NEON’s Alternative Incarceration Center (AIC) provides supervision and above in most cases and age fourteen and above in others. The three main goals and objectives of the program are:
- To engage individuals, and their family members, when possible, in becoming more self-sufficient and self-reliant through education, alcohol and other drug education, life skill development, employment readiness, and guidance in obtaining gainful employment.
- To assist individuals in confronting maladaptive behaviors that have lead to legal problems and decreased their ability to be productive members of society.
- To reduce jail/prison overcrowding in a way that reduces the financial burden on the community and the State and still maintains a high level of public safety through intensive supervision of AIC clients. In addition, some clients are expected to give back to the community in the form of community service.
The Program encompasses four main focus areas. Depending on the referral sources’ conditions and the initial intake and assessment conducted by AIC staff, clients may participate in one or more focus areas. They are as follows:
Case Management: Clients can be assisted with legal, substance abuse, vocational, educational, mental health, psychological, social, financial, medical, family, and housing needs while enrolled in the program. It is the job of our case managers to address these needs directly or indirectly while working with clients. If clients have needs
outside the realm of our program, they will be provided referrals to other area service providers for assistance.
Educational/Vocational Training: We have a Job Developer who works with all AIC clients in assessing their present level of employability, their aptitudes and interests, and assists them in finding paid employment or vocational training that will lead to paid employment.
Alcohol and Other Drug Education: Our Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor may assist clients during their enrollment. Individual sessions, educational groups, urinalysis, referrals to inpatient or outpatient chemical dependency treatment are some of the services provided through this resource.
Community Service Program: Under the direction of the Community Service Coordinator, clients perform tasks such as landscaping, grounds keeping, painting and general maintenance. We want our clients to always be preparing for that next level of employment that will lead them to increased self-sufficiency and self-esteem and to come to see themselves as active, productive members of the community.
Larry Langhorn is the Director of AIC. He can be reached at 203-663-7353, or email him at llanghorn@neon-norwalk.org.
