Lowell Homelessness Conference Number 5

Today (Friday) at the Holiday Inn at the junction of Route 133 and Interstate 495 we will have the Fifth Lowell Homelessness Conference.  The theme for this conference is "Criminal Justice Reentry Strategies".

You can still register at the Conference, which runs from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM (0800 to 1400).

Panels include:

A-1. Development of Permanent Housing for Ex-offenders: Hampden County Sheriff’s Office & Southern Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) Rutledge House and Bowdoin Street Projects

• Jim Cuddy, Executive Director, SMOC
• Allison Maynard, Director of Open Pantry Community Services, SMOC
• Darlene Assencos Mazurek, Director of Housing and Supportive Services Division, SMOC
• Sonia Medine, Manager After Incarceration Support, Hampden County Sheriff’s Office

A-2. Veteran Ex-offenders: Panel Discussion and Overview

• Paul Carew, Veterans Officer, Town of Natick, MA Former Veterans Specialist, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
• Kevin Casey, Regional Director, U. S. Veterans Administration
• Kevin Lambert, MA Department of Veterans’ Services
• Jerry Pinsky, Director, Self Employment Services, Bedford, VA & SBA Champion

A-3. Reentry 101:

• Susan Rourke, Reintegration Manager, Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office
• Jen Sordi, Director of Reentry, Hampden County Sheriff’s Office
• Carol O’Brien, Assistant Superintendent, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office

A-4. Sex Offenders:

• Moderator: James M. Byrne, PhD, Professor Criminal Justice and Criminology University of Massachusetts Lowell
• William H. Fisher, PhD, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at University of Massachusetts Lowell and Professor Psychiatry University of Massachusetts Medical School
• Charles McDonald, Director of Communications MA Sex Offender Registry Board
• Carlos Mercado, Detective, Lowell Police Department

B-1. Transitioning Ex-offender Medical, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment, Medication and Documentation

• Moderator: Mark Hemenway. New England Prison Ministries
• Andrew Kohlhofer, Forensic Transition Team, MA Department of Mental Health
• Laura King, Director of Mental Health Services, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
• Ken Powers, Former Executive Director Lowell House, Inc.

B-2. New CORI Legislation and Related Housing & Employment Issues

• Moderator: Lee Gartenberg, Director, Inmate Legal Services, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
• Leslie Rivera, Transitional Coach Supervisor, UTEC
• Bill Norris, Career Advisor/Disability Specialist Certified Offender Employment Specialist, Career Center of Lowell

B-3. Reentry 101:

• Susan Rourke, Reintegration Manager, Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office
• Jen Sordi, Director of Reentry, Hampden County Sheriff’s Office
• Carol O’Brien, Assistant Superintendent, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office

B-4. Ex-offender Housing Providers:

• Beth Kidd, Executive Director, Place of Promise, Lowell, MA
• Kevin Waterman, Pathways House/GAAMHA, Gardner, MA
• Fred Smith, Director of Program Development, St. Francis House, Boston, MA

Please feel free to join us.  We will be welcoming late registrations.

Regards  —  Cliff