April is recognized as Second Chance Month to showcase the impact of re-entry programs such as Washoe County’s STAR program. Re-entry programs promote public safety, save taxpayer dollars, and result in stronger, healthier communities.
STAR stands for Support in Treatment, Accountability and Recovery, and is a program within the Department of Alternative Sentencing. It is entirely funded with state and federal grants, with one of the key funding sources being the Second Chance Act.
The bipartisan Second Chance Act (SCA) was passed in 2008 and reauthorized in 2018 again with bipartisan support, reflecting a nationwide commitment to second chances. The SCA allows local, state, and Tribal governments and community-based organizations and faith-based institutions across the country to implement effective and innovative re-entry programs, such as the STAR program.
Since its creation in 2022, the STAR program has graduated 15 participants from its recovery program. Successful graduation can take 16 months from start to finish, as it involves detox, residential and intensive outpatient programs, counseling, medication-assisted treatment if necessary, cognitive behavior restructuring, and relapse prevention classes. Taking a holistic approach to recovery, it also provides resources and services to reduce relapse such as housing support, transportation options, and education assistance.
“When I was first introduced to the STAR team in May of 2023, I was a wreck,” STAR graduate Kevin Lystedt said in a letter. “I was physically, mentally and spiritually sick. I was homeless and broken-hearted. My life to that point was a collection of failures, shame and sorrow. I had very little hope that I could someday pull a life out of the miserable mess I was in. My family wanted little to do with me, and while I wanted so much from life, I had little hope of achieving anything positive. Thankfully, the STAR team believed in me and from day one, they supported me, encouraged me and gave me all the resources I needed to build a new life for myself. Their involvement in my recovery has been the most crucial piece to my success. No matter the circumstance, the obstacle or the mishap, STAR never failed to help me get my feet under me with courage and resolve to keep moving forward.”
The Department of Alternative Sentencing receives support for STAR from the following organizations:
- TMCC for scholarships
- Northern Nevada HOPES provides MAT Services
- Well Care provides counseling services
- The Empowerment Center will accept its first STAR participant at the Marvel Way sober living complex this month.
- Crossroads provides residential treatment
- Step 2 provides both residential and transitional treatment
- Life Changes LLC is the provider of the STAR House, a recovery home for STAR participants that opened in January 2024.
STAR participant Miranda Callahan credits the program for her success in overcoming addiction: “The STAR program didn’t just help me get clean; it taught me how to live. I learned so many life skills that I never knew before. They helped me develop a daily routine, manage my emotions, and cope with stress without turning to old habits. I learned how to set goals and work toward them and how to make better decisions every day. They taught me how to communicate effectively and build healthy relationships, something that was completely foreign to me before.
To learn more about the SCA, visit the National Reentry Resource Center (NNRC), a national hub of information, resources, and tools for jurisdictions implementing evidence-based, data-driven resources to improve reentry and reduce recidivism. Learn about the STAR program here.
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