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In Washington, reentry navigators work with individuals after they leave prison and enter a period of community custody. These navigators refer individuals to supportive services, rehabilitation programs, and potential employers. With funding from the Department of Justice, the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) is exploring the impact of equipping community reentry navigators with lists of verified service providers. The intent of the verified provider list (VPL) is to improve upon historical practices by creating a provider directory that is more comprehensive, accurate, and up to date. The VPL was implemented in four reentry centers in two counties; three reentry centers serving three additional counties serve as comparison locations. With approval from WSIPP’s Board of Directors, the DOC contracted with WSIPP to conduct an evaluation of the VPL.
In this preliminary report, we describe the providers that are included on the VPL; describe characteristics of people that are assigned to treatment and comparison reentry facility; and explore how the VPL changes engagement with service providers measured through the number of referrals, the length of time until first referral, and the length of time until first engagement.
There was evidence that the VPL was working as intended. Reentry navigators in areas with access to the VPL provided more referrals and provided those referrals more quickly. On average, the first referral was 30 days faster in treatment reentry centers (20 days) versus comparison reentry centers (51 days).
A final evaluation, including exploring program impacts on recidivism, will be published in December 2025.