LOS ANGELES, July 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Planning for Amity Foundation's 20th Annual, 4th of July, alumni reunion was bittersweet for Amity's project Amistad de los Angeles located in Downtown Los Angeles as the imminent news drew near of a 100 bed funding cut from the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Residential Multi-Service Centers, (RMSC) program (http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Parole/Program_Development_Unit/RMSC/index.html). At 4:15 pm, just 45 minutes before the close of business of California's fiscal year end (2010-2011), the news arrived that the project had been spared.
This means that 100 ex-offenders being released from prison will receive needed re-entry and rehabilitation services so that they may be afforded vocational training, substance abuse, medical, parenting-skills training and educational services as they prepare their transition to independent living in mainstream society.
The event draws between 300 - 900 successful Amity alumni, their children and family members each year. This year's announcement has been a jubilant triumph to Amity's long-term effort to reduce recidivism and help those habilitate from lives of degradation to lives of dignity. Amity's focus on family reunification has helped 10's of thousands over the decades.
Amity Foundation is dedicated to the inclusion and habilitation of people marginalized by addiction, trauma, criminality, homelessness, incarceration, poverty, racism, sexism and violence.
Amity is committed to research, development, implementation and dissemination of information regarding community building.
Amity (though another of their principal projects) offers and are one of only a few centers nationally, that provide services for one or more child to reside with their parent(s) while in residential treatment. This educational setting addresses the entire generational and family system, allows parents to be reunified and reeducated while their children are provided a safe home to receive counseling, allowed to heal and excel academically while their parent(s) receive treatment for chemical dependency, trauma and co-occurring disorders returning them as productive members of society.
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SOURCE Amity Foundation
