substance abuse treatment.

Protip Biswas, a senior vice president at United Way of Greater Atlanta, told WSB-TV that the program helps about 100 to 120 people annually. He said returning to family is not an option for everyone and identified rising rents and job losses as concerns for people leaving jail.

Atwater told commissioners that more than 8,000 people have been referred for services through GRIP since its inception, according to the station’s report. That cumulative referral count is broader than the number receiving help in a single year.

Training that can follow someone out of jail

The broader GRIP effort also includes vocational training for people assigned to inmate work details. Participants who complete specialty courses receive certificates they can show prospective employers, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The county’s published training areas include commercial and residential cleaning, gardening and pest management, kitchen and food safety, landscape and grounds maintenance, and laundry services. The Sheriff’s Office also lists basic animal handling among its vocational courses.

The work is intended to give participants experience they can use after release. The Sheriff’s Office says GRIP combines the training with rehabilitation and community referrals to prepare people for returning to society.

What the agreement requires

The agreement included in the Oct. 20 agenda packet runs through June 30, 2027, unless terminated earlier. Its start date is the later of July 1, 2026, or the date of the final signature.

United Way may retain up to 15% of the $250,000 as an administrative fee, plus $20,000 for project management. At the maximum percentage, the administrative allowance would be $37,500.

United Way must track progress, submit quarterly reports on program results to the Sheriff’s Office and maintain financial records available for review. The agreement also assigns it responsibility for coordinating housing, services and case management with the jail.

The stated goal is to reduce repeat incarceration. The renewal documents do not provide a new recidivism rate or a current count of participants who secured lasting housing or employment.

Where to find information

The Sheriff’s Office publishes a GRIP resource guide covering housing, employment, education, identification documents and other services. Its program page also includes a contact form.

Questions about GRIP can be directed to GCSOGrip@GwinnettCounty.com, the contact listed on the county’s official website.