For a grant program to be administered by the office of the commissioner of probation for community--based residential re--entry programs to reduce recidivism by providing transitional housing, workforce development and case management to individuals returning to the community from county correctional facilities and state prisons, including incarcerated persons under the supervision of state prisons and county correctional facilities approved under
sections 49 and 86F of chapter 127 of the General Laws and individuals on parole or on probation; provided, that no funds shall be transferred from this item to any other item in the trial court; provided further, that said programs shall provide supervision and accountability as needed; provided further, that the funds shall be awarded through a competitive process to qualified nonprofit organizations with a documented history of providing comprehensive, evidence--based or evidence--informed community residential re--entry services; provided further, that applicants shall provide a plan for ensuring that proposed programs shall be implemented with fidelity to a research--based, evidence--based or evidence--informed program design; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction Incorporated, in the city of New Bedford, for costs related to their PAACA Housing Support Fund; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be spent on women and elderly persons returning from incarceration; provided further, that not less than $1,500,000 shall be awarded to the parole board for sober and transitional housing for parolees; and provided further, that not later than March 3, 2026, the office shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means on the outcomes and recidivism rates of the participants
