Damascus Way seeks to provide a structured, caring, spiritually-oriented environment that will enable men involved in the correctional system to remain crime- and chemical-free, while assisting them in addressing their personal issues and meeting their individual goals, in order to assure their successful integration as productive citizens serving God and their communities.”

Objectives

-To assist clients in becoming responsible, contributing members of the community, while providing the community a safe, low-risk, well-monitored vehicle for re-integrating men being released from prison.

-To provide the state and county correctional systems a well structured, cost-effective, high-quality reentry program with effective monitoring and reporting systems.

-To employ and develop quality staff who are trained & equipped, and who have the necessary resources to carry out their tasks.

-To monitor the effectiveness of the program with an ongoing evaluation system.  

Background

Damascus Way Reentry Center is a division of the Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals (GMAE Ministries).  Founded in 1974, Damascus Way was established as a private, 501 c (3) organization to attempt to counter the high recidivism rate by helping offenders through the difficult period of transition after release.  Damascus Way has been licensed by the Department of Corrections since 1981, and has had a Work Release contract since 1989, and a Supervised Release contract since 1990.

Description of Services

Damascus Way has an 18-bed residential reentry program located at 5730 Olson Memorial Highway in Golden Valley , just west of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota and a 16 bed facility at 1449 4th Ave. SE, in Rochester, Minnesota. The program’s are located conveniently near main bus lines into the downtowns.  The program consists of a variety of services and operates with 24-hour supervision and monitoring of all residents.

 Programming and services:

                - Room and Board, including laundry facilities

- Weekly Accountability Group

- Daily and weekly spiritual groups and activities

- Case Management services

- Individual counseling

- Organized group recreational activities

- Employment Assistance

 

Groups and individual counseling and case management focus on assisting the residents to take responsibility for their actions, to change faulty thinking patterns and develop more adaptive coping skills, to develop skills in obtaining and maintaining employment, to practice responsible money management, to develop and maintain a healthy support network in the community, to learn more healthy use of free-time, and to deepen their spiritual lives.