We offer creative arts for healing and self-expression based on a fundamental respect for one another. We are deeply committed to celebrating diversity and providing a safe space for individuals to become their best selves. Just as important as filling hours with work and family unification, developing pro-social leisure activities is also essential. Many of our residents focus on their physical health to relieve stress, church to build a strong support network, and find hobbies to fill free time. At the re-entry center, we try to be creative with various events and activities to engage and support our community.

Mirror staff are familiar with the barriers challenging those returning to the community from prison settings. Group and individual sessions are provided to all residents of the RRC to help them find meaningful employment. Mirror has developed collaborative relationships with employers in a variety of business settings. Our staff assist residents in developing resumes, practicing interviewing skills, developing job retention skills, and addressing self-defeating thoughts regarding employment. We also help residents obtain the necessary forms of identification (birth certificate and Social Security card) required to apply for work.

“Moral” refers to moral reasoning based on Kohlberg’s levels of cognitive reasoning. “Reconation” comes from the psychological term “conation” which refers to the process of making conscious decisions. MRT is a cognitive behavioral treatment system leading to enhanced moral reasoning, better decision making and more appropriate behavior. The program leads to increased participation and completion rates, decreased disciplinary problems, beneficial changes in personality characteristics and significantly lower recidivism.

MRT groups are led by certified facilitators. The program begins while residents work on their community integration with Mirror staff and then transitions to the period of supervision provided by the U.S. District Court. The program seeks to provide residents with skills they can use daily. For example, if a resident has difficulty working with a supervisor, the resident could be asked to complete thinking reports and apply their problem-solving model to the situation. In the life skills groups, we process how residents apply their cognitive skills and they receive feedback from other group members. Residents are routinely asked to role-play with another group members as to how they might interact with a supervisor. Practice of skills, whether within the RRC or in the community, is key.

Mirror works closely with the Federal Bureau of Prisons to place residents on home confinement (U.S. Probation Office referrals are not eligible for home confinement). The Bureau determines the home confinement eligibility date, and the residence must be inspected by Mirror staff to determine if the home safely fits the release plan. The residence will typically be the release residence where probation staff will supervise the individual following the completion of their term of incarceration.

Mirror has successfully managed residents on home confinement throughout most of Kansas and Missouri. Residents must typically have a room or space for their use; sleeping in public areas (i.e., couches) of a residence is typically not approved. The resident is expected to contribute to the expenses associated with maintaining the residence and to return to the RRC for case management purposes on a regular basis. Staff inspect the residence at minimum on a monthly basis. Failure by a resident to demonstrate successful community reintegration can result in a return to the RRC for intensive case management and additional programming.

The RRC works with residents to establish healthy eating habits. Nutritious meals are provided on a daily basis. Mirror collaborates with agencies in the community who teach residents how to prepare meals, shop for food in an economical manner, and the impact of diet on personal well-being. Links to community food banks and other community resources to address hunger are also shared with residents.

Mirror works closely with Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. (HCCI), to foster the development of financial literacy of residents by

• Developing a personal spending plan

• Understanding the importance of taking realistic action steps to address past debts and future needs

• Learning how to pay bills on time

• Saving for emergencies and for future goals

All residents are expected to develop a financial plan which includes a budget and reconciling actual expenses with their budget. Case Managers then review budgets to provide expectations are realistic, child support and other commitments and factored in, and a savings plan is established.

Staff from Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., present information to residents about the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants under the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Participants learn what obligations they have to a landlord, what to expect from a rental agreement and screening process, what issues to avoid and how to manage a rental history when they may have been evicted or lost a security deposit.