Young Mothers Project

The Second Chance Act Strengthening Relationships Between Young Fathers, Young Mothers, and Their Children Program provides funding to support the successful transition of young fathers and mothers as they return to their families and communities from incarceration. This program funds coordinated and comprehensive strategies that incorporate (1) mentoring and transitional reentry services proven to reduce recidivism, (2) effective parenting skills development and parent/child relationship engagement for young fathers or mothers, and (3) private and community service partnerships that promote public safety and support added positive outcomes for young parents and their children.

The Young Mothers Project will expand Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota’s (LSS-SD) Re-Entry Services to serve young mothers in the South Dakota Women’s Prison. The Young Mothers Project will give younger, less mature mothers the additional individual mentoring and developmentally-appropriate services that will help them maintain successful re-entry and become successful parents. The Young Mothers Project will achieve these outcomes over the three-year grant period: assess the eligibility and needs of young incarcerated mothers under 25 who will live in Sioux Falls or Rapid City upon release; match an unduplicated number of 100 young mothers with staff Re-Entry Coaches who will mentor young mothers pre-release, at release and through re-entry; provide an unduplicated 100 young mothers with regularly-scheduled developmentally-appropriate activities and communication opportunities to help them improve their parenting skills, life skills, and relationships with their children; provide pre-release; post-release case management services; and pre-employment training classes for an unduplicated number of 100 young mothers as they prepare to re-enter their communities. CA/NCF