Women may apply to FIRST STEP up to six months prior to release from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
Applications are reviewed based on:
FIRST STEP
A Reentry Stabilization Program for Women
FIRST STEP was created in response to a reality that is often overlooked: for women leaving long‐term incarceration, reentry is not a single event, it is a prolonged and fragile process.
FIRST STEP is a selective, application‐based reentry navigation program for women returning to Multnomah County from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) after long periods of incarceration.
Women returning from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to Multnomah County face a convergence of barriers that begin the moment they are released. Many leave custody without a family to go to, an ID, stable housing, healthcare coverage, or income. They are expected to navigate complex systems immediately, often while managing trauma histories, disrupted family relationships, and years of separation from technology, employment, and community life.
The consequences of these gaps are severe. In the weeks following release, women face heightened risks of homelessness, exploitation, substance‐use relapse, and re‐incarceration, not because they lack determination, but because the systems meant to support reentry are fragmented and difficult to access without guidance.
- Reentry Is a Process, Not a Moment
- Women Leave Without Basic Essentials
- High Risk of Homelessness & Relapse
- Systems Are Complex & Hard to Access
FIRST STEP exists to provide that guidance.
The program offers selective, one‐on‐one navigation that begins before release and continues through long‐term stabilization. Each participant is paired with a dedicated navigator who provides continuity, advocacy, and practical support, helping women secure identification, access healthcare through the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), pursue housing pathways, build employment readiness, and reconnect with the community.
By staying present through the most vulnerable stages of reentry, FIRST STEP replaces isolation with relationship, confusion with clarity, and crisis with a pathway forward. The program is designed not only to support individual women, but to demonstrate what is possible when reentry is approached with dignity, consistency, and care.
FIRST STEP is a bridge from incarceration to community, from survival to stability, and from isolation to belonging.
This is not an open‐access program. Participation is by application and acceptance to ensure safety, effectiveness, and high‐touch support.
HOW FIRST STEP WORKS
01
Pre-Release Engagement
Relationship‐building and stabilization planning begin before release, ensuring continuity from day one.
02
Day‐of‐Release Support
Transportation, phone access, clothing, food, and safety planning to prevent immediate crisis.
03
One‐on‐One Navigation
● Identity and eligibility navigation (ID, Social Security, OHP, SNAP)
● Healthcare and behavioral health linkage
● Housing pathways and landlord navigation
● Employment readiness and digital literacy
● Life skills and community integration
04
Long‐Term Stabilization
Consistent support for up to 12 months to prevent gaps, crisis, and recidivism.
This is not about temporary fixes. It is about walking beside each woman until she is safe, stable, and ready to stand on her own.
Eligibility & Application
- Release destination to Multnomah County
- Length of incarceration
- Readiness for engagement
- Program capacity
Acceptance is not guaranteed.