Mike Pozzetta

Program Manager Work Release Program

Hi, my name is Mike Pozzetta and I've work for Community Partners in Action (CPA) for 15 years. During that time I have come to appreciate the enormous strength and daily commitment of those I work with at CPA. The day to day challenges of restorative justice, rebuilding lives and community is in our time immense and seemingly unending.

I was already familiar with the CPA mission when I first came here 15 years ago, my early experiences quickly reconfirmed that CPA is made up of dedicated people, with shared values and vision, committed to work together with respect to construct the common effort. Our efforts create safe and supportive program environments, providing an opportunity for people to change and grow while ensuring individual accountability in supporting the safety of the community.

As the program manager of the Work Release Program I've seen hundreds of men complete the program, leaving with improved life and work skills, returning to better lives to their families and community. These men come to the program from the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC), with an average of 4 to 6 months remaining on their sentence. While with us, the men are also supervised by DOC's Parole office.

In the program the services of restorative justice include the reconstruction of identity documents, job readiness, vocational assessment, program planning and case load support. The men also participate in group counseling activities for cognitive skills, anger management and substance abuse education. The experience in the program also teaches the men the Hartford area public transportation network and how to use that resource to find work. After finding work the men receive additional support for maintaining employment, exploring career goals in finding better jobs. The men are introduced to banking and financial skills. These are skills that many of us take for granted in our own lives and take the time to nurture in the younger members of our families. Some of are not so fortunate.

Discharge planning prepares for a successful completion of the program and return to the community. After care services provide for continued support while in the community. The men who come to the program are motivated to improve their lives, to gain new experiences and to return successfully into their communities prepared to make positive contributions to their families and their neighborhood.

We celebrate each man's discharge of the program with a knowledge that we have all shared in his success in his transformation. We believe.